- This is Jenny Reay again,
Weight Management Program Coordinator.
Weight loss surgery is and elective procedure
and requires a lot of preparation.
This video will lay out the program steps required
before having surgery and how to get started in the process.
This is the fourth and final video in the series.
If you have known someone who's had weight loss surgery,
you may have seen the rapid weight loss
and thought, "They just took the easy way out."
Well, this couldn't be further from the truth.
Weight loss surgery may be one of the hardest journeys
you will travel.
And the surgery itself is just the tip of the iceberg.
What you don't see in that friend or family member
who has been successful, lies beneath the surface.
That person has made a commitment
to preparing food every day, taking vitamins, sipping water.
They've made exercise a part of their daily life
and attend clinics and support groups.
The surgery is just a tool
and you will get from it what you put in.
This takes hard work, motivation and determination.
So the first step in the process
is preparing you for this journey.
We can break this down into three stages.
The preparation stage can take
anywhere between eight to 12 months.
During this time you're learning, being evaluated
to be sure weight loss surgery is right for you
and getting approval from both the bariatric team
and your insurance.
Once you've been approved,
you can move on to the surgery itself.
Then you'll be supported for life
with our long-term clinic and support groups.
Let's break down the preparation phase step-by-step.
Most insurance companies require that you complete
a three or six-month
medically supervised weight loss program.
This can be completed
using the pathways to surgery group classes
or the individual appointments.
Refer back to part one of this video series
to learn more about these program options.
In this step, we help you lose weight
as you prepare for weight loss surgery.
After you've completed this video series
and started your medically supervised weight loss program,
the surgeon's office will call you
to schedule an appointment with your surgeon.
At this time, you'll discuss the types of surgery
and agree upon the surgery that's best for you.
You will need to contact your health insurance company
to verify your benefits for bariatric surgery.
After the first few steps are completed,
you will have a nutrition evaluation
to be sure that you're ready
for this type of lifelong change.
We will review food logs and your nutrition goals.
This is your time to show us
the healthy changes you've made.
You will take a short quiz
to be sure you understand the diet after surgery.
Although it's not required that you lose weight
during this time,
it is important that you do not gain weight.
Insurance may deny the claim for surgery
if you've gained weight.
While completing the first three steps,
you will be referred to Dr. McClure, the psychologist,
for a psychological evaluation.
She'll complete a diagnostic interview
and psychological assessment
to be sure you're ready for the surgery
and the lifestyle changes afterwards.
This is a required step before having surgery.
After you pass your nutrition and psychological evaluations,
and all other medical testing is complete,
you will get a call to schedule your final visit
with the surgeon to discuss a surgery date.
The surgeon's office will send all documents
to your insurance company for approval.
It's important to call the surgeon's office
if your insurance changes at any time
from your first appointment,
all the way up until the time of your surgery.
The program steps may take up to a year
before you get to the point of surgery.
After surgery, you will have a one to two day hospital stay.
After surgery, you'll follow up with your surgeon
several times for the first few months
to be sure you're healing well.
Then set a plan for ongoing followup for life.
You will join the team again at OSF at the RiverPlex
at six months for the bariatric long-term clinic.
We'll continue meeting with you every year for life
to be sure you're staying healthy as you lose weight.
Completing this video series is a required step.
Please complete the survey at the end of this video,
to confirm that you have watched the entire series
and that you understand the steps.
Your next step is to call your doctor and ask for a referral
to the OSF Weight Management Clinic,
if you haven't already done so.
Once we receive your referral,
we'll call you to schedule your first appointment
with OSF at the RiverPlex.
Thank you for taking the time to listen.
At this time, you may be focused on getting surgery
and finding the fastest route to surgery.
Please remember that this is a process
that can take up to a year to complete.
Our main priority is your health and safety.
Doing surgery on a person who's not ready
will do more harm than good.
We take the time to be sure you're ready for the road ahead.
There's no one giant step that does it,
it's a lot of little steps
and we'll be with you along the way.