Obesity surgery

By Weight Loss Consultant • Related • Filed Under

Coming to terms with the realization that you are obese is a scary idea. It can feel very isolating to know that you are obese, and you may feel trapped by your inability to lose weight successfully. Trying diets over and over and never succeeding can send you into an emotional eating spiral that causes you gain even more weight. For those who are truly, morbidly obese, there are several surgical options that may help. Each of these options carries its own health risks, side effects and lifestyle changes. After discussing them with your physician, you may find that he or she supports your decision and recommends the surgery.

Gastric bypass surgery has become the surgery of choice lately. With many high profile entertainers such as Carnie Wilson, Star Jones and Al Roker taking the stomach shrinking leap, regular folks have been very quick to follow. Gastric bypass surgery involves reducing the size of the patient’s stomach from the size of a fist to about the size of a golf ball. This means that a patient will be able to eat only very small meals and will have to be careful that they eat nutritious meals or they may suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiencies. In addition to shrinking the stomach, part of the patients’ small intestines are bypassed, making digested food pass through the system more quickly and fewer calories to be absorbed.

There are many types of gastric bypass surgeries; however Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (also knows as RGB) and extensive gastric bypass, or commonly referred to as biliopancreatic diversion, are the most popular of them.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery is the most widespread gastric bypass procedure done in the United States. This operation is conducted in several steps. The first step involves the creation of a small pouch by closing off a part of the stomach. This limits the amount of food that can be eaten. The next step involves the connection of the Y-shaped segment within the small intestine to the pouch to allow food to pass through the duodenum and the first portion of the jejunum. Thus, the intake of calories and nutrient absorption will be reduced. Before now, this operation involved large surgical cuts, but today the laparoscope (a special instrument with camera) can be used to ensure smaller incisions, faster recovery and smaller scars.

Extensive gastric bypass involves the removal of the lower portion of the stomach. Thus, the small pouch that is left is attached directly to the small intestine and the duodenum and jejunum are bypassed completely. This gastric bypass surgery results in significant and impressive weight loss. However, it is associated with a number of risks, such as nutritional deficiencies and more; and hence, is less popular than the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.

Often, like in the case of Carnie Wilson, patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery find themselves gaining weight. After the first few years of extreme weight loss, their weight evens out and eventually, their bad eating habits creep back up on them and their stomachs begin to stretch. This allows them to increase the amount of calories they can consume in a suiting and often results in weight gain. It is important to remain on your physician and nutritionist approved weight loss plan even after you’ve lost weigh in order to prevent this from happening should you decide to get gastric bypass surgery. Additionally, the part of the small intestine that is bypassed is also the portion that is responsible for the absorption of nutrients and minerals. You need to consult a physician and nutritionist to decide how to best combat this.

Lap band surgery is more flexible and less invasive than gastric bypass surgery. With lap band surgery an adjustable band is placed around your stomach. This decreases the size of your stomach so that you feel less hungry. Since your stomach can stretch after repetitive overeating, lap bands provide the added benefit of being accessible in order to re-restrict your stomach. You will have frequent visits with your physician as he or she adjusts your lap band to help you find the right restriction to encourage weight loss without starvation.

Gastric reduction surgery (stomach stapling) is a process that permanently reduces the size of your stomach. It is different from gastric bypass surgery in that it does not result in a bypass of your large intestines. Stomach stapling is not as popular today as it was twenty years ago, but it is still performed. Unfortunately, it offers the same risk of stomach stretching if the patient does not change his or her eating habits permanently.

The decision to get weight loss surgery is a very serious one. If you’ve tried everything and found no diets that work, it may be time for you to discuss the option of surgery with your physician. Remember that surgery is not a magic cure – if you don’t change your eating habits after surgery, you’ll find yourself in the same boat sooner than you’d think.

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