What is gastric bypass all about
One might consider gastric bypass surgery as a means of weight loss. With that being said, what is gastric bypass surgery? Gastric bypass refers to the surgical technique in which the pathway of the food from the stomach to the bowel is altered. The new pathway creates a small pouch of the stomach and diverts the food from the first part of the small bowel. The small stomach size restricts the amount of food that can be consumed, which aids satiety and alters the release of the hormones that control appetite. So, the food you eat will no longer go into some parts of your stomach and small intestines that absorb food. This ensures that your body gets fewer calories from the food you eat.
Process, Preparation and Benefits
Process of surgery: This type of surgery happens at a hospital. A patient is given a general anaesthetic, which means you will be unconscious during the procedure. Most weight loss surgeries are done with traditional, large or open, incisions in your abdomen. Lately, these surgeries are done laparoscopically, which means they are done using the laparoscope instrument, which is a small tubular instrument with a camera attached. This instrument is inserted through a tiny incision in the abdomen.
The small camera allows the surgeon to see and operate without making the traditional large incision. This type of surgery can lessen your recovery time but once again isn’t for everyone. You can expect surgery to last for a couple of hours after which you will wake up in a recovery room where medical staff check up on any complications.
Prepping yourself for surgery: So, you qualify for gastric bypass surgery, now what? You have to prepare yourself for this surgery. Look to your health team to give you instructions on how to prepare for your surgery. You may have to take different lab tests before your big day of surgery. Also, you may have certain restrictions on eating and drinking and be advised on which medication you can take. Certain requirements may have you starting a physical activity program and stopping any tobacco use.
Benefits: When adding a comprehensive treatment plan, this surgery is an effective tool to provide you with a long-term weight loss and help you improve your quality of life. It can help in resolving many obesity-related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and many more. Mostly when people improve their weight loss they discover that they take less medication for their obesity-related conditions.
The emotional strain of gastric bypass
People might think that after weight loss everything is smooth sailing and happiness all round. This might not be the case with all patients. Research points to a majority of physical and psycho-social outcomes after surgery. Even if most patients experience improved mobility, mortality and improvements in some psychological functioning, unfortunately, the same can’t be said for a minority of patients who struggle with a lot of psychological issues. Among a few these can include issues such as disordered eating, body image, image dissatisfaction substance abuse, depression and suicide. Some also have the following to deal with food grief, body shifts and troubling complications.
How to ensure success
There are a couple of things one can do to ensure emotional success after gastric bypass surgery. Make sure you always follow the doctor’s instructions and recommended dietary changes. Also, make sure you set realistic goals like your health improving and keep track of your progress. Take time to reflect on how far you have come, tracking your progress through pictures and measurements. Look for help through support groups, family and friends. Remember to live your life fully.
Embrace gastric bypass and make it work for you.
If you have any further questions regarding gastric bypass surgery, get in touch today to book a consultation.