Weight loss surgery is usually for people who have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above, or those who have a BMI of 35 or above with other conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease or sleep apnea.
CHI Health Immanuel's Bariatric Program is a Comprehensive program. That means our weight loss surgery program is:
New to the CHI Health bariatric program is our program app which allows patients easy access benefits like:
How to get the app:
Download the Baritastic app from Google Play or the Apple App Store.
Please Note: You will need a program code which will be given at one of your patient appointments.
Consider these items before beginning your weight loss surgery journey. If you feel that you are ready, continue on to the bariatric surgery checklist.
You have to follow the directions of your surgeon and bariatric team, especially diet, exercise, labs and office follow up. Surgery alone will not take care of your weight or health issues. We have an extensive follow-up routine for all our bariatric surgery patients in order to successfully maintain
Check with your insurance company and see if bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery is a covered benefit under your policy. If your insurance policy includes a specific exclusion for the surgical treatment of obesity you will not be covered for surgery, no matter your current health issues.
Bariatric surgery is NOT done for cosmetic reasons. It is done to improve failing health. If you meet the medical criteria, you are doing it for health reasons.
It is crucial that you have a strong support network of family and friends that will be there to help you through the decision making process, and especially as you recover after surgery. We suggest that not only the patient, but also their close friends and family become educated about the risks and benefits of weight loss surgery.
Use this checklist to guide you through the process toward bariatric surgery. Note: Items 1-3 should be done before your appointment with our weight management team.
1.) Check to see whether you have the benefit for bariatric surgery.
2.) Surgeon education video (webinars) online. This 1 hour video must be done before your appointment.
3.) Appointment with the bariatric surgery weight management team (Bariatric Nurse Practitioner and Dietitian)
4.) Begin medical weight management visits.
5.) Psychiatric Evaluation - Must be completed by qualified provider before surgery and within the same year that surgery is done
6.) At least one attendance to a bariatric surgery support group is required.
Additional requirements will be discussed at your appointment. All required documents will not be submitted to your insurance for approval until the program and insurance documents have been completed. Contact our Weight Management office for any questions at (402) 572-3684, option 1.
Our monthly support groups provide a secure, warm setting for patients undergoing the process of lifetime diet and lifestyle changes that can improve surgery outcomes and are necessary to achieve enduring weight loss.
Support sessions have been shown to directly increase the chances of short- and long-term patient success following bariatric surgery. Regardless of where a person is in relation to the bariatric surgery process, he or she is welcome to attend the sessions.
The support group meets twice a month via zoom with a new topic for education. *Registration is not required however there will be a sign in sheet upon arrival. If you should have any questions please contact the CHI Health Weight Management team at (402) 572-3684.
Those who are candidates for bariatric surgery typically fall into the below categories:
For patients in Kearney, NE we do offer initial steps of the program to be completed with Dr. Moeller. Learn more about this opportunity.
To receive more information and be contacted by our staff, sign up here.
If you are someone who has tried multiple diets and has tried to lose weight over and over again without success, then bariatric surgery is something you should take into consideration as an option.
You will need to check your insurance benefits first and foremost. Ask if you have the "bariatric surgery benefit."
After surgery, food travels down the esophagus and enters your new pouch. Depending on what surgery you may have, weight loss is determined by decreasing portion size and how well the body absorbs calories/nutrients. Adherence to a food plan, exercise, and support after surgery will promote success.
Most patients require 1-3 days in the hospital. Many patients return to work in approximately 2 weeks. Heavy lifting and taxing physical activity is discouraged for up to 4 weeks.
Pending your pain tolerance, this is individualized. We do everything in our power to treat pain via all avenues. We use the multi-modal pain management intervention model that utilizes different types of medications to decrease pain in different ways.
During the healing process you may have occasional episodes of nausea with retching and or vomiting. This is usually associated with the surgical procedure itself and will gradually subside. Once you begin to introduce soft foods back into your eating plan, you may have an occasional episode where a particular food does not digest well and may make you sick. Patients that overeat and overfill their pouch experience stomach/chest pain & pressure, and often vomiting. Frequent episodes of nausea and vomiting are a red flag that you may not be following the rules. In this case, notify the nurse or dietitian to discuss.
Yes. Many patients lose up to 50-75% of their excess weight 3 years after surgery. It is important to stay connected with your bariatric support team for long term support. Remember, medically complicated obesity is a chronic disease process and you must maintain good healthcare practices, following doctor’s guidelines for the rest of your life.
Depends on the type of exercise. You should begin walking while still in the hospital, unless instructed otherwise. As you heal, begin to increase your exercise time and intensity. Your surgeon will allow you to increase your activity based on your progress. After surgery, exercises such as weights, sit-ups, pull-ups, or any abdominal straining should wait until you get the go-ahead from your doctor.
Weight loss is not necessarily the goal...body fat loss is the goal! Our program focuses on body composition for overall health. So each individual going through the program has the opportunity to have their body composition analyzed by our "InBody" machine. This will calculate the amount of body fat that is realistic and attainable if a patient chooses the lifestyle interventions to meet their specific goal.
Not necessarily, this is very individualized based on patient preference and/or potential skin rash complications.
Some hair loss is common between 3 and 6 months following surgery. Even if you take all recommended supplements, hair loss will be noticed until the follicles come back. Hair loss is almost always temporary. Adequate intake of protein, vitamins and minerals will help to ensure hair re-growth and avoid longer term thinning.
YES, you will need to take a bariatric specific vitamin the rest of your life post-operative to prevent acute and chronic vitamin deficiencies
Not necessarily diet, but you will be expected to make permanent lifestyle changes in your dietary intake and physical activity regimen. These expected lifestyle changes will prevent acute and chronic post- operative bariatric surgery complications and re-hospitalizations.
In the end each individual going through this process has "choices". We tell patients "you do what you need to do to be where you want to be.” It is essential for long term safety that every post-op patient needs to eat at least 60-90 Grams of protein daily and eat foods in this order: protein first, vegetables second, fruits third. Additionally, just know that not everyone will tolerate all foods the same they did pre-operatively.
Some patients have a severe reaction to sweets caused by the high sugar content. Other patients are able to tolerate without difficulty. The important thing to focus on is that you will limit sweets as they are not in the protein family and add empty calories. Often, sweets are a trigger food for many. Once you have a sweet treat it triggers the craving to have more. This can sabotage your meal plan and weight loss.
Located at CHI Health Immanuel
Medical Building One
6829 N 72nd St #5500
Omaha, NE 68122
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