Informed Consent

The most important step in weight loss surgery is getting all of the information you need about the various surgical options. Ultimately your obesity surgeon and other doctors are your best resource for information about the procedure they will recommend to you for weight loss.

Upon seeing your doctor:

• When you ask a question, make sure you understand the answer.
• Do not hesitate to ask for a clearer explanation given in simpler language.
• The decision to have a weight loss surgical procedure may take several visits and consultation with more than one doctor.
• Ask your doctor for names of other patients who have had similar weight loss surgeries and who are willing to discuss their experiences, good and bad, with you.

Although the results of weight loss surgery can be drastic, there are potential risks and complications. Before making your decision, you should be well informed. These steps are necessary if you are to give what is called "informed consent" for the surgical procedure. Informed consent is a legal term meaning that a patient agrees to a procedure after receiving and understanding enough information about the benefits and risks to allow them to make a knowledgable decision.

Your bariatric surgeon will require you to sign a consent form before performing your procedure. Before you sign a consent form, you should have a solid understanding of what is about to take place. You should know what you would need to do to live well after the operation, and you should be aware of the signs or symptoms of complications to look for which may occur after your weight loss surgery.