How Much Does Bariatric Surgery Cost in Singapore?
On average, bariatric surgery can cost anything from SGD $20,000 to $30,000, depending on the complexity of the surgery, along with any additional hospitalisation fees.
This amount would include the surgeon’s fees and hospital fees but do not include follow-up fees for the procedure.
Does Insurance Pay for Weight Loss Surgery?
Weight loss surgeries are not covered by all insurers in Singapore.
To understand what financing options are available for your condition, we recommend that you speak to our clinic for a detailed breakdown of the financing terms before opting for bariatric surgery.
What Is the Cheapest Weight Loss Surgery?
Weight loss surgeries in Singapore can cost anywhere from SGD $20,000 to $30,000, depending on the complexity of the procedure.
To have a clearer understanding of possible fees and financing terms for the treatment, we recommend that you schedule an appointment with our clinic to conduct financial counselling to obtain a more precise breakdown of the fees involved.
What Health Insurance Covers Weight Loss Surgery?
Weight loss surgeries are not covered by all insurers in Singapore.
To understand what financing options are available for your condition, we recommend that you speak to our clinic for a detailed breakdown of the financing terms before opting for bariatric surgery.
What Is the Length of the Insurance Approval Process for Bariatric Surgery?
Depending on your insurer, the duration of the approval process for bariatric surgery may vary. On average, an insurer can take 3 to 6 months to approve the use of insurance in bariatric surgery starting from the day of the submission.
How Can I Get My Insurance to Pay for Bariatric Surgery?
Weight loss surgeries are not covered by all insurers in Singapore.
To understand what financing options are available for your condition, we recommend that you speak to our clinic for a detailed breakdown of the financing terms before opting for bariatric surgery.
How Quickly Can I Get Bariatric Surgery?
The entire process of getting bariatric surgery, including consultation and surgery, is estimated to take up to 3 months from the first consultation to the actual date of surgery.
Our doctor will need to assess your condition and eligibility before discussing surgical options to improve your condition. Our doctor may also recommend non-surgical options during the consultation, depending on your suitability and needs.
In cases where insurance can be used in your treatment, you will also need additional time to obtain approval of your procedure.
Who Should Not Have Bariatric Surgery?
Not everyone will qualify for bariatric surgery.
There are several factors to be considered before bariatric surgery is recommended as an option. They are:
Body Mass Index (BMI) – you have a BMI of 40 or higher (extreme obesity)
Presence of Health Issues – you have existing health conditions that can be a risk to your health, such as type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure or severe sleep apnea.
In some cases, patients may qualify for certain types of weight-loss surgery even if their BMI ranges between 30 and 39 due to severe weight-related health problems. To determine if you are eligible for such surgeries, you must seek professional advice from a doctor to better assess your condition.
Why Should You Not Have Bariatric Surgery?
While bariatric surgery may seem like an excellent weight loss option, it is not for everyone who is severely overweight.
Although there is a low risk of complications involved, bariatric surgery still poses a risk of long-term side effects.
Apart from that, patients who have undergone bariatric surgery are often required to commit to long-term permanent changes in their lifestyle, such as making changes to their diet or sticking to regular exercises to achieve sustainable weight loss.
Our doctor will highlight this commitment before proceeding with any forms of bariatric surgery options, and it can prove to be a deterring factor for some patients who find it a challenge sticking to a regimen.
What Can’t You Have After a Gastric Bypass?
Gastric bypass is one of the most common forms of weight loss surgeries recommended for patients who are severely obese.
However, as with many forms of surgery, gastric bypass surgery carries a level of risk. Some of the risks include complication arising from the surgery, such as:
Infection
Blood clots
Internal bleeding
Leaking of stomach contents (anastomosis)
Anastomosis occurs when the new connection in your stomach to the intestines created from the gastric bypass leaks. This condition causes gastric juices and partially digested food to leak to other parts of your body, which can cause ulcers, scarring and stricture in the bowels, which can all pose considerable risks to your health.
If gastric bypass surgery is the option that you would like to proceed with, speak to our doctor to assess the procedure’s risks against the risks of long term obesity to make an informed decision.
Which Weight Loss Surgery Has the Fastest Recovery Time?
Laparoscopic bariatric surgeries have a faster recovery time compared to open surgeries. Whether it’s a gastric bypass or a sleeve gastrectomy surgery, a person who undergoes bariatric surgery should expect to take 2-3 weeks to recover from the procedure. However, open surgery patients will generally take longer.
In open surgeries, a large incision is made on the abdominal area to conduct the procedure. On the other hand, in laparoscopic surgeries, our doctor will make five or six small incisions on the abdominal area to complete the procedure. As a result, laparoscopic surgeries will prove to be less invasive, allowing patients to have a faster recovery time and less scarring.
What Happens at Your First Bariatric Appointment?
While the procedures may differ between different clinics, the first bariatric appointment is mainly reserved for your doctor to assess your present condition and recommend the best solution to manage your condition.
During the first bariatric appointment, you can expect to be assessed based on the following factors:
Present weight,
Body composition,
Pre-existing medical conditions,
Dietary habits,
Lifestyle habits (smoking, alcohol intake),
Activity level,
Surgeries done prior to the meeting
Family history in obesity
These factors will allow our doctor to determine the procedure and surgery to manage your obesity. In some cases, you might also be recommended to adopt non-surgical approaches to lose weight before being recommended surgical options during the first appointment.
How Do I Get Approval for Weight Loss Surgery?
To qualify for weight loss surgery, there are several requirements that you will need to meet. They are:
A body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher (extreme obesity),
Being diagnosed with severe weight-related health issues, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or severe sleep apnea.
In some cases, patients may qualify for certain types of weight-loss surgery even if their BMI ranges between 30 and 39 due to severe weight-related health problems. To determine if you are eligible for such surgeries, you must seek professional advice from a doctor to better assess your condition.
What Are the Side Effects of Bariatric Surgery?
Bariatric surgery is a relatively safe procedure. While it may be rare, there are still risks of possible complications after bariatric surgery, and these include:
Development of gallstones
Vitamin and nutritional deficiencies
Development of dumping syndrome (a condition which causes nausea, sweating, and severe diarrhoea from eating too quickly or eating sugary, fried, or fatty foods, or dairy)
Saggy or loose skin from extreme weight loss
Two possible complications may require more attention. They are Obstruction and Dumping Syndrome.
Obstruction occurs when the connection between your stomach and intestines becomes narrowed, leading to a blockage preventing bowel movement. Obstruction of the bowel can be an emergency. You are advised to seek medical attention if you experience nausea, vomiting or stomach pain for more than two days after bariatric surgery.
Dumping Syndrome occurs when food or liquid consumed enters the small intestines too quickly in large amounts, leading to diarrhoea and cramps within 10 to 30 minutes after eating.
What Do You Have to Do Before Bariatric Surgery?
Before your surgery, you may be scheduled to undergo several medical checks and investigations to check for existing health risks (such as heart conditions) to determine your suitability to proceed with the procedure.
Depending on your BMI, you may also be scheduled to start on exercise and dietary programs that will help to kickstart your weight loss journey before the surgery. This will allow you to prepare your body to acclimate and accept the change in lifestyle necessary after bariatric surgery.
Our doctor may also be working with you to spot pitfalls in your diet such as eating disorders or stress eating habits and recommend ways to manage these habits, such as creating a customised meal plan to suit your needs.
What Is the Best Weight Loss Surgery?
While no one surgery is deemed the best, our doctor will need to conduct a full assessment of your health and lifestyle to recommend a suitable surgery option to treat your condition.
There are two main types of bariatric surgeries. They are gastric bypass surgery and sleeve gastrectomy.
In general, patients who have undergone a Sleeve Gastrectomy have been observed to lose an average of 40% of their excess weight.
Patients who have undergone Gastric Bypass can expect to lose an average of 60% of their excess weight.
Typically, laparoscopic surgical options are also preferred recommendations as they are less invasive and pose lower risks than open surgical options.
To understand which recommended option you should undertake, speak to our doctor or arrange an appointment to better understand the options.
Does Bariatric Surgery Shorten Your Life?
For patients suffering from severe obesity (BMI < 40) and health conditions such as type-2 diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure, bariatric surgery has been shown to improve life expectancy.
While there are risks of long term complications involved when opting for bariatric surgery, it is essential to speak to our doctor for advice on the viability of the surgery and its risks compared to the risks of long-term obesity.
Dr. Ganesh Ramalingam
Specialist in General Surgery
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