Opting for gastric bypass surgery is a major decision and anyone who chooses to undergo the procedure does so after much consideration. But what sorts of things do you need to think about when considering if surgery is the correct option for you?
The more obvious consideration is coping with the change in diet and eating habits post-surgery, as it does cause permanent changes to how and what you eat. Whereas other things to think about are how to deal with the emotional fallout and how you access support.
Ability To Get Surgery
The very first thing to consider on the road to undertaking bariatric surgery is whether you can get it. You need to discuss it with your physician and show that you’ve been trying to lose weight for at least six months.
Keep in mind that your physician will only recommend you for surgery if you can prove this and if surgery isn’t too dangerous for you. It’s then down to whether your insurance company will accept the recommendation and clear you to proceed.
Getting The Correct Nutrients Post-Op
Before committing to surgery, it’s important to understand how different food intake will become afterward and how this impacts your ability to get enough nutrients. If nothing else, getting the right nutrients will help the healing process in the immediate weeks after surgery.
But long term they’re vital to maintaining overall good health. Research supplements like bariatric calcium citrate chews and multivitamin tablets, and budget them into your monthly shopping budget.
Permanent Dietary Changes
There are several options for gastric bypass surgery, but the result of all of them is to reduce the size of the stomach. Reducing the stomach size changes its ability to digest food, meaning the way you eat will be drastically changed, especially in the first year.
The first-year post-op requires a largely liquid diet as the stomach heals and the patient adjusts. Eventually, you will be able to eat solid foods again, but portions will be heavily reduced, and sugary or carbonated foods and drinks off the menu.
Pain Management
Recovery time from the surgery differs between people and can take up to six weeks. Regardless of individual recovery times, many patients who undertake gastric bypass surgery will need strong pain medication.
Your doctor will discuss with you what medications you can tolerate and how to wean off the medications. With this in mind, it’s important to follow the physician’s advice as ignoring it and using NSAIDs can damage the stomach lining where it is healing.
Extreme Weight Loss Side Effects
Extreme weight loss doesn’t always bring the desired happiness imagined. Working on the emotional reasons for overeating will make the surgery more likely to succeed.
You’ll also be in a better place to enjoy a lighter body size. Other side effects of extreme weight loss include excess skin, which is caused by skin not shrinking as much as the body mass within. Exercise such as swimming can help tone muscle and skin, potentially reducing the amount of excess skin.
Final Thoughts
Before you pin all of your weight-loss hopes on gastric bypass surgery, it’s vital to consider all of the factors involved. From whether you’re eligible for surgery, to dealing with the emotional fallout of a major lifestyle change. Wouldn’t you agree?
