Gastric Bypass Surgery

The first thing doctors might do as they decide whether or not your a candidate for gastric bypass surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, is to calculate your body mass index or BMI. The BMI is determined by converting your weight in pounds into kilograms and your height in inches to meters. You weight divided by your height is your BMI. Alternatively, you can divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches. Divide this number by your height in inches once more and multiply the result by 703. The final figure is your BMI.

Generally speaking, gastric bypass surgery is only considered on this with a BMI above at least 35 and that's only if they have an obesity-related illness. Otherwise you'll need a BMI over 40 to be considered a candidate for gastric bypass surgery.

So what exactly is an obesity-related illness you might ask? Obesity-related illnesses and conditions include elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, gallstones, pancreatitis, abdominal hernia, fatty liver, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, blood clots, sleep apnea, arthritis, gout, lower back pain, infertility, and cataracts.

So if you have any of these obesity-related illnesses and a BMI above 35, you may be a candidate by gastric bypass surgery but ultimately that's for a qualified physician to determine. It's possible that gastric bypass surgery can significantly improve the obesity-related symptoms.

For most patients, the BMI is the important factor in determining whether or not gastric bypass surgery is a viable option. Your doctor will also consider your general health and emotional state in making the determination for or against gastric bypass surgery. If you've recently had cancer treatments, a heart attack, or major surgery, the doctor may advise you to wait a certain period of time before having gastric bypass surgery.

With regard to emotional health, people with a history of anorexia nervosa or bulimia are generally not considered good candidates for gastric bypass surgery. If you've had an eating disorder in the distant past that has been under control for a long time, the doctor may allow gastric bypass surgery.

Finally, if you have long-standing psychiatric difficulties such as schizophrenia or manic depression you are unlikely to be a good candidate for weight loss surgery. These criteria are just general rules of thumb. There's no way to make a complete diagnosis without visiting a qualified physician and even if the doctor agrees that you are a candidate for gastric bypass surgery, ultimately the decision is left to the patient.