Weight Loss Surgery
Surgery to reduce body fat is one of huge number of options you have to lose weight. It is not an option for everyone and certainly should not be your first choice for trying to lose weight. Surgery comes with risks, complications, and side effects making it dangerous for your health and life expectancy.There are different methods of surgical procedures to choose from in order to lose weight. The choice you make for surgery is dependent on a number of factors including your goals, current health, insurance, and surgeon's preference. Not all surgical methods are covered by all insurances, which can make affording the costly procedure difficult, adding to the reason that you might need to start with trying a better diet, exercise, and other methods like fat burners or appetite suppressant pills first.
Types of Surgery
There are two basic surgeries for weight loss: restrictive and malabsorptive/restrictive surgery. They help your body lose weight in different ways. Restrictive surgeries like Lap-Band or stomach stapling work to reduce the size of your stomach, which in turn, also slows digestion.Malabsorptive/restrictive surgery is invasive. Not only does it restrict your stomach size, but it might remove or even bypass areas of your digestive tract. The theory behind this type of surgery is that your body cannot absorb the calories as easily because the food is moving along in your body quicker and being excreted. One surgery that used to be done was intestinal bypass, which was totally a malabsorptive surgery without any restrictive procedure. This had too many side effects, so it has been taken out of the choices now available.Normally a stomach can handle 1.5 liters / 3 pints of food. With some surgeries it may only hold up to an ounce (around 25g) of food. In some cases you might be able to stretch it to 2 or 3 oz (50 – 75g). The idea is the smaller your stomach, the less food you will be able to eat, so your body loses weight.
Side Effects of Weight Loss Surgery
Adjustable gastric banding is most famous as Lap-Band, but there is also a product called Realize. Both reduce the amount of intake your stomach can handle by making the stomach become two sections. The upper section is smaller, with a thin channel between the two stomach pouches, which helps to restrict the amount you eat. You typically feel sick if you eat too much. Vomiting, less fat reduction, and complications are not uncommon with this type of surgical procedure.The band can slip out of place, become loose, or in some cases create a leak. Infection is a side effect of this surgery, as well as all others including the more invasive procedures.
Sleeve Gastrectomy is another restrictive choice to reduce body fat. A laparoscope is used to remove 75% of the stomach, so that all that remains is a narrow sleeve, which connects to your intestines. This is typically a surgery used for very obese individuals or those who are very sick in which other methods like bypass or diversion to the intestines is too risky. This surgery is not reversible like gastric banding is. Besides infection, side effects include blood clots and leaking of the remaining stomach sleeve.
Unfortunately, this surgery does make it difficult to absorb food so there is a risk of blood clots, infection, and death due to rapid weight loss. Additionally, this surgery commonly results in gallstones.
Biliopancreatic diversion or a bypass that is more drastic than gastric removes 70% of the stomach. This surgery helps weight loss occur faster due to the removal of the stomach and in some cases it is possible to eat more during a meal than other surgical procedures for weight loss. However, death can occur, along with a risk of hernia, infection, and blood clots.
Pros and Cons of Weight Loss Surgery
| # | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | You will lose weight fairly quickly compared to dieting and exercise methods. | Risk of infection, blood clots, and even death. |
| 2. | Health risks like diabetes, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure may be reduced or symptoms of these health issues may disappear altogether. | Depending on the procedure you may have a tear, leak, or loose band. |
| 3. | You may live longer as you will be healthier. | Gallstones can occur with malabsorptive/restrictive surgeries making it highly painful and perhaps the further requirement of surgery to remove the stones. |
| 4. | You will feel better, less fatigued, and sleep better. | Losing weight too quickly can cause other health problems to appear. |
| 5. | - | Surgery changes how much you can eat, but does not change your eating habits, such as eating the wrong foods, thus you may not be healthier. |
| 6. | - | You may have trouble absorbing food, which can lead to dangerous malnutrition. |
| 7. | - | Recovery time varies, but it can mean time off work and health insurance (where applicable) may not cover your procedure. |
Surgery to Reduce Body Fat
Surgery to reduce body fat is certainly one option that is available to you. It is suggested widely that obesity should be the number one reason that you have surgery. In other words, severe obesity in which your life expectancy is reduced would benefit the most from surgery. Someone who is healthy, who is mobile, and who can change their diet and exercise would benefit more from lifestyle changes versus surgery.Surgery is not a magic method of weight loss. It is something to enter into only if all other methods fail and health risks are extremely high if you do not lose weight. Surgery has numerous complications that could turn your healthy life into one of health issues. While surgery has been helpful there are side effects, complications and risks you have to be prepared to handle during your life should you choose this method. Keep in mind that it is not for everyone and you and your doctor should decide what is correct.
If you seriously consider weight loss surgery but cannot afford it, or refuse to undergo a procedure that involves so many risks, you can take a look at natural weight loss products.
These products contain no dangerous components and promote only safe weight loss, increased energy levels, better appearance, and improved self esteem.
