If you have come to the point where you believe nothing else will work, you might turn to bariatric surgery such as gastric bypass or lap band, in other words getting your stomach stapled.  As kids, we spread a rumor around about a pretty big girl that it was said burst her staples because she ate so much.  Now we all know that if you eat too much with that, you just throw it back up.  But we were relatively uneducated about bariatric surgery, as many patients unfortunately are.  So there are a few questions you should ask of your surgeon before undergoing a procedure.

            First, ask if you are a good candidate.  You could have various medical conditions and such that could cause complications.  They could recommend one type for you over the other, and if you are trying to do it under the age of 18, it is not recommended except in extreme cases.  Most doctors will not perform these procedures on children.  However, the Stanford Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital specializes in gastric bypass surgery for children.  You can also ask what types of surgery they actually perform at that hospital.

            Second, you should ask how much it will cost.  This is essential, considering you should know if you can actually afford it.  They vary between 9000 and 55,000 depending on the surgeon.  This is a huge gap, and you should definitely know what you are getting.  You should also know if your insurance is going to pay part of it and how much.  If so or if not, you should know if you can make payment plans or if you are expected to pay it all at once.

            Third, what are your personal chances of dying?  I mean is it really worth it to die now instead of just trying to diet and exercise to lose weight?  The mortality rate varies from doctor to doctor.  There is an average in the United States.  But you should know if there have been any malpractice suits against your particular doctor or hospital.  This could significantly raise your chances of dying on the table. 

            Fourth, what should by diet now entail.  Gastric bypass surgery requires you to make certain changes to your diet, not only in how much you eat, but in what you eat to get the required vitamins and minerals and so on.  You will only be able to eat a small amount, and there are certain foods you will have to avoid.  Avoiding these foods might help you without the surgery.  But with the surgery, it is essential to life.  You should probably work with a dietician.

            Finally, do I need a mental evaluation?  As with any procedure of cosmetic or weight loss nature, you do need a mental health evaluation before proceeding.  This is partly to ensure that you are not doing it because you are addicted to the surgeries among other things.  Some requires one visit to a mental health professional, and others require extensive visits to a trained psychologist. This all factors into the cost.  Some patients are likely to completely lose it following this particular procedure, eating themselves to death by gorging despite feelings of fullness and throwing up.  Suicide significantly raises the mortality rate with this particular procedure.