A lot of people struggle with their weight, but for people who struggle with morbid obesity the solution could not be as simple as consuming healthier and adding an exercise program to their lifestyle. Severe obesity adds many challenges as well as limitations to specified regular activities as going up a flight of stairs. For the morbidly fat, bariatric surgery offers a chance to once again dream of a life unencumbered by hundreds of pounds of unwanted weight.
There are several different processes that are under the umbrella term, bariatric surgery. These processes bring down the size or restrict the size of the stomach. This limits the amount of food a person can eat at any one time and creates a feeling of fullness after eating only a little amount of food.
Not everyone is a candidate for bariatric surgery. Physicians and surgeons specializing in this process select those patients who best meet the guidelines that have been set by medical examination groups for this process. To be considered a candidate for bariatric surgery a person must:
Be 100 pounds or 100% over their ideal weight or have a body mass index of 40 or greater
Have a BMI between 35 and 40 and also have one or more of the following conditions; diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, sleep apnea, or degenerative joint disease
Have repeatedly tried and failed at weight loss using diets, exercise, behavior modifications or weight loss drugs
The typical patient accepted for bariatric surgery is morbidly fat, well informed, motivated, and able to make decisions on their own. Women of childbearing age are expected to use secure birth control methods since the period of rapid weight loss following the surgery can cause the patient to become malnourished and run the danger of impaired fetal development. Potential side effects of the surgery are contagion, bleeding, stomach leakage, and respiratory problems.
After these procedures, patients must chew and consume slowly otherwise repeated vomiting will result and could create protein and vitamin deficiency. Also consuming foods that are high in sugars and fats will make patients physically uncomfortable, eventually causing modification of consuming habits and avoidance of those foods. Post bariatric surgery patients will require supervising their nutrition during the period of fast weight loss and will need medical surveillance the rest of their life. Follow up care is imperative for long-term success in bariatric surgery.
Improving the patient's total health is the goal of bariatric surgery. Many prolonged health conditions that can be improved with bariatric surgery include diabetes, sleep apnea, and hypertension. Other positive results that have been known are increased fertility in women who had been unable to conceive, increased stamina, higher self esteem, and a better self body image. Weight loss will vary with each patient, depending on how successfully they change their eating habits and lifestyle. The highest weight loss is achieved usually in 18 to 24 months after the surgery and patients usually lose 70% of their excess weight.
Before considering this type of surgery, people should pursue common avenues of weight loss such as:
Work with a dietician or nutritionist to develop a healthy eating regimen
Visit a psychologist to search the reason for their eating problem.
Visit a personal trainer to help develop an exercise routine that will assist them meet their physical fitness goals.
Join a weight loss support group
Bariatric surgery is not for everybody, and should be utilized only as a last resort for weight loss, but this surgery does allow the morbidly fat to dream the seemly impossible dream of a more normal and active lifestyle.
Surgery to help weight loss is a tool that is practicable for a few fat patients but not everyone. There are a number of bariatric (weight loss) surgeries available each with its own pros, cons and risks. Bariatric surgery should not generally be considered by anyone who is not classified as morbidly fat. A morbidly fat individual is somebody with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 40 which is generally 100 pounds overweight for a man and 80 pounds overweight for a woman. However, a slightly lower BMI can be considered for surgery if there are grave obesity related health issues like Type 2 Diabetes or sleep apnea.
Beyond the morbid obesity classification, there are factors that must be considered. The surgery is not an easy way out of a lifestyle created health situation. It's a tool that must be properly used. Each surgery has a set of principles that must be stuck to or health could seriously be jeopardized.
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