Here is a great article about the preparation of bariatric surgery and it's types. I recommend reading this article to have a further understanding about the procedures.
Bariatric surgery is one of the most proven ways to lose weight, but also one of the most dangerous due to the fact that it often requires the use of a gastric band, or use of bypass surgery in the stomach.
Because of this, bariatric surgery is usually performed only if the patient has a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 40 or more, hand has tried and failed at common weight loss options including weight loss dieting and exercise. Some people with diabetes are eligible for surgery at a BMI of 30-35. However this takes special conditions and doctor recommendations.
In most cases, this means that weight loss surgery patients are severely overweight and might even be obese. However, there are exceptions. In either case, bariatric surgery patients have usually tried and failed other diets and are looking for a more scientifically proven option.
Before you attempt bariatric surgery of any kind, you should discuss your options with your doctor to decide what type of weight loss surgery is right for you as well as if it is safe for you to undergo.
Types of Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery refers to any type of weight loss surgery, but most commonly to medically approved surgeries including Biliopancreatic diversion which directs food away from the stomach but can cause malabsorption resulting in malnutrition.
Vertical banded gastroplasty involves stapling part of the stomach closed to create a smaller stomach pouch. The adjustable gastric band uses a silicone band to restrict the size of the stomach. Sleeve gastrectomy uses a surgical removal process to remove up to 85% of the stomach and then staple and sewn shut.
Intragastric balloon techniques involve filling the stomach with a balloon for up to 6 months. Gastric Plication is similar to gastrectomy but simply closes off the stomach rather than removing it completely.
Reduced Food Intake and Absorption
The main effect of almost any type of bariatric surgery is the reduction of the stomach. Whether through a lap band, gastric band, bypass surgery or stomach reduction surgery, the end result is that less food is entered into the stomach, or in some cases, less food is allowed to be absorbed by the stomach. Most types of bariatric surgery actually reduce the physical amount of food that can go into the stomach to the point of causing severe cramps and vomiting should you eat too much.Post and Pre-Surgery Nutrition
It’s also important to consider that at least 2% and higher of bariatric patients show a severe level of malnutrition, many obese persons also show malnutrition, mostly due to poor absorption of vitamins.Because of this, most doctors recommend that bariatric patients take vitamins before and after surgery in order to increase health and speed up healing rates. Because actual surgery is performed, it’s important that you be in good health before the surgery so that your body will heal faster. There are a variety of bariatric nutritional supplements that you can choose from.
Weight Loss Surgery Results
All of the weight loss surgeries listed have scientifically proven results, usually with a BMI loss of up to 9%, within one year. Both men and women have good results with bariatric surgery, especially should they follow doctor’s recommendations afterwards.Average weight loss within 36 months of surgery lies between 32 and 53 kilograms, or 71 and 117 pounds. Since most bariatric patients are about 30-50 kilo overweight, this means that most patients are at their optimum weight within 36 months have having weight loss surgery performed.
Preparing for Weight Loss Surgery
Many surgeons require that you complete one year of a medically supervised weight loss program before you can apply for bariatric surgery. This is because weight loss surgery can still be dangerous and mortality rates are sometimes as high as 0.2%. If a surgeon believes that you can lose weight naturally, he will probably recommend it. If you’ve tried weight loss and dieting with no results, read on.The first thing to do to begin preparation for surgery is to start taking bariatric vitamins that are easily absorbed by the body. Second, you should contact your insurance agency to see if they are willing to help pay for the cost of the surgery. Points that can be made include that lowering obesity means you are less susceptible to heart disease, less prone to sickness, and therefore will be more cost effective on the insurance plan in the future.
From there, you can begin to search out a bariatric surgeon, however, it is important to ensure that they are fully licensed and qualified to perform the surgery.
Some bariatric surgeons ask their patients to try to lose a small amount of weight before undergoing the surgery. Usually this is to ensure that you are willing to dedicate to the weight loss and will stick to it after the surgery is completed.
I have vitamins as standard but, choosing high quality bariatric vitamins is an important part of your weight loss surgery because it can affect your health after the surgery.