What Causes A Person Not To Lose Weight After Bariatric Surgery?
Nearly 3.8 million Americans are 300 pounds or larger and approximately 400,000 individuals weigh more than 400 pounds according to American Sports Data. Weight loss surgery can be invasive but the health benefits to the morbidly obese can be the difference between life and death.
Function
Bariatric surgery is a procedure that reduces the size of the stomach and restricts food and calorie intake for the purpose of weight loss. This surgery is typically only recommended when traditional means of weight loss have failed such as diet, exercise and medications and is usually performed on patients 18 to 60 years old. The surgery is designed for patients who are considered obese or 100 pounds or more over the ideal weight and have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or greater.
Dietary Reasons
Patients considered for the surgery should have a clear understanding and commitment to the dietary limitations and lifestyle changes associated with bariatric surgery that must be adhered to for a lifetime. Patients must be willing to incorporate strict dietary changes into their lives.
Bariatric surgery is meant to reduce weight in patients suffering from obesity but the surgery may not be effective if patients continue to consume high fat foods, carbohydrates or food with high sugar content. Consuming high calorie liquids, liquids with added sugar, alcohol, eating larger portions or high fat sauces, salad dressings or gravies, can hinder weight loss.
Psychological Reasons
Patients should understand and treat any food addictions that may exist. Bariatric surgery doesn't treat underlying psychological or emotional issues with food addiction that can interfere with adhering to the proper dietary program needed to loss weight with the surgery.
Procedural Reasons
Patients may have undergone a bariatric procedure that was inadequate or poorly designed for their particular needs. In these cases, the technique may not sufficiently maintain the smaller stomach pouch or the pouch opens allowing for too many calories to be absorbed. In other cases, the original created pouch is too large allowing a greater absorption of calories hindering weight loss.
Considerations
Insurance plans may cover bariatric surgery if the National Institutes of Health guidelines of having a body mass index over 40 apply. This type of surgery requires a lifetime of medical follow up to maintain health and wellness.
Caution
Possible complications from bariatric surgery include blood clots, respiratory failure, hernia, heart palpations, nausea, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, allergic reactions and infections. A University of Iowa study concluded that a majority of patients who died within a month of having the bariatric procedure exhibited several of the complications associated with the surgery.
