When you have been struggling with your weight, it can sometimes feel like nothing works or ever will work to help you lose weight. While it is understandable that you might feel this way, you should not give up hope. Weight loss surgeries, including gastric balloon surgery, gastric bypass, and more, can help you to achieve your weight loss goals. Many people know that weight loss surgery exists but may not know much about the specific facts surrounding this weight loss option. 

Weight Loss Surgery Does Not Mean You Failed

Many people look at surgery as a last resort when it comes to weight loss. And because of this, they feel like they are a failure if they opt to get weight loss surgery. However, choosing weight loss surgery does not mean that you failed. It is a tool and a resource available to help you lose weight.

Think of weight loss surgery in the same way you think about working with a trainer at the gym or going to a nutritionist to guide you on your eating. It is a resource at your disposal that should be used if it would best benefit you and your needs. 

Weight Loss Surgery Is Not a Solution in and of Itself

Weight loss surgery is not a solution to weight issues in and of itself. As previously mentioned, it is one of many tools, though it is especially effective. Think of weight loss surgery as a way to jump-start your weight loss journey. 

It will help you in several ways. Your stomach will have a smaller capacity to start with and this helps to keep you from eating or drinking too much. You will also be on a specialized diet following surgery for several weeks or months as you heal from surgery as well. Making these changes will help you to continue making healthy eating choices once some of those initial restrictions are lifted. 

Knowing that weight loss surgery is not the solution in and of itself, but a way to speed up or jump-start weight loss can help you to have reasonable expectations of the procedure and what is to come after the surgery itself. 

Weight Loss Surgery Is Only for Some Patients

Weight loss surgery is not necessarily an option for everyone that wants to lose weight. There are criteria used to determine if a person is a good candidate. Oftentimes, if a person has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher, they are considered as a candidate for weight loss surgery. 

Some people with BMIs between 30 and 40 are also candidates, particularly if they have exhausted all other weight loss strategies (like dieting, exercise, and medications.) They may also be good candidates if they have other exacerbating medical conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or diabetes. 

Now that you know more about weight loss surgery, you can talk to your doctor and determine if and when you should get weight loss surgery.