Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQs

1. What are the benefits of the REALIZE^® Solution^† for gastric banding, gastric bypass, and sleeve gastrectomy?

   The REALIZE Solution^** can help you lose significant weight and improve your health. It is weight loss surgery combined with REALIZE mySUCCESS^®, a Web-based clinical support tool. Experts agree that bariatric surgery patients also require help to learn healthy new habits and to stay in touch with their bariatric team. That's why we worked in consultation with bariatric surgeons, dietitians, and behavior modification specialists to develop the REALIZE mySUCCESS^® Program. It's designed to help you achieve and maintain a healthier weight.

   REALIZE mySUCCESS^® helps to guide you through two essential stages for success following surgery. Stage 1: building healthy habits over the first 18 months. Stage 2: staying motivated, on track, and connected with your bariatric practice over the next 18 months and beyond.

   You'll learn and practice strategies that will help cement your healthy habits—and help you achieve your healthier weight. In fact, it has been shown that REALIZE Band patients who frequently use REALIZEstep in precisely when mySUCCESS^® lose significantly more weight.^* REALIZE mySUCCESS^® also keeps you connected with your bariatric team and allows your doctor to step in precisely when needed to keep you on track.

   REALIZE mySUCCESS^® is exclusive to the REALIZE Solution for gastric banding, gastric bypass, and sleeve gastrectomy.

   Learn more about the power of REALIZE mySUCCESS^®.

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2. How do I know if I'm eligible for bariatric surgery?

   Bariatric surgery requires a commitment to a healthy, active lifestyle. You will need to meet specific criteria to ensure that you medically qualify for surgery. Only you and your surgeon can evaluate your situation and decide if surgery is right for you.

   The REALIZE Solution may be right for you if:

   • You have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40 or a BMI greater than 35 and one or more obesity-related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. For someone 5 feet, 4 inches, that means a weight of at least 235 pounds. For someone 5 feet, 9 inches—at least 270 pounds.
   • You are 18 years of age or older.
   • You have one or more obesity-related conditions (known as comorbid conditions), such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.
   • You've been unable to lose weight and keep it off through traditional methods like diet and exercise.
   • You're ready to commit to a healthy, active lifestyle.
   • You don't have medical conditions that could cause serious complications during or after surgery.
   • You understand the surgery benefits, risks, and complications, and you have a full understanding of what to expect.

   Take the bariatric surgery eligibility quiz to see if you qualify for bariatric surgery.

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3. How do I select a bariatric surgeon?

   Choosing the right bariatric surgeon may be the most important decision you make. The surgeon who performs your weight loss procedure will also be part of your support team for years to come, so it's important for you to feel at ease with him or her.

   Some of the most important considerations when choosing a surgeon include:

   • Center of Excellence (COE) designation
   • The surgeon's experience performing gastric banding, gastric bypass, or sleeve gastrectomy
   • Your confidence in the bariatric surgeon
   • The surgeon's commitment to your success
   • The staff at the surgeon's office
   • Whether the surgeon is part of your insurance network

   Learn more about choosing a bariatric surgeon.

   The best way to find a bariatric practice: Attend an information seminar

   To find a surgeon who meets your needs, we encourage you to attend one or more information seminars in your area. Each seminar is hosted by a bariatric clinic that offers the REALIZE Solution for gastric banding, gastric bypass, or sleeve gastrectomy. There's no pressure to make a commitment—and no better way to get the answers you're looking for.

   If you don't feel that the bariatric practice hosting the seminar fits your needs, we encourage you to attend another seminar in your area. Some people find it helpful to attend more than one before selecting a surgeon.

   Use our seminar finder to locate a seminar in your area, and register to ensure that you have a seat because seminars often fill up.

   Want to talk it over? We're ready to help. Call us at 1-866-300-1818 if you have questions or concerns or want help finding a seminar near you.

   Read the Insurance and Financing section to learn more.

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4. Do I have bariatric surgery insurance coverage?

   Although we can't tell you if you have coverage for weight loss surgery, we can help you understand how to work with your insurance provider to determine if you have bariatric surgery insurance coverage.

   Read the Insurance and Financing section to learn more.

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5. How will I pay for bariatric surgery?

   Before you spend time researching your financing options, find out whether your insurance plan will pay for the surgery. Many health insurance plans, including Medicare and most Medicaid plans, cover bariatric surgery. However, health insurance plan coverage varies, so it's important to examine the coverage provided by your plan.

   We can help you understand how to work with your insurance provider to determine your bariatric surgery insurance coverage.

   If you don't have health insurance, or if after working with your insurance provider you determine that you don't have bariatric surgery insurance coverage, you still have options. Many patients use bariatric surgery financing to cover out-of-pocket costs. Because weight loss surgery is an investment in good health and better quality of life, you may also consider the procedure to be worth the cost even without insurance. Learn more about the cost of weight loss surgery.

   Many lenders can provide bariatric surgery financing. Some financing options include:

   • Credit card
   • Personal line of credit
   • Home equity line of credit
   • Mortgage

   Learn more about your bariatric surgery financing options.

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6. What kind of weight loss support will I receive after surgery?

   We are committed to helping you every step of the way—before and after surgery. That's why we worked in consultation with bariatric surgeons, dietitians, and behavior modification specialists to develop the REALIZE mySUCCESS^® Program. It is a Web-based clinical support tool designed to help you achieve and maintain a healthier weight.

   Before surgery, you can access tools to begin changing your habits and improving your health. After surgery, you'll have access to the full features of REALIZE mySUCCESS^®. As you set goals with your doctor, REALIZE mySUCCESS^® helps you adjust to your new lifestyle. You'll learn and practice strategies that will help cement your healthy habits—and help you achieve your healthier weight. In fact, it has been shown that REALIZE Band patients who frequently use REALIZE mySUCCESS^® lose significantly more weight.* To help you maintain a healthier weight, REALIZE mySUCCESS^® keeps you connected with your bariatric team and allows your doctor to step in precisely when needed to keep you on track.

   Developed to address the specific needs of bariatric surgery patients, REALIZE mySUCCESS^® helps you:

   • Progress through the five different eating phases after surgery (from liquids to solids) with sample daily meals, staged over time
   • Adopt good eating and hydration habits, including better food choices, portion control, smaller bites, thorough chewing, and separating liquids from meals
   • Identify emotional eating triggers by allowing patients to track calorie intake by mood, setting, and planned versus unplanned meals
   • Take the proper nutritional supplements for optimum health, in accordance with the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) guidelines
   • Stay motivated and on track by setting goals and by creating personal plans, reminders, coping strategies, and support systems to achieve them

   REALIZE mySUCCESS^® is exclusive to patients who choose the REALIZE Solution for gastric banding, gastric bypass, and sleeve gastrectomy.

   Learn more about the power of REALIZE mySUCCESS^®.

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7. Why are diet and exercise so important after having weight loss surgery?

   Bariatric surgery is an effective way to help you lose weight. However, without regular exercise and a healthy diet, it is unlikely that you will achieve your weight loss goals.

   Exercising regularly will maximize the amount of weight you lose and help to improve your health. By building muscle through strength-training exercises, you may lessen the amount of skin sag you experience after losing weight.

   Bariatric surgery helps you to feel satisfied sooner and to eat less, but it doesn't eliminate the desire to eat. Following the instructions of your healthcare team for healthy eating will put you on the path to success. You can also refer to our tips for proper nutrition to see what a bariatric diet includes.

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Gastric Banding

1. What are the benefits of gastric banding?

   Significant weight loss

   • Patients in a 3-year clinical trial lost a mean of 40% of their excess weight at 1 year and 43% at 3 years.¹

   Improved health

   Clinical trials have shown that gastric banding can resolve or improve the most common health conditions associated with obesity.

   Health Problem	% of Gastric Band Patients
   Type 2 Diabetes Resolved	47.8%9
   High Blood Pressure Resolved	43.2%9
   High Cholesterol Improved	78.3%9
   Obstructive Sleep Apnea Resolved	94.6%9
   Acid Reflux/GERD Resolved	32.3%10

   Cost savings over time

   A recent study showed that laparoscopic bariatric surgery pays for itself in about 2 years. One important reason is that weight loss surgery may help to improve or resolve conditions associated with obesity, such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol,⁹ so patients save money on related prescription drugs, doctor visits, and hospital visits.¹¹

   Quality-of-life improvements

   Clinical studies of laparoscopic bariatric surgery patients found that they felt better, spent more time doing recreational and physical activities, benefited from enhanced productivity and economic opportunities, and had more self-confidence than they did prior to surgery.⁹

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2. What are the benefits of the REALIZE Adjustable Gastric Band?

   Exclusive weight loss support

   Only the REALIZE Solution for gastric banding includes the REALIZE mySUCCESS^® Program—a Web-based, clinical support tool designed to help you maintain a healthier weight. In fact, it has been shown that REALIZE Band patients who frequently use REALIZE mySUCCESS^® lose significantly more weight.^*

   REALIZE mySUCCESS^® was developed in consultation with bariatric surgeons, dietitians, and behavior modification specialists to meet the unique needs of bariatric patients. Only patients who choose a REALIZE Solution have access to the complete features of this unique, long-term support program.

   Learn more about the power of REALIZE mySUCCESS^®.

   Proven weight loss results

   The REALIZE Band is shown to help patients achieve and maintain a healthier weight.

   • Proven results: Patients in a 3-year clinical trial lost a mean of 40% of their excess weight at 1 year and 43% at 3 years.¹
   • Additional results: In the same clinical trial, the REALIZE Band helped resolve 47.8% of type 2 diabetes, and 94.6% of obstructive sleep apnea problems, and improved 78.3% of high cholesterol problems.¹

   No adjustable gastric band is safer or more effective than the REALIZE Band.¹ The REALIZE Band is supported by more than 20 years of worldwide clinical experience and ongoing innovation.

   Minimally invasive surgery

   The REALIZE Band is implanted using laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgery, which involves small incisions in the abdomen. That usually means a shorter hospital stay, faster recovery, smaller scars, and less pain than open surgical procedures.

   Reversible

   Because adjustable gastric banding surgery does not permanently change the anatomy of the stomach and intestines, the REALIZE Band can be removed if necessary. Please keep in mind that reversal surgery is not simple, and weight gain is usually observed in people who have the band removed and who do not continue a healthy eating regimen.

   These are just a few of the benefits of the REALIZE Band. Read about gastric banding benefits to learn more. Learn how the REALIZE Band is different than the LAP-BAND System.

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3. How long does it take to recover from the procedure?

   The recovery process varies from person to person and can take 6 to 8 weeks. Patients progress from a liquid diet to solid foods during this time and are encouraged to gradually increase their physical activity. For more information about diet, physical activity, and pain after surgery see bariatric surgery recovery expectations.

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4. What are the risks and complications of gastric banding?

   As with any surgical procedure, there are potential risks and complications that can occur with gastric banding. Please see risks associated with gastric banding.

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5. How often will my gastric band have to be adjusted?

   There is no set schedule for band adjustments because each person's needs are different. Listening to your band (that is, paying attention to physical signs and symptoms) and tracking your weight loss will help you to know when it may be time for an adjustment. Periodic adjustments to your band will ensure that you feel satisfied when you eat and keep losing weight gradually, about 1 to 2 pounds per week.

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6. Is there a chance that the REALIZE Band could slip off my stomach?

   Migration of the implant (band erosion, band slippage, or port displacement) is a risk associated with gastric banding. However, as the widest band available (23 mm), the REALIZE Band is designed to decrease the potential for band slippage.¹

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7. If I have the REALIZE Band, will it interfere with my getting pregnant?

   The REALIZE Band is only implanted around your stomach; therefore, the band should not affect the function of your reproductive organs or fertility. After you become pregnant, the band may be loosened so that you and your baby can get enough nutrients. Consult your doctor for more information.

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8. As I lose weight, how often will the REALIZE Band have to be replaced with a smaller size?

   The REALIZE Band is one-size-fits-all and can be adjusted to fit the needs of each patient.

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9. How much weight can I expect to lose with the REALIZE Band?

   Results vary from patient to patient, but patients in a 3-year clinical trial:

   • Lost a mean of 40% of their excess weight at 1 year and 43% at 3 years.¹
   • Were able to reduce their (average) body mass index from 44 to 36 in the first year after surgery. Patients were able to maintain their reduced body mass index through their third year.¹
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10. What can I eat after I get the REALIZE Band?

    Immediately after bariatric surgery, you will be on a clear liquid diet. As you recover, you will begin eating soft foods and progress toward solid foods. Your healthcare team will advise you on the quantity and types of food that are appropriate, so you can maintain healthy and balanced nutrition. REALIZE mySUCCESS^® also provides access to over 400 bariatric-friendly recipes and nutritional information for over 5000 foods.

    Patients are usually advised to eat several small, high-protein meals each day and to avoid raw vegetables, fruits with skin, nuts, popcorn, tough meats, stringy foods, and crusty bread, like bagels and pretzels. Including these foods in your diet after bariatric surgery may block your stoma (the small opening between the upper and lower stomach pouches).

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11. Can the REALIZE Band be removed?

    The REALIZE Band is intended for long-term use. Because adjustable gastric banding surgery does not permanently change the anatomy of the stomach and intestines, the REALIZE Band can be removed if necessary. However, please keep in mind that reversal surgery is not simple, and weight gain is usually observed in people who have the band removed and who do not continue a healthy eating regimen.

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Gastric Bypass

1. What are the benefits of gastric bypass?

   Significant weight loss

   • As a result of gastric bypass, patients typically lose 61.6% of excess weight in the first year following surgery.⁹
   • At least two thirds of patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery are able to keep off at least 50% of their excess weight for 10 years or longer.¹⁹

   Improved health

   • One study found that gastric bypass surgery reduced the total number of serious health problems (type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc.) of participating patients by 96%.¹⁷

   Reduced healthcare costs

   A recent study showed that bariatric surgery pays for itself in about 2 years. One important reason is that weight loss surgery may help to improve or resolve conditions associated with obesity, such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol,⁹ so patients save money on related prescription drugs, doctor visits, and hospital visits.¹¹

   Quality of life improvements

   Clinical studies of laparoscopic bariatric surgery patients found that they felt better, spent more time doing recreational and physical activities, benefited from enhanced productivity and economic opportunities, and had more self-confidence than they did prior to surgery.⁹

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2. How long does it take to recover from the gastric bypass procedure?

   Gastric bypass recovery times vary from patient to patient. One study reported that patients were able to leave the hospital after 2 days and return to work after 21 days.¹⁸ Learn more about recovery expectations for gastric bypass.

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3. What are the risks and complications of gastric bypass?

   As with any surgical procedure, there are potential risks and complications that can occur with gastric bypass. Read about gastric bypass risks and complications for more details.

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4. How much weight can I expect to lose with the REALIZE Solution for gastric bypass?

   Weight loss varies among patients. One review of clinical data showed that gastric bypass patients lost 61.6% of their excess weight in the first year after surgery.⁹ Having bariatric surgery can also help improve your health and quality of life. Learn more about the REALIZE Solution for gastric bypass and how it can benefit you.

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5. What can I eat after gastric bypass surgery?

   Gastric bypass patients can eat a wide variety of foods, in small portions. A typical meal in a bariatric surgery diet includes protein-rich foods such as lean meat, eggs, low-fat dairy products (yogurt and cheese), starches and whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Eating protein helps you feel fuller longer.

   You're advised to avoid desserts and other items with sugar listed as one of the first three ingredients. Eating high-sugar, high-fat foods can lead to dumping syndrome, an unpleasant side effect. It's also recommended that you avoid raw vegetables, fruits with skin, nuts, popcorn, tough meats, stringy foods, and crusty bread (bagels and pretzels), which may block the opening of your stomach.

   Learn more about getting proper nutrition after gastric bypass.

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Sleeve Gastrectomy

1. What are the benefits of sleeve gastrectomy?

   Significant weight loss

   • Patients have been shown to lose an average of 55% of their excess weight.¹³

   Improved health

   A clinical study on sleeve gastrectomy showed the following health benefits:

   Health Problem (comorbidity)	Result After Sleeve Gastrectomy
   	Resolved	Improved
   Type 2 Diabetes	14%23	86%23
   High Blood Pressure	42%23	55%23
   High Cholesterol	5%23	77%23
   Obstructive Sleep Apnea	39%23	61%23
   Acid Reflux/GERD	57%23	43%23

   Reduced healthcare costs

   A recent study showed that bariatric surgery pays for itself in about 2 years. One important reason is that weight loss surgery may help to improve or resolve conditions associated with obesity, such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol,⁹ so patients save money on related prescription drugs, doctor visits, and hospital visits.¹¹

   Quality-of-life improvements

   Clinical studies of laparoscopic bariatric surgery patients found that they felt better, spent more time doing recreational and physical activities, benefited from enhanced productivity and economic opportunities, and had more self-confidence than they did prior to surgery.⁹

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2. How long does it take to recover from the sleeve gastrectomy procedure?

   One study showed that patients often leave the hospital after 2 to 5 days.¹⁴ Recovery times vary, and recovery may take up to 6 or 8 weeks.

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3. What are the risks and complications?

   As with any surgical procedure, there are potential risks and complications that can occur with sleeve gastrectomy. The sleeve gastrectomy risks and complications page provides all of the details.

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4. How much weight can I expect to lose with sleeve gastrectomy?

   Patients have been shown to lose an average of 55%¹³ of their excess weight.

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5. What can I eat after a sleeve gastrectomy?

   Sleeve gastrectomy patients can eat a wide variety of foods, in small portions. A typical meal in a bariatric surgery diet includes protein-rich foods such as lean meat, eggs, low-fat dairy products (yogurt and cheese), starches and whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Eating protein helps you feel fuller longer.

   You're advised to avoid desserts and other items with sugar listed as one of the first three ingredients. High-sugar, high-fat foods can derail your attempts to lose weight. You'll also want to avoid raw vegetables, fruits with skin, nuts, popcorn, tough meats, stringy foods, and crusty bread (bagels and pretzels), which may block the opening of your stomach.

   Learn more about getting proper nutrition after sleeve gastrectomy.

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6. If I have sleeve gastrectomy, will it interfere with my getting pregnant?

   It is possible to have a safe and healthy pregnancy after sleeve gastrectomy. Most doctors recommend waiting at least 1 year after the surgery before starting a pregnancy.

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