Surgery For Weight Loss, Chapter 1

     Good morning, Fam...  I was having a conversation with some family and we started discussing the whole surgery for weight loss issue.  I was telling them that I know many people who have had the surgery and many people who are considering the surgery.  During my conversation I realized that many of us do not know that there are various options out there and it is not as cut and dry as it used to be.  I thought I would take a few posts to talk about this process, and offer some insight into the types of surgeries that are available, as well as the pros and cons of each type of surgery.


      According to the Bariatric Surgery Source (BSS), there are 7 types of weight loss surgery options available.  This should tell you that there are different strokes for different folks.  Every surgery is NOT for everybody.  So, let's get started.


     Let's start with the Gastric sleeve.   First, you cannot just walk in the doctor's office and say you want this surgical procedure done.  The National Institute of Health (NIH) requires that you be more than 100 pounds overweight as a man and more than 80 pounds overweight as a women.  Also, many physicians will not consider this surgery unless you are suffering from a combination of health issues, including high blood pressure, diabetes, or sleep apnea, just to name a few.  The cost for this surgery runs $17,000 to $26,000, but depending on your insurance provider's coverage your insurance may cover the cost of surgery.
    
    This surgery is NOT REVERSIBLE.  Per BSS the results of this surgery will make you feel less hungry and full sooner while eating because a major portion of your stomach is removed.  Because a large portion of your stomach is removed, not much ghrelin, a hormone that  to  regulates your appetite, will be produced.  With less of it being produced you will not feel as hungry.  You will STILL absorb calories and nutrients via your intestine.  Your weight loss will come with the fact that you cannot EAT as much as you usually do.


     People who have the gastric sleeve procedure will need nutritional counseling prior to surgery to prepare them for the NECESSARY diet changes.  They CANNOT eat as before.  They will not be able to eat anything solid, initially, after surgery.  As they incorporate more solid foods into their diet, they must be careful not to overdo it by continuing to eat when they feel full or by eating too fast (you must chew your food, not inhale it like you used to) as this may result in nausea and vomiting.  Also if these patients continue to "overeat" they can stretch their stomach out which defeats the whole purpose of the surgery.


     Recovery time may last a few weeks following a hospital stay for a few days.  Eventually, these patients may have to take vitamin supplements because absorption isn't as it used to be because so much of the stomach is removed.  Also there is the risk of leaking from the stomach in the abdominal cavity, infection at the incision site, blood clots in the lung, anemia, osteoporosis, and gallstones.  Per WebMD, most people who have this type of surgery will lose more than half of their excess weight, and as with ALL weight loss journeys it is a must to FOLLOW the diet, get some EXERCISE, and follow-up with your physician.  (Picture from gastricsleevesurgeryflorida.com)   


     Remember, this type of weight loss surgery, is to help you lose weight.   It is a process.  The changes will not happen overnight.  Although you will lose weight, which includes losing fat, you WILL NOT wake up with a flat stomach and a tight butt.  This is NOT cosmetic surgery.  Truth be told if there is significant weight loss, you may NEED cosmetic surgery, such as a body lift or arm lift,  to remove sagging skin that does not bounce back into place because the weight loss is so fast and drastic.  Is the Gastric Sleeve for you???
Next--Gastric Bypass...


SMOOCHES