Support Before Surgical Weight Loss

No matter where you are in your weight loss journey, we are here for you.

If you are interested in hearing stories from other patients who have been through our program, consider joining our monthly online support group.

If you just began our program, we would love to have you attend our support group  as well.

Northern Light Surgical Weight Loss has established a timetable that allows most of our patients to undergo surgery within four to six months. Our patients are given adequate time before surgery to mentally and physically prepare for surgical weight loss, and to participate in consultations that help determine their readiness for surgery.

The following meetings and consultations are required of all program participants

  • Free Information Seminar: This free online information session is designed to introduce you to Northern Light Surgical Weight Loss. We provide a comprehensive program overview, introduce components of our program, and help you understand next steps. Find out if you meet the criteria for weight loss surgery. Learn more by calling 207-973-6383.

  • Free Support Group: Our online support group brings together patients who have already had weight loss surgery and people who are considering this life-changing procedure.

  • Primary Care Referral: Patients are encouraged to discuss weight loss surgery with a primary care physician and begin obtaining a referral form to decrease wait times in the program.

  • Consultation and education with a bariatric dietitian

  • Education with a physical therapist

  • Consultation with a bariatric psychologist

  • Consultation with a bariatric surgeon

  • Authorization of surgery with your insurance company

  • Potential evaluation for sleep apnea with an overnight sleep study for patients who are determined to be at high risk.

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Our support group is exclusively online. The group meets the third Tuesday of the month from 5 to 6 pm online.

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All patients who are part of Northern Light Surgical Weight Loss program are required to take part in a physical therapy class, which we have made available through the videos below. Learn about...

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Choosing the surgical weight loss program that is right for you is important. When comparing surgical weight loss programs, considerations should be given to the care you will receive in the hospital directly after your weight loss surgery.

The care and support you receive from our nursing staff within the first hours after your surgery can help jumpstart your success with surgical weight loss. All of the nurses and nurse technicians on the floor you will be staying on after surgery are specially trained, competent, and well versed in the care and needs of surgical weight loss patients. Each year, staff members complete special training in order to ensure they understand best practice recommendations for the care of patients who have undergone bariatric surgery.


Key points to consider about your stay with us

  • Our average patient with gastric bypass or sleeve stays with us for 2 nights. Band patients may go home the same-day or stay one night.

  • You will be wearing oxygen for the first night with us and then oxygen will be adjusted to your needs until off.

  • Pain control is our top priority for you. You will receive intravenous pain control on the day of surgery and this will transition to oral pain medications on post-op day 1-2.

  • You will start your diet with sips of water taken from a 1-ounce medicine cup. By the day of discharge you will have a full-liquid, high protein drink before discharge.

  • You will be expected to walk loops around the nursing unit. This will happen once you get to the unit. It is a key way to prevent serious surgical complications.

  • We rarely use specialized bariatric beds for our patients as our hospital beds are weight-rated for 500 lbs for safety. If we have a patient who weighs more than that we obtain this bariatric bed that is safe for weights of 750 lbs.

  • Guests: Every patient has the right to have one support person stay with them at their bedside during their hospital stay, if you so desire.

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