Support

Presurgical Counseling for Weight Loss Surgery

November 21, 2018

One way to know whether a bariatric surgeon or practice is right for you is to ask if they offer presurgical weight loss counseling and comprehensive weight loss support programs. These options bookend bariatric surgery and support patients in their goals—ultimately leading to greater success. Presurgical counseling covers a lot of ground, going over most of what you will need to know about weight loss surgery. Some of the topics covered include: Qualification info for different types of bariatric surgery Dietary changes you will need to make before and after surgery Lifestyle changes you will need to make before and after surgery What recovery will be like Which procedure may best suit your needs and goals What results to anticipate Presurgical counseling involves healthcare professionals from many disciplines, including nutrition, exercise, mental health, and medical. They can answer your questions and help you better understand the benefits and challenges of weight loss surgery. If you have questions about what to expect during presurgical counseling, give us a call. We can review what happens in this meeting and how you can... Read More

The Importance of Support Following Weight Loss Surgery

August 30, 2016

It’s not uncommon to experience a variety of emotions following weight loss surgery, some of which may be conflicting. Excitement is of course normal, but feeling nervous or even a little bit fearful is also perfectly natural. What you shouldn’t worry about is completing this journey alone. At Griffin Bariatrics, our skilled medical team offers support at every stage of your experience, beginning well before you have the surgery and continuing throughout your life. We believe these services are crucial to optimizing your well-being and to achieving long-term success. Changing foundational elements of your lifestyle, such as how you think about food, isn’t something that can happen overnight. When you need advice on nutrition options, fitness programs, or personal concerns related to weight loss, we are here to help. We have support groups designed with your needs in mind. Counseling, exercises classes, and cooking demonstrations are all available through our On Track Program and On Track Workshops. Furthermore, we know sometimes the best resources are patients who have already been where you are. Our group therapy sessions offer you a... Read More

What Can the Planetree Philosophy Do For You?

July 2, 2015

Our Planetree philosophy focuses on supporting your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. We believe our bariatric surgery patients can thrive in an environment that holds itself to the highest surgical standards while also providing compassionate care with a patient-oriented approach to healthcare. When undergoing procedures such as gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy, our patients have the benefit of many unique programs designed to nourish the body, mind, and soul. Good nutrition is an essential aspect to the recovery process and leading a healthy lifestyle. Under our care, we provide culturally diverse meal options, nutrition education for your post-bariatric diet, as well as cooking demonstrations. Our arts and entertainment programming keeps patients intellectually engaged during their stay by integrating art, music, games, and nature. For our patients who lead active spiritual lives, our practice also offers meditation programs and chapels to provide time and space to tend to the soul. Even after you leave our facilities, we offer continued care with our post-bariatric surgery support groups to ease your transition to your new healthy lifestyle. - Dr. Rishi Ramlogan For more information... Read More

What Is the Planetree Philosophy?

June 25, 2015

At Griffin Hospital Bariatrics, we offer a number of bariatric procedures to help our patients lead happier and healthier lives. While many bariatric surgeons across the country use gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy to achieve significant weight loss for their patients, our practice differentiates itself with our Planetree philosophy. Every aspect of our practice is designed with your best interests in mind. Only a select number of hospitals in the United States and around the world participate in the Planetree model of care. Practices that employ the Planetree approach are committed to creating an environment that fosters genuine compassion and support while maintaining the highest surgical standards. This specialized group of healthcare providers focuses on creating healing environments that simultaneously care for the mind, body, and soul. We believe in honest and open communication, emotional and spiritual well-being, healthy nutrition, and patient education – essential components to optimizing surgical results and improving our patients’ overall quality of life. - Dr. Rishi Ramlogan If you would like to learn more about how we practice the Planetree approach at Griffin Hospital Bariatrics, or... Read More

Plateaus After Weight Loss Surgery

February 10, 2014

If you’re one of the unusual people who haven’t experienced a weight loss plateau during your weight loss journey, consider yourself lucky. For the rest of us, hitting a plateau at least once between your starting weight and your goal is part of the process. Even patients of our Connecticut weight loss surgery center can experience a plateau. Often, a weight that just won’t budge can be linked back to little habits that are undermining your efforts. Other times, a plateau can be caused by an imbalance in a fitness plan. While frustrating, overcoming a plateau is possible! What is a Plateau? A weight-loss plateau is typically considered to be stalled weight loss even though you are still practicing your healthy eating and exercise habits. Nearly everyone who is following a weight loss program will experience a plateau at least once during their weight loss journey. Do Bariatric Patient’s Experience Plateaus? Even weight loss patients who are making great strides to a healthier body weight may experience a plateau along the way. Most patients who have had gastric band (lap-band)... Read More