Weight Loss Info
Weight Loss Surgery
Weight Loss Surgery can help people who are very overweight to lose weight, after other
methods have failed. It is not a treatment for people who are simply overweight
or mildly obese. Severe obesity is a chronic condition that is difficult to
treat through diet and exercise alone. Gastrointestinal surgery is an option for
people who are severely obese and cannot lose weight by traditional means or who
suffer from serious obesity-related health problems. The operation promotes
weight loss by restricting food intake and, in some operations, interrupting the
digestive process. As in other treatments for obesity, the best results are
achieved with healthy eating behaviors and regular physical activity.
Gastrointestinal surgery for obesity, also called bariatric surgery, alters the
digestive process. The operations can be divided into three types: restrictive,
malabsorptive, and combined restrictive/malabsorptive. Restrictive operations
limit food intake by creating a narrow passage from the upper part of the
stomach into the larger lower part, reducing the amount of food the stomach can
hold and slowing the passage of food through the stomach. Malabsorptive
operations do not limit food intake, but instead exclude most of the small
intestine from the digestive tract so fewer calories and nutrients are absorbed.
Malabsorptive operations, also called intestinal bypasses, are no longer
recommended because they result in severe nutritional deficiencies. Combined
operations use stomach restriction and a partial bypass of the small intestine
Prior to any weight loss operation, your doctor will give you a complete medical
examination and evaluate your overall health.
A psychological evaluation will be given to you. This will determine whether you
are ready to adhere to a healthier lifestyle. If you are not ready to make
lifestyle changes (and have not tried hard to do so already), you will not be
considered eligible for the procedure. Without changing your lifestyle, the
surgery will not be a success. You will also receive extensive nutritional
counseling before (and after) your surgery.
The risks include:
Bleeding,
Infections,
Follow-up surgeries to correct complications, or to remove excess skin,
Gallstones due to significant weight loss in a short amount of time,
Gastritis (inflammation of the lining of the stomach),
Vomiting from eating more than the stomach pouch can hold,
Iron or vitamin B12 deficiencies (if they occur) can lead to anemia,
Calcium deficiency (if it occurs) can contribute to the development of early
osteoporosis or other bone disorders
You may be a candidate for surgery if you have: A body mass index (BMI) of
40 or more—about 100 pounds overweight for men and 80 pounds for women. A BMI between 35 and 39.9 and a serious obesity-related health problem such as
type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or severe sleep apnea (when breathing stops for
short periods during sleep) An understanding of the operation and the lifestyle changes you will need to
make.
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http://www.iLosingWeight.com.
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