Weight Loss Surgery

Under the Knife: Surgery as the Ultimate Answer to Weight Loss

Weight loss surgery is known as gastric bypass and has been used for years as a last resort for morbid obesity. Take note that the words are 'last resort'. It is only performed if diet and exercise can't do the job. Weight loss surgery may be an attractive option for lazy but brave individuals, but not everyone is a candidate for it.

For starters, people who are overweight don't just decide for themselves that they need gastric bypass surgery and then get it. It has to be recommended by a medical doctor. Second, if you're only mildly overweight, then your chances are nil. Weight loss surgery is only for those who are considered morbidly obese or whose current weight is at least 50 kilograms more than their ideal body weight.

Another thing to consider is that weight loss surgery will change your lifestyle drastically. Just because you've had one doesn’t mean you can now eat anything you wanted, anytime you liked. Once you've undergone weight loss surgery, expect to be committed to a strict regimen of healthy eating and a regular fitness routine.

Last but not the least, it's a major surgery and performed only under general anesthesia. There are risks and complications involved. Furthermore, this is a costly procedure which starts at about $15,000 and most insurance policies do not offer coverage for this surgery.

However, there are benefits to be had with weight loss surgery, especially if you have an obesity problem. Done successfully, it can reduce your body size by controlling your intake of food and some people have led healthy and fit lives since.

What you can expect during surgery
Under a general anesthesia, a bariatric surgeon will attempt to decrease your stomach size by using specially-designed gastric staples. A row of staples will divide your stomach into two. He will make an incision along the stapled area, allowing you to use the top portion of the stomach, instead of the whole organ.

The stomach has a food capacity of about one quart, while the upper section can contain about one tablespoon. This procedure will allow you to hold only about a small portion of food, since the upper portion will expand and be able to contain about one cup. Imagine processing only one cup of food with each meal for the rest of your life.

The advantage of this procedure is that a decreased stomach will give you a feeling of fullness with a lesser amount of food. And when you consume less food, you will lose weight.

Another procedure will involve surgery in your gastric silastic ring, where the bariatric surgeon will bypass a portion of your small intestine (the jejunum and the duodenum) so food does not stay there. This procedure will allow your body to ingest food without absorbing too much nutrients, decreasing the number of calories you get. Food goes directly to the lower part of your intestines to later on become part of your bowel movement.

What happens now?
One of the things that can cause some discomfort after surgery is the adjustment to food intake and for this reason, vomiting is common with weight loss surgery patients. A smaller stomach can only contain so much and if he goes over the limit, he might vomit the excess food.

Another concern is that of vitamin deficiency. The food will not stay long enough in the stomach and the intestines in order for the body to absorb important nutrients, so a patient will have to correct this by taking vitamin and mineral supplements.

Other problems will include a higher risk of developing hernia, infection, gallstones and gastritis. There will also be a problem with skin sagging, if the patient loses too weight too fast. And, weight loss surgery is not a guarantee you'll be slim forever. You could still gain weight after several years.

While complications and risks during surgery are present, they can be minimized or corrected. The only other major concern of a weight loss surgery patient is that from then on, he will have to go through life with a digestive system that will not perform as it used to. He will have to carefully watch his diet by taking food that have been specially prepared, take regular supplements and medications and be closely monitored by medical professionals for the rest of his life.

Should you go under the knife?
If you're a candidate for weight loss surgery, talk to your doctor about your concerns and goals. Make sure you understand everything there is to know about this procedure and what it will require you later on. It's important that your expectations are realistic and that you know the risks and sacrifices as well as the benefits.

Cosmetic surgery
Another option for people who've had weight loss surgery is cosmetic surgery, particularly procedures that involve trimming, lifting and tucking. These procedures can help correct sagging skin, usually the result of significant weight loss. Essentially, cosmetic procedures will involve trimming off the excess skin and lifting sagging areas to tighten them.