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Things You Must Know Before Treating Obesity With Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery.

By Nikita Banerjee +2 more

Severe Obesity And Its Health Risks

Severe obesity is one of the most serious stages of obesity. You may often find yourself struggling with your weight and essentially feeling as if you’re trapped in a weight gain cycle. In addition, you most likely have attempted numerous diets – only in the end, to see your weight continue to increase. Exercise and diet alone often fail to effectively treat people with extreme and excessive obesity.  

Bariatric surgeries are done when diet and exercise haven’t worked or when you have serious health problems because of your weight. Weight loss is achieved by reducing the size of the stomach with a gastric band or through the removal of a portion of the stomach (sleeve gastrectomy or biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch) or by resecting and re-routing the small intestine to a small stomach pouch (gastric bypass surgery).

Treating Obesity with Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery is designed to alter or interrupt the digestion process so that food is not broken down and absorbed in the usual way. A reduction in the number of nutrients and calories absorbed enables patients to lose weight and decrease their risk for obesity-related health risks or disorders.

Types Of Bariatric Surgery

  1. Adjustable gastric banding (AGB)
  2. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB)
  3. Biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch (BPD-DS)
  4. Vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG)

Each of these types has its own advantages and disadvantages. Various patient factors affect which procedure is chosen including BMI, eating habits, health problems related to obesity and the number of previous stomach surgeries. The patient and provider should discuss the most suitable option by considering the benefits and risks of each type of surgery.

Benefits Of Bariatric Surgery

Apart from long and sustained weight loss, bariatric surgery provides the following benefits:

Risks Of Bariatric Surgery

The benefits of bariatric surgery must be weighed against its potential risks. In addition to the risks of the surgery itself (such as death, bleeding, infection and blood clots), bariatric surgery may cause nutritional deficiencies in protein, vitamins and minerals. Bone mineral density loss may develop from inadequate intestinal calcium absorption. Low blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia) after eating carbohydrates and inadequate vitamin B-12 absorption causing nerve damage to the feet, legs, or hands (peripheral neuropathy), may occur over time.

Also Read: How To Get Rid Of A Muffin Top: Effective Strategies Backed By Fitness Experts

Ideal Candidate For This Surgery

Bariatric surgery may be an option for adults who have:

However, consult your doctor who may suggest some extensive screenings to undergo these weight-loss surgeries.

Also Read: What Causes Hip Dips: A Scientific Approach to Understanding Body Shape

Post-Surgery Care

  • Immediately after surgery, you will eat liquefied or pureed foods for the first few weeks. It is important to eat small amounts so as not to stretch out your stomach. You can do this by eating 6 small meals a day. It is also important to eat slowly – over 20 to 30 minutes – and to chew each bite well so that your stomach isn’t overloaded, which may cause vomiting or stomach pain.
  • Drink water – about 8 cups a day – approximately 30 minutes after you eat and don’t drink anything with your meals so that the fluid doesn’t fill up your stomach.
  • It is important to take vitamin and mineral supplements for the rest of your life to prevent or treat nutritional deficiencies that may occur.
  • Your doctor may have you start out with walking every day and then add in other aerobic activities like swimming or bicycle riding.
  • You may also have to undergo frequent regular check-ups and may experience changes in the body as the body reacts to sudden weight loss surgery which may include mood swings, skin changes and weakness.
  • Patients may develop excess loose and folded skin that requires further surgery to remove and tighten.

Also Read: Chymoral Forte

Disclaimer: The above information has been prepared by a qualified medical professional and may not represent the practices followed universally. The suggestions listed in this article constitute relatively common advice given to patients, and since every patient is different, you are advised to consult your physician, if in doubt, before acting upon this information. Lupin Limited has only facilitated the distribution of this information to you in the interest of patient education and welfare.

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