Myths and Facts About Bariatric Surgery

There are many myths that surround weight loss or bariatric surgery. If you ask people you know what they think about weight loss surgery, you are likely to hear a wide variety of answers, many of them negatively portraying bariatric procedures. However, if you talk to bariatric patients, you will hear a much different story. Here are some of the myths about bariatric surgery and the facts.

Weight Loss Surgery Is Taking the “Easy” Way Out

This is the most common untruth that is told about bariatric surgery. Whether you have a gastric sleeve, gastric balloon or Lap Band procedure, there is nothing easy about these weight loss journeys. Patients are given a tool to lose weight, but it takes commitment and life changes to be successful.

You Will Gain All the Weight Back

There is always someone who will tell you that they know someone who had weight loss surgery that gained their weight back. While it is possible, it is not true in most cases. Bariatric procedures such as gastric sleeve or Lap Band surgeries offer a long-term tool to reduce the amount of food you need to intake to feel satisfied. There is extensive evidence that most bariatric patients maintain long-term weight loss – over 50% are able to maintain at least 50% five years post-surgery.

Bariatric Patients Cannot Eat Regular Food

There are myths that bariatric patients must give up certain foods forever. It is true that there are foods that should be avoided due to poor nutrition, many patients are able to eat whatever foods they choose. This is especially true for procedures such as Lap Band, sleeve gastrectomy and gastric balloon. These tools only restrict the amount of food you can eat at once, not the type of food you can consume. A strict diet is needed after some surgical procedures to allow the stomach to heal, but this is only temporary.

There are hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. that have weight loss surgery every year. The majority have incredible success, especially if they commit to making the healthy changes needed to maintain their weight loss. If you want to learn more about bariatric surgery facts, contact us at The Weight Loss Surgery Center of Los Angeles to schedule a consultation.