Gastric bypass surgery before and after

Gastric bypass is an umbrella term which encompasses several smaller types of surgical procedures which make the stomach smaller by dividing it into a lower and an upper pouch, reducing one's capability to eat excessively through making him/her feel full earlier.

This operation is suitable for people who are morbidly obese, having a body index higher than 40. Commonly, these individuals also suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and many other conditions.

Once people undergo gastric bypass surgery, or any other form of bariatric surgery, they usually lose weight rapidly, experiencing significant improvements in all other aspects of their health. However, due to the fact that this is a complex surgery, complications may occur, even though death rates related to gastric bypass procedure are 0.5%.

Gastric Bypass Indication

As it was mentioned above, this surgery is intended for people who are morbidly obese, having serious problems stemming from the fact that they are excessively overweight. Also, people who undergo gastric bypass surgery usually do this after they have tried all other possible alternatives with little or no success. Also, patients suitable for gastric bypass usually have serious or even life-threatening condition, being incapable of living normal, productive lives.

Officially, according to the National Institute of Health, people with a body mass index of 40 or higher are suitable for this surgery, along with individuals who have the body mass index of 35 and suffer from some illnesses related to being obese or excessively overweight.

Additionally, it is officially known that bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity. Currently, however, there are four different types of surgery suitable for this condition. Also, laparoscopic surgery is considered to be equally effective as the open surgery, being equally safe as well. Finally, people who undergo this surgery usually need to be exposed to pre-operative evaluation and various other forms of assessment in order to be diagnosed properly and sent to an adequate form of surgical intervention.

Speaking of the effectiveness of this surgery, patients usually experience from 60 to 80% of excessive weight loss, with 70% of all patients managing to overcome hyperlipidemia and hypertension. Snoring and sleep apnea also get cured by gastric bypass surgery in most cases, along with GERD or any venous diseases or physical aches appearing due to excessive body weight.

Of course, all these changes have an enormous positive impact on the lifestyle of the patient, helping him/her live a happier, more productive life.

Risks Associated with Gastric Bypass Surgery

Due to the fact that a large incision may be made in the body of the patient, the wound may be susceptible to infections or leaking from the stomach into the abdominal area. Alternatively, a blood clot may appear in the lung, leading to a pulmonary embolism. Some other condition which are quite common in people who have undergone gastric bypass surgery recently are appearance of gallstones or anemia, as well as osteoporosis.

Nevertheless, after the Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses, more than 30% of all patients develop iron and vitamin B6 deficiency. Out of all these people, 50% end up with anemia. Also, up to 15% of patients end up with ulcers or experience loosening of the staples. Hernia may also appear after the surgery and the stomach of the patients may become larger, triggering flatulence and hiccups.

Yet, once you take into consideration that gastric bypass prolongs one's life incomparably, the surgery has much more benefits than flaws. Simply, if a morbidly obese individual decides to ignore the condition and does not seek medical assistance, chances of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and many other problems related to this condition become quite high.

The problems related to vitamin and nutrient deficiencies can easily be dealt with through seeking a diet plan from a professional dietitian. Taking supplements of iron and vitamin B6 is also a good alternative.

Early treatment of morbid obesity is highly recommended, especially if it is carried out through laparoscopic surgery, decreasing chances of many complications typically related to gastric bypass.

After the surgery you will need to reduce physical activity to a minimum for about 3 to 5 weeks eating only very small amounts of food at a time, chewing it slowly and carefully. Not doing this may result in vomiting and pain. Furthermore, you are advised not to drink anything about half an hour before consuming food and half an hour afterwards. Ultimately, you will need to stay away from certain types of food such as candy, simple sugars, juices, ice-cream and soft drinks. Simple sugars can be quite dangerous for you to consume, possibly leading to a condition named dumping syndrome, triggering sweating, dizziness, rapid heart rate and severe diarrhea.

To sum up, gastric bypass is a surgery which decreases the size of one's stomach, dividing it into two smaller parts, thereby limiting one's stomach capacity. This results in a decrease in appetite and food consumption, helping morbidly obese people to deal with their excessive body weight and the conditions which go hand-in-hand with it.