Weight loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery, is the process of banding the stomach to drastically restrict the amount of food a person can consume. This has many effects on the body, including some very beneficial health benefits and some unpleasant side effects. It's not for everyone, but can be very beneficial for morbidly obese patients.
What Is Weight Loss Surgery?
The most commonly used surgery today is gastric banding, where a band with an adjustable inner lining is placed around the stomach to slow food intake and create a feeling of fullness with very little food. Patients report that after just a few bites, they feel stuffed and must stop eating. Weight loss begins almost immediately after the surgery, and if it slows, the band can be adjusted by inflating it a little more to allow even less food to pass through.
Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery
For severely obese patients, weight loss surgery can mean the difference between life and death. Statistics show that it is extremely difficult for morbidly obese people to lose weight on their own and keep it off. In addition to the many benefits of attaining a healthy weight, gastric banding often results in patients being able to control diabetes without medication. This is most likely a result of smaller amounts of food eaten more often during the day plus intolerance to foods that are bulky and likely to swell, such as rice and breads. A reduction in weight translates to more energy, a feeling of well-being and a reduced chance of cholesterol problems and damage to internal organs. Other common ailments that may improve or be resolved are high blood pressure, sleep apnea and reflux disease.
In the first two years following the surgery, the average patient loses more than 50 percent of excess weight, and most can keep it off for the long term by following diet recommendations and an exercise routine.
Side Effects
Weight loss surgery takes some getting used to. Eating too fast or overeating can cause vomiting and pain under the breastbone. Repeated overeating can stretch the stomach pouch to allow more food in, slowing or stopping weight loss. The band may have to be readjusted often. Overeating can also cause a condition called dumping syndrome, where the stomach contents are pushed too quickly into the small intestine, resulting in sweating, dizziness, nausea, weakness and heart palpitations.
Nutritional complications may also arise. Patients who do not follow the recommended diet and take vitamin supplements often wind up with anemia or osteoporosis. Many patients develop lactose intolerance, which causes gas and diarrhea.
Rapid weight loss can have side effects as well. During the first six months following surgery, patients often report body aches, flu-like symptoms, tiredness, sensitivity to cold, dry skin, moodiness and loss of hair. With any rapid weight loss, there is a risk of developing gallstones. Excess skin is another issue. The skin is an amazing organ, but it may not be able to shrink back to its original size. Weight loss surgery patients who lose a dramatic amount of weight will have to have excess skin removed by a plastic surgeon.
