Getting to a healthier weight is one of the most rewarding things you can do. Swedish can help.
Call 206-215-2090 for more information or to schedule a consultation.
Weight Loss Services
Swedish Weight Loss Services, part of Swedish Digestive Health Institute, is powered by a compassionate team of health professionals who deliver exceptional care and ongoing support to help you improve your quality of life through weight loss.
Whether you choose our bariatric surgery program or a non-surgical program to help with weight management, you can expect a team of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, dietitians, behavioral health specialists and staff members encouraging you every step of the way. We customize a plan that fits your goals and lifestyle.
We also offer patient resources, insurance and financing options and support groups.
Watch our informative on-demand webinar to see if weight loss surgery is for you.
Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
The laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy helps you lose weight by restricting the amount of food you can eat by reducing the size of your stomach and by decreasing hunger. During surgery, the stomach is divided vertically and 85 percent of it is removed. The nerves to the stomach and the outlet valve (pylorus) remain intact to preserve stomach function. There is no intestinal bypass.
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery restricts food intake by creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach. The pouch is then connected to a section of the small intestine, allowing food to bypass the lower stomach and the first two parts of the small intestine. Most gastric bypasses are performed using laparoscopy, a minimally invasive surgical technique performed through very small incisions in the abdomen.
Revisional Surgery
We offer various types of revision surgeries, including:
- Band to gastric bypass: The surgeon removes the Lap-Band and performs Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
- Sleeve to gastric bypass: Surgeon converts sleeve to bypass, typically performed for management of reflux.
If you had weight loss surgery and it wasn’t as successful as you’d hoped, revision surgery may be an appropriate choice in certain situation.
- Weight loss less than 50 percent of excess weight
- Weight regain
- An intolerance to normal foods
- Signs that the overall quality of life is diminishing
- Additional health issues caused by the surgery
- Situations that may require revisional surgery:
- Severe GERD refractory to maximal medical and lifestyle interventions
- Complication from prior surgery
- In some cases, weight regain
Our non-surgical program is designed to help with weight management. You can expect a team of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, dietitians, behavioral health specialists and staff members encouraging you every step of the way. We customize a plan that fits your goals and lifestyle.
We also offer patient resources, insurance and financing options and support groups.
In general, weight loss surgery may be right for you if:
- Your body mass index (BMI) is at least 40
- Your BMI is at least 35 and you have significant weight-related medical problems, such as diabetes, heart disease or sleep apnea
- Calculate BMI
Additionally, candidates must meet the following requirements:
- You haven’t had long-term success with weight loss
- Your primary physician is willing to partner with you and your surgeon
- You’re willing to commit to a healthy lifestyle and eating habits
- You’re psychologically stable and have an adequate support system
- You don’t have any medical conditions that would deem surgery too risky
- You don’t have any untreated conditions that may have caused obesity
- You don’t smoke
- You don’t abuse drugs or alcohol
- You’re not pregnant nor do you plan to get pregnant in the near future
If you don’t meet the qualifications listed above, you may still consider a medically supervised non-surgical weight management program.
Many insurance plans cover bariatric surgery, especially for patients with a BMI of at least 40, or 35 with other health issues.
Contact us and we'll help you understand your insurance coverage.
Providers Specializing in Weight Loss Services
At Swedish, you'll have access to a vast network of dedicated and compassionate providers who offer personalized care by focusing on treatment, prevention and health education.
When it comes to weight loss surgery, you have choices. Swedish can help with a program tailored to your weight loss goals. Register for our on-demand webinar to learn more about your options.
Once you’ve watched the webinar, our staff will work with you to evaluate whether surgery is right for you.
Accreditation
Designated as an Accredited Comprehensive Center for bariatric surgery by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP)
Before Amy decided to have weight loss surgery, she’d already lost on her own – and then gained back – 100 pounds, three times. “I’d given up,” she says. “I decided I would just be fat.” So it wasn’t, technically, her weight that led her to surgery. What she hadn’t given up on was being able to move and be active. Amy suffered a hip injury that led to chronic pain, with a rapid loss of mobility and depression. “It was scary for me, to be on that precipice,” Amy says. “I realized I’d have to make changes or spend the rest of my life sitting. My health would deteriorate. My world would get smaller. I was at rock bottom, and I really needed help.”
Weight-loss surgery is not a quick fix, but it is a great tool. It’s definitely a lifestyle change, and you have to be prepared. You can absolutely gain the weight back if you don’t change your habits. But if you commit to it, it can change your life in a way that is almost unimaginable.