Obesity is becoming a national health issue of epidemic proportions with about one-third of all adult Americans being obese in 2007, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity is related to a wide variety of health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke, and patients who are unable to lose weight with a healthy diet and exercise may opt to treat their condition with weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery. This surgery is usually reserved for those whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is over 40, or for those whose BMI is over 35 and who have additional health concerns, such as diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. There are several different procedures used, all with possible side effects.
Nutritional Deficiency
With bariatric surgery, the way in which food passes through the stomach is changed, and since the stomach is where much of the digestion of food occurs, proper absorption of minerals and vitamins can be affected. Poor absorption can lead to deficiency and therefore, bone loss or disease.
Nausea/Vomiting
A very common side effect to this surgery is nausea and vomiting. Food that is not well-chewed is too large for the new, smaller stomach pouch and causes gas, bloating, nausea and vomiting.
Ulcer
According to Medscape.com, bleeding stomach or intestinal ulcers are a side effect of bariatric surgery that occurs in 3 to 20 percent of all patients. It is thought that these are caused by a combination of factors, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, digestive secretion concentration, infection and loss of blood flow to involved area.
Gall Stones
Obesity of itself is a risk factor for developing gall stones, but according to Medscape.com, rapid weight loss is also a risk factor, and about one-third of all bariatric surgery patients develop gall stones. Furthermore, 10 to 15 percent require gall bladder removal to treat the problem.
Dumping Syndrome
According to Mayo Clinic, dumping syndrome is a rare, but serious side effect of bariatric surgery. It is caused by food moving too quickly through the small intestine and leads to nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, sweating and dizziness.
Dehydration
Individuals who have undergone bariatric surgery are placed on very restrictive diets due to the new stomach's intolerance of food. Patients are no longer able to drink much water at one time, and often find it difficult to take in enough to maintain proper hydration.
Blood Clots
As with any surgery, development of blood clots in the deep veins of the legs is a possible complication due to immobility and pooling of blood in the legs. Walking or moving the legs and feet while in bed can reduce the prevalence of this complication.
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