Is weight loss surgery right for you?

If all other options to lose weight fail, then opting for a weight loss surgery will be your ideal option. The surgery you opt for will be a personal decision, based on your habits, risk aversions, and lifestyle habits.

You may opt for a weight loss surgery if:

1. Your BMI ratio is higher than normal
2. You are an obese adult, with weight-related medical issues such as Type II diabetes.
3. You are aware of the risks and benefits
4. You are ready to make adjustments to your diet after the surgery
5. You are ready to make changes to your lifestyle habits to maintain your weight and health surgery.

Choosing the appropriate surgery will be a difficult choice, especially there is no right answer. Out of all the available options, they include:

1. Gastric Bypass – It is also called as a Rox-en-Y gastric bypass in which a professional surgeon creates a small and vertically oriented gastric pouch of <30 ccs. The upper pouch is completely divided from the gastric remnant and is anastomosed to the small intestine. After this procedure ingested food bypasses most of the stomach and the first part of the small intestine. This helps you get full at a faster rate but it also helps in absorbing fewer nutrients and calories.
2. Adjustable gastric band – Around the top of the stomach, the surgeon puts an inflatable band. This band further forms into a small pouch, the place where the food goes. It is a tiny pouch and fills quickly, thus making you feel full quickly. One of the greatest advantages of this is that the doctor does not have to cut the stomach or move the intestine as in other surgeries.
3. Gastric sleeve – This type is also called as sleeve gastrectomy in which the surgeon will remove a large part of your abdomen. This surgery is beneficial and helps in lowering ghrelin which is a major hormone that plays the part of making you feel hungry. Around 60% of people have proved this surgery is the best as it shows no signs of diabetes.
4. Electric Implant device – In this type, an electrical device is implanted beneath the abdomen’s skin. This electrical device helps in controlling the signals in the vagus nerves, which decreases the feeling of hunger. The greatest advantages of this are that the implanting this device is a minor procedure and the device can be controlled remotely. The doctor can remove this device easily by a minor procedure once you have reached the desired weight.
5. Biliopancreatic diversion: In this, the surgeon removes a large part of the abdomen and also changes the way food moves through the intestine. This is a complicated surgery and is not performed commonly.

Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery

After the weight loss surgery, loss of weight will occur in the next 18 to 24 months. In this duration, there is a possibility of slight weight gain. Medical conditions brought on by weight gains such as diabetes and high blood pressure will also reduce in considerable time. Additionally, conditions such as polycystic ovaries syndrome or fertility issues may also be resolved. The chances for medical conditions such as hormonal imbalances and fatty liver diseases will also be reduced in the near future. It also reduces the chances of cancers of the colon, gallbladder, endometrium, breast, and pancreas.

At the same time, a focus must be given to a healthy diet and lifestyle so as to reduce the chances of weight gain in the near future.