1. Pass the Candidacy Exam
In order for a doctor to consider you for gastric bypass surgery, you need to meet the criteria. A weight-loss surgeon looks at your past weight history to see if you have been obese for at least 5 years. Also, your age plays a factor in whether or not you can have gastric bypass surgery. You must be between the ages of 18 and 65. Finally, gastric bypass patients can't have a diagnosed psychological or substance abuse problem.
2. Gastric Bypass Shrinks the Stomach
When you get gastric bypass surgery, the surgeon reduces the size of your stomach. At the top of your stomach, the surgeon creates a small pouch using surgical staples. Food will bypass this section of the stomach and make its way directly to the reduced area. With a smaller stomach, you eat less and feel full quickly. Your body will then use fat reserves for its nutritional needs. During the surgery, part of your intestines is also bypassed so that your body will absorb fewer calories from food.
3. Recovery Doesn't Happen Overnight
Doctors only recommend gastric bypass surgery to patients who are obese. It's not done routinely because it involves a hospital stay and recovery takes weeks. You'll have to rest during this period and may feel discomfort at the incision site. Also, you need to adjust your diet during the recovery period so you don't experience dumping syndrome. Dumping syndrome involves the small intestine filling up rapidly with undigested food from the stomach. This disorder happens when food passes too quickly through the stomach and intestines. Therefore, the body "dumps" out the food it can not digest. The patient may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and lightheadedness. Gastric bypass patients who indulge in foods high in fat and sugar increase their risk of developing dumping syndrome.
4. Surgery + Healthy Diet = Success
Patients drop excess weight during the first year after gastric bypass surgery. It's estimated that most patients drop at least a third of their excess weight following a successful surgery. However, if patients fail to follow a healthy eating plan with reduced portions, they will regain the weight they lost. Following your surgery, your doctor will give you a custom meal plan to follow in order to achieve sustainable weight loss.
5. Beware the High Costs
Before getting gastric bypass surgery, you should talk to your insurance company. They may pay for the surgery if you are diagnosed as morbidly obese, since this is considered a life-threatening condition. However, if gastric bypass is not medically necessary, you may have to pay out of pocket for the surgery, surgeon's fees, hospital stay and any follow-up care that you may need.
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