Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for numerous reasons. It not only reduces the risk of chronic diseases but also enhances mental health, improves mobility, boosts immunity, balances hormones and promotes better sleep quality.
Everyone may adopt different approaches to weight loss. Bariatric surgery procedures are designed to help individuals with obesity achieve significant weight loss they can sustain.
Dr. Sarah Samreen, an assistant professor, surgeon and director of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health), shared valuable insights and advice regarding surgical weight loss.
Here are some key takeaways from her discussion:
1. Medication is for life
With the increasing availability of medications to assist with weight loss, Samreen emphasized that while these medications can be effective, they often require a lifelong commitment.
“Surgery is safe and can allow patients to lose weight without being on medication for life,” she said.
This highlights the potential of bariatric surgery as a more sustainable solution for long-term weight management.
2. Mental health support is critical
Samreen stressed the critical role of mental health support both before and after surgery. At UTMB Health, patients have access to dedicated resources, including a social worker who specializes in bariatric care.
“It’s really important to have mental health support both before and after surgery,” said Samreen, noting that at UTMB Health, all patients have access to these resources.
3. Make time to measure success
While bariatrics patients will see a change in the number on the scale, Samreen encouraged those undergoing weight loss surgery to celebrate the non-scale victories, as well.
“Improvement in medical conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, may be seen in the form of no longer needing medications, or going on a lower dose,” she said.
Additionally, milestones like fitting comfortably in an airplane seat or being able to play actively with children are significant achievements worth acknowledging
“It’s so important to acknowledge the progress as it’s being made,” she added.
For individuals interested in pursuing weight loss surgery, more information is available on the UTMB Health Bariatric Surgery page.