Comprehensive Weight Loss

At Ochsner, our comprehensive team treats patients through diet, exercise and behavior changes. Research has shown that weight loss can improve or even resolve chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure, sleep apnea or diabetes. It has been proven that weight loss prior to specific surgeries has improved outcomes and reduced risk of complications.

Could weight loss improve your quality of life? Do you need to lose weight before your doctor will allow you to get a specific surgery, such as knee, back or transplant surgery?

The comprehensive team at Ochsner is here to help you with your weight loss journey. The multidisciplinary team understands that there are multiple factors that can contribute to being overweight. The team creates a customized plan that includes but is not limited to diet, mental health and physical health. Your team of providers may include:

• Bariatricians
• Behavioral modification educators
• Dietitians
• Nurse practitioners
• Nurses
• Physician assistants
• Psychologists

Obesity is a chronic disease which may require professional assistance to manage. Non-surgical weight loss options at Ochsner may include:

• Behavior and lifestyle changes
• Dietary education
• Exercise programs
• Ideal Protein Weight Loss Method, a low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein protocol that includes meal replacement products and dieter-provided meats and vegetables
• Medications, such as Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy
• Mental health counseling
• Nutrition counseling
• Supportive planning and feedback

While most appointments are in person, established patients may be able to use virtual visits under certain circumstances, depending on visit type, reason for visit, medication prescribed and time of last visit.

Weight loss can help address many obesity-related health conditions, such as:

• Certain cancer risks
• Heart disease
• High cholesterol
• Hypertension, or high blood pressure
• Infertility
• Joint pain
• Sleep apnea
• Type 2 diabetes

Everyone has different insurance benefits. Unfortunately, some types of insurance may not cover bariatric services, including surgery, medical treatment and/or certain weight loss medications we prescribe or other services we offer. Please verify with your insurance company if bariatric services are covered under your plan and coordinate benefit verification with the Ochsner financial team to verify your coverage before you start any treatments. If your insurance does not cover the comprehensive weight loss program, other options can be discussed.

We offer non-surgical or medical weight loss services at multiple locations across the region:

• Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans
• Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge
• Ochsner Medical Center - Northshore
• Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center
• Ochsner Medical Center - Hancock

Some patients may choose surgical weight loss to manage their condition. Ochsner offers several types of bariatric surgeries and procedures. Surgeries are usually performed either minimally invasively (laparoscopic) or robotic-assisted. These options are less painful and allow for faster recovery. Our surgeons specialize in:

• AGB removal — removal of a silicone device that is wrapped around the top of the stomach to create a small pouch
• Roux-en-Y gastric bypass — creates a small pouch from the stomach and connects the newly created pouch directly to the small intestine; routes food around most of the stomach so you feel full with less food and your body absorbs fewer calories
• Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy — removes 80% of the stomach leaving a banana-shaped stomach pouch; reduces the size of your stomach to lower food intake and reduces hunger signals to your brain
• ORBERA endoscopic balloon — a nonsurgical procedure that temporarily places a balloon in the stomach to reduce the amount of food that can be eaten

Just like everyone’s experience of gaining weight is different, no one will have the same weight loss journey. Some patients may have more dramatic results than others, but at Ochsner, we do not define success by the number of pounds you lose. Our goal is to help you improve your health and quality of life, and statistics show losing just 10% of your weight may do that.