Weight and Type 2 diabetes are typically linked. Although being overweight or obese is not a requirement of being diagnosed with Type 2, diabetes patients are far more likely to struggle with weight than the general population. While for some, “struggling with weight” can be something as small as trying to shed the extra 10-20 pounds, for others, a struggle with weight can actually mean needing to lose hundreds of pounds.

Why Bariatric Surgery?

Studies have shown that even a 10-20 pound drop in weight can positively affect diabetes symptoms. This is slightly less true for individuals with extremely unhealthy weights, however, as a small loss is not enough to stop taxing the body. If weight and your diabetic condition are both severe, you may not have enough time to lose enough weight to positively impact your health.

Bariatric surgery is not one size fits all; there are several different types of surgery that fall under this heading, some of them more invasive or complicated than others. Choosing a type of surgery is a decision that will need to be made under the close observation of and open communication with a physician familiar with both the procedure and diabetes.

3 Reasons to Choose Bariatric Surgery

#1. Your Condition is Growing Worse

As stated above, sometimes the amount of weight you need to lose to regain your health is too high to be achieved without outside assistance. While being overweight by 40 pounds is not going to require surgical intervention, weight loss of 100 pounds or more may need to be hastened. Because healthy weight loss is losing only between 1-2 pounds per week, it could take years to lose 100+ pounds—and many people do not have that kind of time.

#2. You’ve Exhausted Other Options

Losing weight is not as simple as burning more calories than you eat. Although this has long been held as a simple formula for weight loss, it fails to take medical conditions, metabolism, and genetic factors into account. Some people try for years to lose weight and cannot, simply because their bodies have lost the ability to function properly. In these cases, bariatric surgery can help.

#3. You Are Dedicated to Health

Because failing to adhere to your dietary requirements can literally be fatal following bariatric surgery, it is not a decision to take lightly. However, if you are determined to do everything in your power to manage your diabetes and improve your quality of life, weight loss surgery can assist you in your goals and give you a greater chance of keeping your diabetes and co-existing conditions in check.