Also called the Roux-en-Y surgery, the procedure primarily entails making a walnut-sized pouch at the upper stomach and putting a bypass around a portion of the small intestine and the stomach. Consequently, the food you eat bypasses most of the stomach and restricts the ability of your digestive system to take in calories. Hence, the term “bypass” surgery. Surgeons perform this operation using a small tube called a laparoscope that creates small incisions in the abdomen.

A small video camera is attached on the instrument, and this device enables the surgeon to see the inside of the abdomen. The laparoscopic technique is generally preferred over the traditional open bypass surgery that makes large incisions in the abdomen. Compared to the open bypass surgery, the laparoscopic technique is less risky and less painful because of the small incisions. Also, it results in shorter recovery period.

The procedure starts with the stapling of the patient’s stomach at the top to seal this area off from the rest of the stomach. As a result, the sealed portion or the pouch will be able to contain only an ounce of food. Separated from the entire stomach, the pouch is then connected to a small part of the small intestine. To be able to achieve that, the surgeon cuts a small part of the small intestine and sews it onto the pouch.

The surgery is not for everyone, though. There are certain risks involved; and a prospective patient must understand them before undergoing the surgery. If you plan to undergo the weight loss surgery, consult a surgeon and ask all your concerns regarding the procedure. Usually, the surgeon explains the things you should expect during and after the surgery.

Before the surgery, you will be given anesthetics to keep you asleep during the operation. The anesthesia is usually in the form of an intravenous (IV) line or analgesics. During the procedure, the surgeon inserts a tube into your nose down to the top of the stomach. To heal the staple line on the stomach, the tube is joined to a suction machine that empties the stomach pouch after the surgery. The surgery lasts for about two to four hours, but you will need to stay in the hospital for around three to five days for recovery.

Expect some diet and lifestyle changes after the weight loss surgery. One to three days after the procedure, you will not eat anything to allow your stomach to heal. Then, for about three months, you will follow a diet that starts with liquids, progresses to soft and pureed foods, and lastly to regular foods. You will have to be cautious with your food intake because eating huge meals can cause extreme pain under the breastbone and vomiting.

Also, you will notice some changes in your body and behavior three to six months after the gastric bypass surgery. These include dry skin, hair thinning, fatigue, body pains, and mood swings. These will be your body’s reactions to the quick weight loss resulting from the surgery.

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It is because this type of bariatric surgery is much safer and less risky than other weight-loss procedures. Compared with the other type of bariatric surgery (gastric banding surgery), this procedure does not easily lead to weight gain. And with consistent changes in a patient’s lifestyle and behavior, the surgery can result in a long-term and immediate weight loss, as well as other health benefits such as treatment of sleep apnea and type II diabetes.

How safe it is?

The technology used in the weight loss surgery makes the operation much safer than before. Majority of bariatric procedures take advantage of the new laparoscopic technology, which uses a tiny video camera and other instruments to make very small incisions on the abdomen. Whereas before, surgeries of the stomach involved creating large incisions that usually caused intense pain and inflammation to patients. Smaller incisions using the laparoscopic technique leads to less pain, less swelling, fewer scars, and faster recovery rate.

How does it work?

Usually performed within two hours, the surgery involves making the stomach smaller by creating a line of staples that is joined to an end of the small bowel.

Is this surgery right for you?

It depends on your body mass index (BMI). You are a candidate for the surgery if your BMI is not less than 40. But if you have any serious disease such as pneumonia, bronchitis, or diabetes, your BMI must be at least 35 in order to undergo a weight-loss surgery. Otherwise, the surgeon may not allow you to go through the procedure because of the complications. Aside from the right physical condition, you must be emotionally and mentally prepared for the surgery. For the operation to be successful, you should be properly motivated and aware of the risks or complications that may arise. Also, surgery should always be the last resort—meaning you use it only after you have tried dieting and exercise but to no avail.

What are the risks?

Of course, any kind of surgery entails some risks due to the incisions involved in the operation. Deaths resulting from the surgery are very rare (about 0.1 to 2 percent). The complications of the surgery are bleeding, respiratory dysfunction, stenosis or the obstruction of stomach, and leaking due to the staples.

How to find the right surgeon?

Choosing the best surgeon is one of the most important decisions to make when it comes to weight-loss surgery. The surgeon is the only person to entrust your life and limb with, so to speak. So he or she must not only be competent, but also a person whom you’re comfortable dealing with. Also, look for a surgeon with a vast experience in gastric bypass surgery, preferably someone who has performed hundreds of operations. That way, you can be sure that your surgery is safe and effective.

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How does one lose weight aside from diet, exercise, and medication? Gastric bypass surgery is a well-know solution for overweight people who need to shed at least 100 lbs. However, surgery alone is not enough to maintain an ideal weight. It must be accompanied by post-surgery lifestyle changes that involve diet, exercise, and mental and emotional adjustments.

The Right Diet after Weight Loss Surgery

The most important thing that a patient should watch out after the surgery is his diet. The surgery involves changing the structure of the stomach and small intestines. The reduced stomach volume following the surgery limits that amount of food that the stomach can hold, which is roughly about 1 ounce. Thus, the patient must be careful with the kind and amount of food he eats. The patient needs to eat small meals at regular intervals everyday. Weeks after the surgery, the patient is required to eat pureed or soft foods for better digestion and to avoid complications such as nausea and vomiting. Examples of foods that can be eaten after surgery are pureed fruits, pureed vegetables, soups, oatmeal, and steamed desserts.

Formal Exercise Program

A day following the surgery, the patient can do some light walking—but not regular exercises yet. Two to three weeks are needed for rest and healing, and a formal exercise program can start as soon as the patient has fully recovered. Usually, weight loss surgery patients can start low-impact aerobic workouts four to six weeks following the surgery. The recommended exercises for those who have undergone weight loss surgery include yoga, Pilates, water aerobics, resistance band exercises, speed walking, and light jogging.

Psychotherapy

While it seems that weight loss surgery involves only the physiological aspect of the patient, the mental and emotional aspects must not be overlooked. Most surgeons recommend psychotherapy that people who are considering weight loss surgery. Psychotherapy prepares a person’s mind and emotions before the surgery so that he could cope easily with the bodily and lifestyle changes after the procedure. Failure to undergo psychotherapy prior to the surgery may lead to post-procedure problems such as eating disorders, constant food cravings, and emotional troubles.

Stress Management

To many people, eating is a great stress reliever. The diet limitations after surgery can be very stressful for many patients. What’s the best way to beat stress after surgery? Not food, not drugs, and not treatments. Simple changes in lifestyle can turn stressful days into comfortable and worry-free ones. Stress management techniques for people who have gone through weight loss surgery include deep breathing and relaxation techniques, acupuncture, yoga, massage therapy, and meditation. Trying a new hobby and joining support groups in one’s community are also good ways to manage stress after weight loss surgery.

Gastric bypass surgery is the best remedy for obesity when diet, exercise, and medications fail. But even the most successful procedures won’t lead to weight loss without the right lifestyle changes. To help achieve a healthy lifestyle and effective weight loss, one must seek professional help from health care professionals, dieticians, and psychotherapists.

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Prepare to spend much to be able to lose weight. Nowadays, weight loss or bariatric surgery costs around $20,000 to $35,000. In fact, the cost of weight loss surgery has gone down significantly in the past years. It varies depending on the quality of procedure itself, the experience of the surgeon, the medical team that will help in the operation, and the additional post-surgery services that a patient availed of.

Insurance Coverage for Weight Loss Surgery Patients

Is the cost of weight loss surgery covered by insurance companies? If a patient has insurance, he may pay part of the cost or nothing at all. A lot of health insurance companies have considered obesity as a serious health problem, so they cover part of or all the expenses incurred in weight loss surgery. This is because weight loss surgery can actually save them money in the long term. Insurance coverage for weight loss surgery depends on the insurance firm itself, the particular insurance policy, and the state where the patient is located (since there is no insurance coverage in some states). Also, insurance coverage is given only to qualified candidates or those who meet specific criteria set by an insurance company.

The following are the criteria that a weight loss surgery patient must meet to qualify for insurance coverage:

• Obesity for at least five years before the surgery

• Minimum of 100 lbs. of excess weight

• Showed serious efforts to lose weight through diet and exercise but to no avail

• No history of alcoholism

• No history of depression or other mental disorders

To be able to enjoy the insurance benefits, the patient (with the help of the surgeon or clinic) is required to file some forms to the insurance company. One of the necessary forms include a Letter of Medical Necessity that usually indicates the patient’s weight or body mass index, obesity-related diseases (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, etc.), and the duration of the patient’s obesity, among others.

On the other hand, weight loss surgery patients who are not covered by insurance must shoulder the costs themselves. These self-pay patients may apply for personal loans to be able to pay for the surgery, but this payment option involves interest rates.

Post-Surgery Costs

The cost of weight loss surgery must also include the expenses following the procedure. A change in lifestyle after the surgery results in certain expenses such as gym membership for the exercises and new sets of clothes, which will need to be replaced several times during the year.

Besides the financial costs, there are emotional and physical costs involved as well in the weight loss surgery. For one, the patient will need to adjust to the new lifestyle and the changes in his body, which can trigger high levels of stress and anxiety especially in the few weeks following the surgery. The physical cost of gastric bypass surgery involves being committed to the recommended diet plan to avoid serious complications and weight gain.

In particular, it means the patient must stay away from foods rich in fat and sugar, as well as avoid unhealthy habits such as skipping meals and overeating. Sticking to a regular exercise program is also part of the surgery’s physical cost.

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About 140,000 gastric bypass surgeries are conducted every year. Obese teens could also undergo the medical procedure as long as they are within the guidelines set. Those who are qualified to undertake the surgery should at least be 100 pounds overweight and failed to reduce weight in the last six months through monitored weight loss programs. But every coin has two sides. Gastric bypass surgery also has its downside.

Some patients would often report depression after the gastric bypass operation. Some of the patients would often pinpoint the procedure itself as depressing. While others think that it is the low-calorie diets triggering this depression. Gastric bypass patients are recommended to follow a special diet that would ensure them the best and sustained results. This special diet is about low-calorie, low-sugar and low-fat foods.

The Thinner Times website, stated that about 5 to 10 percent of deaths occurred to patients after the gastric bypass surgery. This happens just within a month or two since the procedure and the primary cause would be psychological challenges. To address this, experts recommend that adequate supplies of calories should be ingested daily.

There are studies showing that those who suffer depression and anxiety after the gastric bypass surgery is less likely to lose weight compared with mentally healthy people. There are many methods on how doctors and experts would know if their patients are mentally prepared for the surgery. There are medical centers who would employ or require their patients to undergo rigorous metal health evaluation.

A patient candidate for weight loss surgery is to undergo psychological evaluation to ensure that they are prepared mentally for the operation and the lifestyle changes that will follow after the surgery. If a person is found out to be suffering from depression prior to the surgery, they will not be automatically disqualified. Those who have history of drug and alcohol abuse are the ones who are disqualified.

Some medical centers would require patients with depression go through treatment before gastric bypass surgery. Treatment could include taking of antidepressants, psychotherapy, and help from their family, friends and support groups.

It is not uncommon to find weight loss surgery candidates to suffer from depression, since they would have to deal with being ostracized because of their weight. Candidates for weight loss surgery would oftentimes suffer from a history of depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress or panic/anxiety attacks.

Having mental health problems are not preventing people from getting the treatment that they need to improve their lives and their health. Just like in any other surgery, it is important to gain support from friends and family to recover well and to get the desired results. Gastric bypass surgery would require a lot of change in lifestyle, it could be difficult but having loved ones will help a patient get through with it.

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Although it is the most popular procedure, there are other bariatric surgeries or weight loss surgeries.

• Lap-Band adjustable gastric binding is another type of weight loss surgery.  In this procedure, an inflatable band is tightened like a belt and will divide the stomach in to two pouches.  However, weight loss results are slower than gastric bypass surgery.  Also the pounds shed could be less than the amount of lost weight with gastric bypass.

• A part of the stomach is also stapled with vertical banded gastroplasty.  The stomach is divided into two parts, but there is not intestinal bypass.  This would just make the patient eat less since the stomach has limited space for the food.  Losing weight using this procedure is not as tremendous as gastric bypass results, nor could it sustain weight loss for longer period of time.

• The biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch removes 80 percent of the stomach.  In this procedure, much of the small intestine is bypassed. Losing weight could be sustained over a long period of time.  However, there are also increased risks with this kind of medical procedure.  Patients tend to develop malnutrition and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

These are just the basic medical procedures and weight-loss surgeries that can be performed to obese individuals and patients.  Nonetheless,  a person who would like to undergo bariatric surgery would have to undergo different medical and psychological examinations.  Those who are qualified for gastric bypass should have at least tried an organized weight-loss program for the last six months monitored by a doctor, but acquired no significant results with their body weight.

Overall, if you are obese, there are steps that you could start doing before considering gastric bypass surgery.  Before you start any diet or exercise program, it is recommended to consult a doctor first to guide you on how you could shed the pounds and keep them off.    You could start by changing the variety of food you eat, the nutritional content and the amounts and frequency of meals.  In short, you would have to improve your eating habits.

Start incorporating activity to your daily activities.  Fat in the body is actually energy not used of consumed by the body.  So you would have to start losing those excess weight by having an exercise plan.  You could start by giving at least 30 minutes a day for daily activity.  It does not have to be done continuously, you could break it into different stages suited for your time.

To get better results, it is also important to get all the necessary support tat you could get.  There are still tendencies that a person who have undergone gastric  bypass surgery to regain their weight.  They could still turn to overeating which could result to serious problems like expansion of the pouch or even rupture of the stomach.  Counselling and support groups play a major role in helping obese patients deal with weight loss, confidence or self-esteem and other major changes.

Gastric bypass surgery is not the only option.  There are other options that can be followed to get the desired health condition.  Whatever treatment or surgery that we follow, in the end, what would matter is our will and determination to undergo the change.

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