| Understanding Gastric
Bypass Surgery |
by Travis Lawrence
Gastric Bypass Surgery is growing in popularity. It is
important that anyone who is considering this type of
surgery to insure that they are ready for both the physical
stresses of it as well as the mental challenge it presents.
Gastric bypass surgery is a way for doctors to help treat
morbid obesity. For those individuals who have serious
health problems that are brought on or made worse by their
weight, this surgery can be the difference in life and
death. Here are some details and things to keep in mind
when considering gastric bypass surgery.
First of all, it isn’t for everyone. In fact, you
must be above 40 BMI in order to qualify. Some doctors
will go as low as 35, though. BMI stands for Body Mass
Index. This is a system that is used to compare and understand
the effects of weight on human bodies as compared to their
height. We know that a person with a BMI between 35 and
40 is considered morbidly obese, but that doesn’t
mean someone should be very low either. There is a balance
in which the body simply needs to have a certain level
of fat. This is a controversial understanding in most
cases. Nevertheless, this is an indicator that a person
is a candidate for gastric bypass surgery.
In most cases, individuals who are candidates for gastric
bypass are 100 pounds or more overweight. But, just being
overweight by a certain amount is not the only thing that
is considered. Individuals who would like to be considered
for this weight loss will in fact need to go through a
battery of mental testing. For those who eat because of
emotions, gastric bypass is likely to fail. The first
steps for these individuals is dealing with their specific
eating disorder first. When they are successfully through
them, they may then be considered a candidate. It is important
to understand that once the surgery is complete, if a
person can not commit to specific changes, they will not
succeed at losing weight and can complicate the surgery’s
outcome. Many times patients will be required to diet
and exercise during a period of time prior to becoming
a candidate. So, what does happen during this surgery?
During the procedure, the doctor will create a pouch out
of the stomach. They will take the stomachs normal size
and reduce it to mere 1-2 fluid ounces or between 30-60
mL. This is a drastically smaller size. They will lower
the stomachs capacity by connecting the pouch to a point
midway to the small intestine. The larger remaining pouch
will be kept within the body and will be connected farther
down the small intestine so that it can remain a producer
of gastric juices that aid in digestion. Gastric bypass
surgery does require an incision of six to eight inches.
In some cases, several smaller incisions will be used
instead.
What is the goal of gastric bypass surgery?
The whole point of this surgery is to limit the amount
of food that a person can take in and to shorten the digestive
track to allow for fewer calories to be absorbed within
a person’s body. By limiting the amount of food a
person can consume, they greatly reduce the amount of
calories being consumed and therefore force the body to
use stored fat instead. This surgery is called restrictive
because it reduces your intake of foods and malabsorptive
because it reduces the amount of food that can be absorbed
into the body.
Most of the time, gastric bypass surgery is successful.
In 2% of patients, though, it is fatal. One percent is
due to complications during surgery. In many cases, the
heart is already weakened from having to pump so vigorously
to handle the extra weight or complications from other
diseases may cause death as well during surgery. The other
one percent will come within one month or so after the
surgery is done. In these cases, it is often due to patients
not restricting themselves properly. Patients who have
this surgery will no longer be able to eat foods that
are high in sugar or fat. The body can likely not handle
these fast absorbing foods within their bodies.
If you would like to be considered for gastric bypass
surgery, you will need to see your doctor and tell him
about your situation. Not all insurance companies within
the United States will actually cover this surgery unless
there is medical evidence that your weight is attributing
to your health. You will go through a battery of tests
to determine your circumstances and to find out if you
do indeed qualify. It is a life changing experience, but
it is one that needs to be thoroughly thought out.
About the Author
Travis Lawrence
For More information on Gastric Bypass Surgery visit http://www.gastric-bypass-information.com
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