Ask the Expert

Jonathan Reich, MD

 Jonathan Reich, MD, a fellowship-trained specialist with The Center for Bariatrics at SOCH.  Dr. Reich will respond to questions on:

Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

Dr. Reich’s  answers will be informational only and should not be used as a diagnosis or for treatment. Please talk to your physician about official diagnosis of your condition and treatment.

Question 1
I am 5 feet, 5 inches, 45 years old and weight 175.  I've been struggling for years to lose 25 pounds.  Would weight-loss surgery be a good option for me?

Well, the first step is to determine if you qualify for weight loss surgery. The current eligibility criterion requires that your BMI (Body Mass Index) is at least 35 along with an obesity related medical problem, or a BMI of 40 will automatically qualify. A BMI of 40 is roughly equal to 100 lbs overweight. Perform an Internet search for BMI, to calculate yours. Then come to a free seminar for more information.

Question 2
Will insurance cover weight loss surgery?

98% of the time insurance will cover weight loss surgery. We actively work with our patients to successfully get them to the day of surgery.

Question 3
After weight-loss surgery, how long does it take for the weight to come off?  Are there certain food I won't be able to eat anymore?  I heard that you have to starve yourself after bariatric surgery, is that true?

The speed of the weight loss will depend on the choice of surgery. The gastric bypass has a faster initial weight loss than the gastric band, but the band will catch the bypass at about 2-3 years. The bypass patient will drop 70% of their excess body weight in the first year. The band patient will lose 50% of their excess body weight in the first year.

You will hopefully be making different food choices with the help of our nutritional guidance, but there are no absolute food restrictions. There is no starving yourself allowed! Our patients still like to eat, but are satisfied with eating less food.

Question 4
I want to have the surgery but kind of scared about the idea of being in the hospital.  How long would I have to stay in the hospital and how long would I be out of work?

The gastric band procedure is typically a 45-minute surgery, an overnight hospital stay, and discharge home the next morning. One week is the standard for return to work.

The gastric bypass is a 1.5 to 2 hour surgery, a two-day hospital stay, and return to work in 2 weeks time.

Some patients recover faster and some recover slower, so we feel it's important to individualize our assessment for the best patient care.

The overall game plan is to improve our patients' health over the long term so they don't get sick from all of the medical problems that go along with obesity. 

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