Weight Loss Surgery Brisbane

What is weight loss surgery?

As the name suggests, weight loss surgery is an operation designed to help you lose weight. It’s also known as ‘bariatric surgery’.

View the Dr Lockie Bariatric Surgery infographic here.

What are the benefits of weight loss surgery?

Research shows that weight loss surgery makes a significant and long-lasting difference to people struggling with obesity.

The Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) trial followed 2,000 obese people who had bariatric surgery and compared their health over the next 10-20 years with a similar group of obese people who did not have surgery. The surgery group proved much more successful in managing their weight, had lower rates of diabetes, heart attack, stroke and cancer and also lived longer than their peers who did not have weight loss surgery.

Those are just the medical benefits though. Patients tell us about many other benefits such as being able to keep up with their kids, joining in with bike rides, backyard footy games and family bushwalks. They tell us about saying ‘yes’ to more adventures, widening their horizons now they’ve narrowed their waistlines. And they tell us about liking what they see in the mirror, often for the first time.

To see what we mean, read some stories of our patients, in their own words, here.

What are the risks of weight loss surgery? And what are the risks of NOT having surgery?

Any surgery carries risks, for example, picking up an infection or having a reaction to the anesthetic.

The particular risks associated with weight loss surgery depend on the procedure but could include gallstones, difficulty absorbing vitamins and minerals (we recommend you take supplements), vomiting, acid reflux, dumping syndrome or the need for a second, revision procedure at a later date.

Generally, weight loss surgery is worth doing because the benefits outweigh the risks. To look at it another way, consider the risks involved in NOT having weight loss surgery.

If you’re considering weight loss surgery, then you’ve probably already tried to lose weight many different times using many different methods. Those stubborn kilos do not shift easily!

That means, without surgery, your weight is likely to steadily increase each year, increasing your risk of other health problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Obesity and obesity-related health conditions reduce your quality of life – and reduce your length of life too.

Who is eligible for weight loss surgery?

If you’re interested in weight loss surgery, start by calculating your body mass index (BMI), to see if you’re in a healthy weight range for your height. Click here to calculate your BMI.

You qualify for weight loss surgery if:

• Your BMI is over 35
• Your BMI is 30-35 and you have another medical condition such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes.

The BMI values are lower for individuals of Asian or Aboriginal descent.

If your BMI is 28-30 and you’re struggling to manage your weight, then please talk to us. Generally, your weight is likely to keep increasing and there’s not much point waiting until things get worse before we start helping you get better!

What types of weight loss surgery are there?

The main types of weight loss surgery we offer are:

• Laparoscopic gastric bypass
• Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (gastric sleeve)
• Single anastomosis duodeno-ileal bypass (SADI).

We’ll talk through the pros and cons of each type of surgery with you to help you reach an informed decision about the best type of weight loss surgery for you.

How much weight could you lose after bariatric surgery?

The amount of weight you lose depends on several factors, such as your current weight, the type of surgery you chose and the lifestyle changes you make before and after surgery.

Weight loss surgery operations are tools to help you lose weight by restricting the amount of food you eat. Depending on the procedure, patients surveyed 5-10 years after their operation tended to have lost 47-63% of their excess weight.

Your excess weight refers to the weight above a healthy range for you. So, if you weigh 110 kg but know a healthy weight for you would be 65 kg, then you’re carrying 45 kg of excess weight. If you had surgery and managed to lose and keep off 47-63% of that excess weight, you’d lose 21-28 kg. Your weight would drop from 110 kg to 82-89 kg. You’re still over your ideal weight but you’re in a much lighter and healthier position than you were before.

If you’ve had weight loss surgery, do you still need to make lifestyle changes?

Yes. You’ll lose most weight if you eat smaller portions of healthy food that’s high in nutrients but low in calories and if you are physically active.

If you continue with unhealthy eating habits like regularly snacking, binge eating or filling up on high-calorie, low-nutrient processed foods, you’ll consume too many calories and won’t lose weight (or won’t lose as much as you’d like).

Get the support you need from our Brisbane weight loss surgery staff

We understand that it’s hard to change your lifestyle. That’s why we provide unlimited support from a multidisciplinary cheer squad that also includes a dietician and psychologist. They’ll help you understand how to nourish your body with the right foods and how to develop a different mindset that helps you change your eating habits and lifestyle.

We’ll also invite you to join our patient support group where you can give and receive encouragement from other people walking the same path as you.

In association with START Training, we run an exercise education session every four weeks or so to help keep you motivated and informed.

Dr Lockie also runs online Q&A Sessions with specialist guest speakers on a range of different topics including exercise and fitness, sleep apnoea, type 2 diabetes, bone health and weight loss surgery, just to name a few.

Our weight loss surgery process

While your weight loss surgery is an event that happens on a particular day, your weight loss journey continues for much longer, as you adjust to a changed body and endeavour to make long-lasting lifestyle changes.

At our Brisbane weight loss surgery clinic, we take a multidisciplinary approach where our team of highly trained staff supports you before, during and after your op.

Ready to explore your options?

If you’ve decided it’s time to get help to achieve a healthy weight, then we’d love to talk to you.

Your first step is to book a free, no-obligation consultation with Shirley Lockie. She’ll listen to your story, explain the surgeries we offer and answer any questions you have about weight loss surgery here in Brisbane.

Book a free consultation with Shirley Lockie, SCOPE certified PNSA, now.

All information is general in nature. Patients should consider their own personal circumstances and seek a second opinion. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.

The Dr Lockie Multi-Disciplinary Process