Watch our on-demand webinar to see if surgery is right for you.
Once you've watched the webinar, schedule your consultation or call 310-241-4377.
Bariatric Wellness Center
Bariatric Wellness Center
More energy. Better health. Greater well-being. There’s so much to gain from losing the weight. We can help you achieve it. The Bariatric Wellness Centers at both San Pedro and Torrance offer comprehensive surgical and non-surgical weight loss programs tailored to your personal health, goals and preferences. Our positive approach to weight loss is holistic, which means that we provide ongoing physical, nutritional, emotional and spiritual support to help you realize the health gains you deserve.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines, you may be a candidate for bariatric surgery if at least one of these applies to you:
- You weigh 100 or more pounds over ideal body weight
- Your body mass index (BMI) is greater than 40, or greater than 35 if you also have a serious weight-related health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension or sleep apnea
- You have weight-related problems and restrictions in mobility, work and performance of family responsibilities
- Calculate BMI
- Access our on-demand webinar to see if weight loss surgery is right for you.
- After you watch the webinar, check your insurance plan to ensure your policy covers weight loss surgery at Providence hospitals. While many insurance plans cover weight loss surgery, it’s important to understand your benefits – and how to receive them.
- Get more information: Fill our the form and we will email you our welcome packet and follow up with a phone call to discuss next steps.
- For questions, contact us at 310-241-4377.
Whether you choose a surgical or non-surgical weight loss program, you’ll receive education, nutritional guidance, counseling and lifelong follow-up support. Our bariatric services include:
- Minimally invasive surgery
- Gastric banding (lap band)
- Vertical sleeve gastrectomy
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- Body contouring
- Revisional procedures
- Medically supervised weight management programs
- Personalized exercise programs
- Consultation with registered dieticians
- Counseling with psychologists who specialize in weight loss
- Support groups before and after surgery
Each of our bariatric professionals and specialists understands the challenges of unhealthy weight. We work with you to make sure your weight loss program is comfortable, efficient and tailored to your needs. Our bariatric team includes:
- Bariatric surgical specialists
- Dietitians
- Psychologists
- Registered nurses
- Nurse practitioners
- Physician assistants
- Technicians
After you watch the webinar or attend a virtual seminar, check your insurance plan to ensure your policy covers weight loss surgery at Providence hospitals. While many insurance plans cover weight loss surgery, it’s important to understand your benefits – and how to receive them.
Find a Doctor
At Providence, 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.
Recognition
American College of Surgeons - Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) Accredited Bariatric Surgery Center
Weight Loss Surgery at Providence
When it comes to weight loss surgery, you have choices. Providence 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.
Learn about Injectable Weight Loss Medications
GLP-1 medications are a new, innovative class of injectable weight loss drugs. Explore how their criteria and results compare to the benefits of bariatric surgery.
This will help you start a conversation about medical weight loss with your primary care doctor. They can refer you to a medical weight loss expert – like a bariatrician or bariatric surgeon – for guidance on which option might be the best choice for you.
Patient Success Stories
Fel Echandi
Watch a video about Fel Echandi and his inspiring journey after surgery.
Eva and Edgar Penas
Both Eva and her husband, Edgar, have undergone weight loss surgery. Eva shares with us part of her journey.
Due to my weight I was having difficulty with my knees, I could barely walk without being in pain.
Being able to move and do my day to day activities without being in pain.
I don't think I have had many challenges, I feel great.
To never be in pain like I was when I was carrying around all that weight.
Salad, I can eat a quick salad and that will satisfy me.
Don't overthink it. If you are unhappy and in pain, it will change your life for the better and will put you on track to a new start. It's like a reset button.
Crystal Ponce
I've always been on the heavier side and struggled to lose weight, it has been a huge insecurity of mine and it got worse over time, I had a bad relationship with food and always caught myself eating even when I wasn't even hungry. I would lose the weight but couldn't keep the weight off because I would always fall back into the same eating habits.
I then came across videos on YouTube of women and men getting bariatric surgery and their success stories really inspired me to have bariatric surgery as an option to help me lose weight and keep the weight off, but I became too scared to go through with it. My co-worker then approached me saying she was in the process of getting bariatric surgery and she was the one besides my family to push me and convince me to go through with the process and get the surgery. Best decision I've ever made!
Losing 103 pounds in less than a year and officially changing my eating habits!
Portioning myself and remembering my portion sizes are completely smaller than before.
Looking in the mirror and not seeing that insecure person I once was. Being able to walk in a store and have more of a variety of options I can wear. Being able to exercise without losing my breath in the first 5 seconds of working out, and just feeling more confident every time someone compliments me and sees the difference from before and after. And just feeling healthy waking up every morning with energy!
Definitely has to be sweet potatoes with chicken and string beans and a sugar free yogurt parfait as a snack!
I would say take the chance and don't let the negative comments get in your head. Bariatric surgery works if you are willing to dedicate yourself to the change. As long as you take care of yourself and listen to your doctor's orders you will be a success. At first you will struggle a little bit with not being able to eat solids but it's only temporary you will be able to eat solids, every day will get better.
Eating clean and being off sodas has made me feel so much better, the bloating is non-existent and I feel amazing that my body limits me on how much I eat so I can stay on track and never overeat again. Bariatric surgery is the best decision I've ever made and If I had the choice to do it again, I would have done it sooner! And remember to take your vitamins and stay hydrated!
Frequently Asked Questions
In addition to improving the overall quality of your health, losing excess weight could help you sleep better, have more energy and a more positive outlook.
It may also prevent or improve some obesity-related conditions, including:
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Depression
- Heart and lung disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Liver disease
- Migraines
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Joint pain
- Type 2 diabetes
Requirements may differ based on your health condition and insurance rules.
You might be a candidate for weight loss surgery if:
- You have a body mass index (BMI) over 40 or a BMI of 35-40 with obesity-related conditions like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea or high cholesterol.
- You have no endocrine causes of obesity.
- Your risk for surgery is acceptable.
- You understand the surgery and its risks.
- You have no drug or alcohol problems.
- You have no uncontrolled psychological conditions.
- You have been unsuccessful with other attempts at medical weight loss through diets or other lifestyle options.
You might not be a candidate if:
- You have a current drug or alcohol problem.
- You use tobacco or nicotine products.
- You have uncontrolled psychological conditions.
- You plan to become pregnant in the next 18 months.
- Your surgeon determines that you’re not healthy enough for surgery.
After surgery, you’ll spend one or two nights in the hospital. You’ll meet for regular check-ins with your care team at least every 12 weeks for the first year.
Then, we recommend following up with the team each year, or more often if needed.
After you watch the weight loss surgery webinar, it’s best to reach out to your insurance provider and see if you’re covered.
After you verify your weight loss surgery benefits, call our clinic at the number above to discuss your next steps. If you’re ready to move forward, we can schedule your initial visits to determine if surgery is right for you.
If you don’t have weight loss surgery insurance benefits, you do have the option to self-finance your procedure and pay for treatment with cash or a credit card.