Gastric Bypass Surgery
Maintaining a slim body has become a new trend in today’s world. You must’ve come across many people who have a keen desire towards losing weight, but the truth is that wishing for something and achieving it are two different things. Shedding off pounds that have accumulated over the years takes rigorous effort, both in diet and physical exercise. And while people with an active metabolism often find such techniques extremely effective, there are others who even after trying different diets and exercise routines fail to achieve their ideal body type.
It is to such people that this article is dedicated. We know how you feel, and we wish to help you. Today, technology has come up with a lot of techniques to cut off the extra fat from an obese body and bring associated health conditions under control. One such commonly known technique is the Gastric Bypass Surgery. Not only does it work wonders for people who wish to lose weight, it doesn’t affect their life expectancy and is also not very expensive.
Doctors usually suggest their patients to get this surgery if they’re suffering from serious health issues because of their distorted Body Mass Index (BMI). There are many surgeons and treatment centers offering this surgery under a budget and good quality, but before going for it, you must have knowledge about the impact of this surgery on your life and its pros and cons.
This article, like the title suggests, would be providing you with all the important information that will help you make the right decision.
Table of Contents
What does a Gastric Bypass Surgery mean?
A medical procedure that helps you lose weight by making changes in your digestive system is known as a weight loss surgery. Now when talking about “changes in the digestive system,” the kind of change which is made determines the category in which the weight loss surgery falls.
In the case of gastric bypass, for example, a large portion of the digestive tract is “bypassed” by reducing the size of the stomach and connecting it to the smaller intestine directly. By doing this, doctors ensure that the food you consume doesn’t go through the large intestine and this significantly impacts the fat absorption in the body.
Moreover, because the size of the stomach is reduced, you can consume very little food at a time, and this leads to massive weight loss gradually. Moreover, such a surgery also brings about changes in the hunger hormones of the body which may help reduce your appetite so that you don’t feel hungry very frequently.
Gastric Banding & Gastric Bypass – Are they the same?
Often, people get confused between gastric banding and gastric bypass because of the similar names of these procedures. But you should know that both techniques are very different from each other.
Gastric banding is also a weight loss surgery, but its results don’t last for a very long time. On the other hand, gastric bypass surgery is more advisable and effective according to some doctors because it makes permanent changes in the body to restrict the food from reaching parts of the stomach and the small intestine.
Does a Gastric Bypass operation always work?
Regardless of how experienced a surgeon is, medical procedures never promise guaranteed results. Similarly, studies claim that on an average, though people lose up to 15-30% of their weight after a gastric bypass surgery, the effectiveness of the procedure probably varies from one person to another.
Most doctors advise that in order to maintain the positive effects of the surgery, patients should choose a healthy diet. Agreed that after a weight loss surgery you would anyways not be able to eat much, but choosing a healthy diet always helps to keep you away from unexpected health hazards. Plus, a regular exercise routine even after the surgery helps maintain the effects for a longer period of time, thereby increasing the metabolism rate of the body.
Evaluating a Gastric Bypass surgery
Before you undergo the knife, you should be aware of the positives and negatives of a gastric bypass surgery to make an informed decision.
Benefits:
- The primary benefit is that you get rid of obesity and all the extra fat which can lead to health complications (diabetes, high blood pressure, sleeping problems, joint and knee pain, etc.) in the in future
- A person’s life expectancy increases if the body weight is under control
- A fit body of course promotes ample physical movement and self-confidence
Drawbacks:
- Like any medical procedure, you might suffer from after-effects like bleeding clots, infection, heart problems, breathing problems, and allergic reactions to medicines
- Gastric bypass may lead to stomach ulcers, gallstones, poor nutrition, hernias, and frequent diarrhea, but these risks are rare
- Some common side effects include nausea, vomiting, and trouble swallowing. This may happen because of the narrowed connection between stomach and small intestine which makes it difficult to break down solid food
Wrapping it up
Losing weight has become a main concern for many people these days. While some may be able to get into shape pretty quickly, others may struggle due to disturbed eating habits or underlying health problems which don’t allow them to lose weight.
Weight loss surgery under proper care and advice can make a lot of difference such individuals. We hope this article succeeded in giving you an idea about the positives and negatives of a gastric bypass surgery.