Being overweight is the most common problem among men and women today. Excess weight is not healthy and it can complicate to other diseases like Hypertension, Heart problems, Diabetes and more. That is why lots of different weight loss programs have been introduced in the market today, most of it only works for a short time. For people who have tried different weigh loss programs (diet and exercise) and it still didn’t work then perhaps Gastric Bypass Surgery is an option.
Understanding Gastric Bypass Surgery
Gastric Bypass is a surgery that literally makes the stomach shrink. Patients who have undergone the surgery easily get full and stay that way for a longer time than what is normal. This is because a small pouch is made to cut-off only a small part of the stomach for the processing of food. Also a part of the small intestine is bypassed to lessen the amount of food thus lessen the calories that are taken into the body.
To give a clearer picture, having Gastric Bypass Surgery simply means that you are having a new stomach and digestive system. The procedure entails creating a smaller stomach by making a small pouch with half of your stomach (literally cutting it in one half) and you have the option to use either surgical staples or a plastic surgical band to close the pouch. Once the pouch is in its place it connects to a smaller made portion of new intestine system.
This procedure does come with a lot of health risks if the after care and the suggested change of lifestyle are not followed. The first thing to do after surgery is the recommended three to five weeks of recovery. Next is the change in diet, determining how much and what you can eat helps keep your stomach not stretch keeping it from exploding. A whole new set of diet will be prescribed.
Results of Gastric Bypass Surgery
With the new digestive system that you have, you don’t feel hungry that much anymore. You feel full all the time resulting to consuming smaller amounts of food thus the calories that the body gets also lessens which would eventually result to lose weight. Generally patients lose more than half of their excess weight after surgery and most of these patients continue to lose weight and they usually achieved their lowest weight after two years from surgery. Recent studies show that about 90% of the patients maintain half of their body weight after ten years from surgery.
Possible Side Effects of Gastric Bypass Surgery
Just like any other procedure it has some negative effects like the dumping syndrome where you will feel nauseated, often have cold sweats, chills, chest pain and diarrhea. You can avoid it by taking small meals and less consumption of sugar.
Starvation is also a threat since the surgery decreases the body’s capacity to take in food thus most people who undergone Gastric Bypass Surgery need vitamins and supplements all their life. One cannot undo the surgery but the limitations can be eliminated by eating too much all the time. If you ever decide to do so then talk and work with your health care professional for this so that he can help you on how to do it the safe way.
Gastric Bypass Surgery Price
The cost of such surgery is quite high averaging from $20,000 to $35,000. Some insurance company sees obesity as a serious health disorder thus they begin to cover some of the cost of the surgery. However, insurance company will only cover cost of such surgery if the patient is qualified. Qualified candidates are at least 100 pounds overweight and have manifested different ways to control weight through lifestyle changes, diet and exercise. Candidate must have been obese for at least five years before the surgery, don’t have a history of alcohol abuse and don’t have depression or other serious psychiatric disorders.
Thus it is important that you review your health insurance policy to see if you are covered if you are planning to undergo the surgery. Medicare coverage maybe available too but only if you suffer from obesity related diseases like coronary heart disease or diabetes. If you don’t have any insurance or your insurance does not cover this procedure then you have to cover the cost yourself. In this case, hospitals offers payment plans for such services allowing you to pay it in certain amounts instead of paying it in lump sum. Another option for this is to pursue private financing but before taking this option consider the interest rates and fees.
You have to understand that the figure above only covers the surgery alone. The after care cost, and the cost entailed for your new lifestyle will cost you much too. Besides, Gastric Bypass Surgery is not for everyone and it should be discussed thoroughly with your doctor if you plan to have one. Unless being an obese is a life threatening to you then perhaps it is time to undergo such surgery.