Gastric bypass surgery is used to treat severe obesity. It’s advised for people who have tried other weight loss methods without long-term success. Your doctor may advise gastric bypass surgery if you are severely obese with a body mass index (BMI) over 40. Your doctor may also advise it if you have a BMI between 35 and 40 and a health condition such as sleep apnea, high blood pressure, heart disease, or type 2 diabetes.

Gastric bypass can help a person lose about 100 pounds of excess weight. It may also reverse type 2 diabetes and stop heartburn and reflux. Weight-loss surgery can also lower the risk for high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and certain heart problems.

How do I get ready for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery?

Your healthcare team will need to make sure that gastric bypass surgery is a good option for you. Weight-loss surgery isn’t advised for people who abuse medicines or alcohol, or who are not able to commit to a lifelong change in diet and exercise habits.

Before having surgery, you’ll need to enroll in a bariatric surgery education program. This will help you prepare for surgery, and life after surgery. You’ll have nutritional counseling. And you may have a psychological evaluation. You’ll also need physical exams and tests. You will need blood tests. You may have imaging studies of your stomach, or have an upper endoscopy.

If you smoke, you will need to stop several months before surgery. Your surgeon may ask you to lose some weight before surgery. This will help make your liver smaller, and make surgery safer. You’ll need to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen, and other blood-thinning medicines in the days before your surgery. You shouldn’t eat or drink anything after midnight before surgery.