One of the questions that I ask patients in the very beginning of their evaluation for surgery is, “What will it look like if you get it right?” I encourage them to look at what will happen to their weight, their daily exercise routine, their role with their family, their social life and their sex life as their weight loss increases.

Patients are often blinded by the desperate need to lose weight and fail to visualize their future after weight loss. This can lead being unprepared for what happens once the enthusiasm and admiration of friends and family begins to fade. And that may be the beginning of falling back into old habits.

Over the long term, the best results come from careful medical and surgical follow-up. This includes periodic checkups to follow weight gain or loss, and nutritional evaluations to ensure that your diet and supplemental vitamins and minerals are fully replenishing your calcium and vitamin levels.

A major element of long-term success is a full appreciation that the surgery is more than just a surgery. It is the beginning of a new life. Just as the patient has usually spent a lifetime learning poor dietary and exercise habits, it will take time and support to become a long-term successful surgical weight-loss patient.