Most people can control their weight and avoid becoming obese through diet and exercise. Sadly, there are some who may not have that as an option. These people suffer from morbid obesity, a condition in which their body mass index or BMI is over 35. Anybody can be overweight if they consume more calories than they use, but morbid obesity goes beyond that. Many cases of morbid obesity can be attributed to genetic factors, certain medications, and other factors that have little to do with diet and lifestyle, so it is difficult for someone who is morbidly obese to bring themselves down to a healthy weight. In many instances, a morbidly obese person may simply not be healthy enough to engage in the kind of activity that would help them lose weight. These cases often call for weight loss surgery.
What is Weight Loss Surgery?
Weight loss surgery or bariatric surgery is a surgical procedure that can help someone attain a healthier weight. There are several different kinds of weight loss surgery, but most of them involve effectively reducing the size of the stomach to limit the amount of food that can be eaten in one sitting. Weight loss surgery is generally seen as a last resort when other attempts to lose weight such as diet and exercise have failed. It is also usually reserved for those who are suffering from serious health issues related to their obesity such as type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea.
It is important to note that while weight loss surgery can help bring someone down to a healthier weight, that person must still be motivated to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. They still need to follow their doctor’s advice on what foods they should be eating and what exercises they need to do to maintain a healthy weight. They must also be aware of the risks of weight loss surgery, as no surgical procedure is without potential side effects.
Factors to Consider Before Undergoing Weight Loss Surgery
Since weight loss surgery is a major surgical procedure and significantly changes a patient’s digestive system, it is important that you consult a specialist to get a clear assessment of your current condition. From there, the surgeon will be able to evaluate if you are qualified for a surgery. The factors one must consider are as follows:
- Body weight – Patients who are 80 to 100 lbs over their ideal body weight and are experiencing health issues such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea
- Ineffective traditional weight loss remedies – Diet and exercise are not effective in achieving a healthy body weight
- Physical problems – Obesity is compromising your ability to do routine activities and daily living.
- Major Lifestyle Overhaul – A firm decision to undergo weight loss surgery and the willingness to live a healthier life are important.
- Understanding the Procedure – Before choosing a type of weight loss surgical procedure, it is essential that you know and understand the effects of the surgery, the risks and how you will life be afterwards. That is why, it is crucial that you consult a surgeon who specializes in this field.
- Choosing a surgeon – Did you do background check of the surgeon offering to perform the surgery. Are they licensed and experienced in this procedure? Do they have previous patients that testified to have experienced significant changes and improvement after the surgery?
- Aftercare – Aftercare programs and post-surgery support are essential in the recovery of the patient. Therefore, you must ensure that these are provided by the surgeon you have chosen.
- Full-staff Support – Choose the best weight loss surgeon and medical team that will provide excellent services that you deserve during your whole surgery experience.
Your health, safety and, generally, your life are at risk in this kind of surgical procedure. Deciding to undergo weight loss surgery should not be taken lightly, but one should consider all reasons why or why not he should undergo surgery. It is of great importance that both your mind and your body are conditioned to ensure success.
Choosing the Weight Loss Surgery that is Right for You
When you decide to undergo weight loss surgery, it is recommended that you choose a weight loss surgeon who is familiar with many different procedures. There are several different weight loss surgeries that you can undergo and each one has its advantages and disadvantages. One or more of these will most likely fit your lifestyle and your health needs, but not all of them will be right for you.
These are some of the more common weight loss surgeries that may be available to you. A good weight loss surgeon will help you decide which one of these procedures will benefit you the most.
- Adjustable Gastric Band – An adjustable gastric band or Lap-Band is a device that is placed around the outside of the stomach. The band partitions off a portion of the stomach into a small pouch, but the stomach itself is not divided. This makes an adjustable gastric band surgery completely reversible, a feature that other types of weight loss surgeries do not share. Food flows through the digestive system in the same way that it did before, but the gastric band limits food intake to help the patient lose weight.
- Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass – During a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, the stomach is divided into two sections. The section that receives food is much smaller than the rest of the stomach, and a portion of the small intestine is connected to this smaller pouch. The small pouch effectively becomes the “new stomach,” which drastically reduces the amount of food that can be consumed.
- Biliopancreatic Diversion with a Duodenal Switch – This surgical procedure accounts for less than five percent of all weight loss surgeries, but it can produce dramatic weight loss results. With duodenal switch, the weight loss surgeon removes a large portion of the stomach and connects the new smaller stomach to the lower part of the small intestine. This greatly reduces the amount of food and nutrients that are absorbed into the body.
- Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy – This type of weight loss surgery was originally performed as part of the preparation of a duodenal switch, but it was discovered that patients were having success in losing weight with the gastrectomy alone. Much like a duodenal switch, a vertical-sleeve gastrectomy involves removing a large part of the stomach to create a smaller stomach and limit the amount of food that can be consumed.
A weight loss surgeon will consider a number of different factors when deciding what weight loss surgery will be best for a patient. This includes the patient’s medical history, their weight loss history, their ultimate weight loss goals, any support that they will have at home, and their risk tolerance. Weight loss surgery represents a huge change to a person’s lifestyle. Even having an adjustable gastric band implanted around the stomach requires a patient to change how they eat and what kinds of food they can safely eat. Undergoing any of these weight loss surgeries changes a person’s digestive system in profound ways that are not to be taken lightly, which is why it is so important that you understand all of your options when you speak with a weight loss surgeon.
Weight Loss Surgery in Long Island, NY
If you have problems with morbid obesity and you believe that weight loss surgery is for you, Dr. Arif Ahmad can help you. Dr. Ahmad is one of the premier weight loss surgeons operating in Long Island, NY, and he and his staff is able to provide a number of weight loss surgical procedures. For more information about Dr. Ahmad’s weight loss surgical procedures or to schedule a consultation, contact his office today and set an appointment.
