Bariatric Surgery Basics and Weight Loss

Bariatric Surgery is mainly recommended if you're morbidly obese and if basic lifestyle changes are no longer enough to lose the excess Weight. Generally those with a body mass index of 40 or more qualify for Bariatric Surgery. You should also keep in mind that while Bariatric Surgery helps you lose the excess Weight, you'll still need to eat healthier and exercise more to keep the Weight off after the Surgery.

When you meet with the doctor to discuss the Surgery, he'll tell you about the risks. Some of the common symptoms that may occur after the Surgery include nausea, lightheartedness and stomach cramps. You should also consider your budget because the average price of the Surgery can be in the tens of thousands of dollars and your health insurance provider may not cover it.

Bariatric Surgery seeks to restrict the amount of food and nutrients you store in your body. In gastric banding, the surgeon places a band around the top part of your stomach. The most popular form of gastric banding is LAP BAND. Gastroplasty, or stomach stapling, is when the surgeon seals off part of your stomach with staples, which is similar to gastric banding. In gastric bypass Surgery, the surgeon removes the small intestine temporarily then attaches it to the stomach pouch and this helps you digest food better.

Once the Bariatric Surgery ends, you won't be able to consume coffee, soft drinks and tea for the first three months because this may cause your stomach size to increase. You'll also be put on a liquid diet which will include protein shakes, water and soups. Then you'll be able to eat soft solid foods before going back to your regular diet. Another thing you'll want to do is eat slowly and eat in smaller portions. Be sure to stop eating when you're full because your stomach is smaller.

One benefit of this kind of Weight Loss Surgery is that you reduce the health risks associated with obesity such as diabetes, kidney failure and sleep apnea. Bariatric Surgery also makes it easier to consume food without re-gaining the Weight, and you can move around better because the excess Weight is gone. You reduce the pressure on your knees and legs, and you're not as fatigued as you were before the Surgery. Most importantly, Weight Loss Surgery restores your self-esteem.

It's important to research different Bariatric surgeons to make sure they're licensed and certified. Read customer reviews of different Bariatric doctors to see what customers said about these physicians. Ask friends who have had the procedure done and get recommendations from them.

A few months after the Surgery, you want to continue to exercise and eat healthier meals. Also meet with a psychotherapist to discuss the root of the Weight gain so that you won't return to emotional eating as a way to relieve stress and anger. Get help from relatives when you're tempted to go back to your old ways. A support group is important so that you don't fall back into old habits.