Gastric Bypass Operation

Many people refer to weight loss surgery as the gastric bypass operation. As obesity has reached nearly epidemic proportions in this country, more people than ever before are opting to have surgery to reduce the effects of morbid obesity. This surgery can save your life and is becoming more affordable as time passes. But before you rush right out and get this surgery, you need to do some serious research as well as soul searching.

When I prepared for this surgery, I was given the option of having the lap band or a roux-en-y. These are still the most commonly performed types of weight loss surgery today. These surgeries will both help you lose weight, but the difference in them is significant. Here is a brief overview of each of these surgeries:

Gastric Banding-This type of surgery is often referred to as lap band surgery. An adjustable band is inserted through a small opening in the stomach. This band is adjusted by filling it with saline through a port. This adjustment can make the band tighter or more relaxed depending on what your individual weight loss situation requires. This surgery does not require any reconstruction and most patients return to work in less than a week. It is usually done with a laparoscope and requires an overnight hospital stay.

Roux-en-y-This is the weight loss procedure that requires surgical reconstruction. The stomach is surgically sectioned off into a large portion and a small pouch (this small pouch will contain the food). The small intestine is reattached to the lower portion of the stomach. This allows food to bypass a portion of the small intestine reducing the amount of calories that are absorbed by the body. This surgery usually requires a 3-4 day hospital stay and a 6-8 week recovery period.

Both of these surgeries accomplish weight loss by limiting the size of the stomach reducing the amount of food that can be consumed. These surgeries are not without their risks, but personally, I feel the risks involved with being obese are far greater than those of either of the surgeries. Making the decision to have surgery to lose weight should not be made quickly. Many insurance companies that pay for this surgery require classes that educate you on the surgery as well as what it will take to maintain your weight loss and live a healthy life.

The gastric bypass operation has a lot of benefits. It can help you return to a healthy weight. It will reduce and possibly even eliminate obesity related medical conditions. Then there is what the weight loss that results from this surgery will do for your self esteem. This is just a few of the things that you will gain from this medical procedure.

But it is important to realize that life after gastric bypass will not be a walk in the park. It will take work and a lifestyle change. You will have to do the things that healthy people do, such as; make healthy food choices, exercise regularly and live a balanced life and that includes avoid eating when you are not hungry. This surgery can change your life, but in the end it will be what you make of it.