Understanding excess weight

Everyone has their own story and their own path to excess weight problems. The common factor is that the brain is making people eat more than their bodies need, to simply maintain weight. There are a number of variables contributing to this, including genetics, pregnancy environment, family and cultural environment, along with psychological factors. Because of this, habits and lifestyles are created and these can be very difficult to escape from. Once a certain weight is reached, nature activates famine response mechanisms that make dieting impossible, often resulting in a bounce back to a higher weight. Unfortunately for the vast majority of these people, bariatric surgery has been found by far to be the best solution. No one chooses an unhealthy body weight but the subconscious brain can certainly do its own thing for its own purposes.

The videos here explain this more.

We also know people need to be prepared for changes. Whilst the operation works very well in the short-term, a significant number of people will start the fight against the subconscious brain all over again, one to two years after surgery. For this reason, it is vital to go into surgery understanding the need to make permanent changes and to anticipate the need to work at the subconscious brain for the rest of their lives.

So careful consideration must be given to knowing what surgery can and can't do, and for how long. Amazingly, the ability to cope with stress and resist temptations improves immensely for a time after surgery in a manner that cannot be explained but is gratefully received. We call this the honeymoon phase. This however ends in 90% of people and at that point, they need to do the work to stop the subconscious brain reactivating old behaviours. Whilst people usually can't eat a lot after surgery, they can still graze and occasionally regain all their weight

  • Once you decide you want to proceed, please obtain a GP referral to Tailor Clinics

  • Once we receive your referral, we will contact you to make your four/five consecutive appointments. We all consult at this practice, making the process as easy and stress-free as possible.

    The initial consultations will be carried over 1-2 days and will cover all aspects of the pre, intro and post-surgical phases. This includes the initial consult with the Bariatric Nurse and the surgeon, who will discuss the surgical options available to you fully, along with the risks and complications associated with these.

  • After seeing the bariatric nurse and the surgeon, you will then be required to see the dietitian/nutritionist and the psychologist. In Hamilton, you will also see an exercise therapist.

    During the course of your initial consultations with the members of our team, you will have an assessment of your general health, specifically looking at any co-morbidities relating to your weight. We will outline the different surgical procedures available, the complications and risks (including death) of these along with preventive measures. We will educate you on the nutritional aspects, both pre-and post-operatively and support you with tools and strategies to enable you to deal with the changes you confront and the challenges you may face, both physically and emotionally. We strongly encourage you to ask questions and we will endeavour to ensure these questions are answered adequately and honestly.

  • We know that successful weight loss requires close follow-up with the surgical team. This includes regular appointments at 6 weeks, 4, 8, 12, 18 and 24 months and then preferably annually, however, your GP may take over your care after this time. You may at times, require more frequent visits in addition to those routinely scheduled. These follow-up appointments may include prior blood tests and occasionally other studies/investigations in order to monitor and maintain your health. We encourage you to be seen regularly by your GP and other specialists as required for the management of any medical conditions, such as diabetes, sleep apnoea, high blood pressure, or any other disease that may have resulted from your weight problem.

    All forms of weight loss surgery are a tool, not a cure, miracle or guarantee. It is possible to regain some or all of your weight and we encourage you to become an informed and willing team member involved in your own success. We will work with you as best we can to help this become a reality.

Our Process