Weight loss surgery aids a person in dropping pounds because it is a procedure that alters the manner in which the digestive system functions. The operation serves to limit the amount of food an individual is able to consume or in some instances, it minimizes the absorption of nutrients. Some types of operations of this nature are capable of accomplishing both.
These procedures are never a first resort for the shedding of pounds but instead, a last resort. When diet, healthy eating and physical activity have not worked, it is time to think about this type of operation. Another instance when it is time to think about it is when a person has developed serious medical problems as a result of weighing too much.
There is more than one type of weight loss surgery. Collectively, these procedures are known as bariatric surgery. One of the most common kinds of bariatric operations in the United States is the gastric bypass procedure. Surgeons themselves often prefer performing this type of procedure on their patients because it has fewer complications attached to it.
Be aware before you decide to have weight loss surgery, whether it is gastric bypass or some other kind, that these are all serious procedures that pose potential risks and side effects. Although they are rare, it is important to be aware of them. You also need to realize that you must do your part to ensure that the bariatric operation is successful in the long term. Patients must institute permanent changes to how they eat and what they eat and they must adhere to a regular exercise routine. Making sure that you do not put the weight back on is essential.
Weight loss surgery is done to help a person to lose excess weight that they have not been able to lose any other way. It is also done to minimize the risk that life threatening problems that are weight related will arise. Some examples of health problems that can crop up as a result of being obese include heart disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type II diabetes and severe forms of sleep apnea. Gastric bypass will be considered only after other means of shedding the weight have not worked.
Generally speaking, weight loss surgery such as gastric bypass could potentially be an option for the individual who has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher. This would be a person who is in the range of extreme obesity. A person whose BMI is 35 to 39.9 (which is defined as obese) and who suffers from a major weight associated condition such as high blood pressure, type II diabetes or severe sleep apnea would also be a candidate for it. In some instances, an individual with a BMI of 30 to 34 with any of these health conditions could potentially also be deemed eligible candidate for the procedure.