Learn About Weight Loss Surgery

Weight gain and the continued situation of inability to get the weight off can be frustrating and depressing. Having to shop in the “big” people stores for clothing that is not in style and the feeling that everyone is looking at you with either pity or criticism, can affect one’s entire outlook on life. Overweight individuals tend to let the rest of themselves “go,” that is, they tend not to be careful about other parts of grooming, because there is a general feeling that, “No matter what else I do, I still look terrible.”

For those individuals who are classified as “morbidly obese,” that is, the amount of excess fat is considered to be a health risk, there is now available weight loss surgery. Many doctors throughout the world now perform this surgery, and it has been a life-changing procedure for many.

There are two types of weight loss surgery, and a medical professional should be consulted in order to determine which type is best for each individual. Basically, the two types involve the following:

1. Gastric Bypass: This procedure is the more invasive one and involves major surgery. Basically, a part of the stomach is eliminated from the entire digestive process. Thus, the available stomach is smaller, and the individual eats far less than before. As with any major surgery, there are risks. A strong anesthetic must be used, and there are always the typical risks of this. Major surgery also carries with it the risk of infection and that must be guarded against. The recovery is essentially the same as that of any major surgery, but there are also dietary restrictions, some of which last the remainder of the individual’s life. The recovering patient will be on an all-liquid diet for a period determined by his/her physician and gradually adds pureed foods, then finally normal foods. This process can take weeks, so the patient needs to be prepared for major changes in eating habits. Intake of leafy dark vegetables will be limited, and carbonated beverages become verboten! The weight loss begins immediately and is gradual over a period of as much as a year, dependent upon the amount of weight loss necessary. Success of this surgery is as much dependent upon the patient’s strict adherence to the after-surgery requirements as upon the surgery itself.

2. “Rubber-Band:” This procedure is far less invasive and is a preferred method of many patients and surgeons. It requires a small incision and the banding off of a part of the stomach, so that it is unavailable for “filling” with food. Recovery is obviously much faster. I have personally known people who have the surgery on a Thursday or Friday and who are back at work on Monday. As with both types of weight loss surgery, there are significant dietary restrictions following this procedure, to include an all-liquid diet and the gradual introduction of soft and then regular foods. If the patient chooses to return to his/her old eating habits, the band will expand, allowing the additional food intake. This defeats the entire purpose of the surgery, and the band can actually be stretched so as to allow large amounts of eating. Fortunately, the band can be re-adjusted any number of times, but the patient must commit to the diet prescribed by the surgeon if he/she is to realize successful weight loss.

Weight loss surgery can be the most effective and permanent method of taking off the pounds and having them off permanently. It involves strict adherence to post-surgery diet restrictions, and the patient must be willing to alter dietary habits for life. These restrictions, however, are well worth the health, personal self-image, and general sense of well-being benefits possible with this surgery.

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