Frequently Asked Questions

Around 1 in every 5 Americans were considered to have "severe obesity" in 2019. It's predicted to be 1 in every 4 Americans by 2030.1 To physicians, "severe obesity" means that a person's Body Mass Index (BMI) is greater than 35, and that they might be a candidate for weight loss surgery. So, are you a candidate?

For a patient to be eligible for weight loss surgery, many surgeons and insurance companies will require the following:

1. You have previously tried to implement lifestyle changes including diet and exercise to lose weight.

2. You do not have an untreated severe psychiatric disorder or active substance abuse.

3. Either: 

Your BMI is at least 35 and you have a medical condition that is associated with obesity or

Your BMI is at least 40.

Learn your current BMI by following this Easy BMI Calculator link.

Examples of medical conditions that have been associated with obesity include, but are not limited to:

• Type 2 diabetes

• High blood pressure (Hypertension)

• Heart disease (Coronary artery disease)

• Obstructive sleep apnea

• High cholesterol (Hypercholesteremia)

• High blood fat level (Dyslipidemia)

• Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Steatohepatitis)

There are some exceptions to the above information. Your surgeon can help you determine if you are eligible for weight loss surgery.

Dr. Richardson performs bariatric surgery procedures, including sleeve gastrectomy and gastric banding (Lap-Band ®). He also performs several types of general procedures, including hiatal hernia repair, gallbladder removal, ventral and umbilical hernia repair, and endoscopy. He can help you determine which procedure is best for your individual needs during a consultation.

Recovery time varies depending on the type of surgery performed, but most patients can expect to be in the hospital between a few hours and overnight and take about 1-2 weeks off from work. During this time, you will need to adhere to a diet and activity plan to promote healing and weight loss.

The amount of weight lost varies depending on the individual, but most patients experience significant weight loss within the first year after surgery. On average, many patients can expect to lose between about 40-60% of their excess body weight.

Yes, it is common for some patients to have nutritional deficiencies after weight loss surgery. Dr. Richardson may prescribe a daily multivitamin and possibly additional supplements based on your individual needs.

Dr. Richardson recommends avoiding alcohol and high-calorie foods for the first few months after surgery to promote healing and weight loss. However, once you have healed after surgery, most patients can reintroduce these foods back into your diet. However, for optimal weight loss, consumption should be minimized.

It will depend on your health insurance plan and whether your insurance company requires you to pay a deductible. In general, consultations are usually very affordable in Arizona and some patients even have no out of pocket costs.

The introductory appointment is usually the longest. During that appointment, you will have a consultation with Dr. Richardson and typically meet with multiple staff members that will help you during your journey. Although such appointments can sometimes range from one to two hours, you accomplish a lot during that period. To optimize your time, make sure that you have all of your paperwork completed before you arrive. Subsequent appointment are usually much shorter and often under 30 minutes.

Please call and notify an office staff member as soon as you can. That will allow our staff to efficiently reschedule you to another day and make your previous time slot available to another patient.

Yes, he offers virtual appointments using an app that you can download to your phone. Just ask our staff about it when you are scheduling your appointment. Virtual appointments can be very convenient, but they do not entirely replace in-person visits. Dr. Richardson will want to meet you in person before performing any surgery.

Absolutely! Just call and inform an office staff member of your desired appointment time. Although we can't fulfill every request, you might be surprised when we can find you a time. We look forward to meeting with you.