An all too familiar feeling despair and sometimes disappointment crops up among individuals who have begun to gain weight after working so hard to lose it. This stems a feeling shared by numerous obese patients going through one exercise regimen or dieting protocol to lose weight. Over time, exercise, dietary modifications and even drugs have continued to prove ineffective in enabling obese or overweight individuals to lose weight and even when they are disciplined and committed enough to follow through on their desired regimen. Whatever weight is lost is quickly regained in the door term as the body has reprogrammed itself to lower it's metabolic rate, thus leading to accumulation and conservation of calories even in the face of dieting.
An exciting option which has proven very effective over r time in helping obese individuals lose weight and maintain their lost weight in the long run is metabolic surgery, weight loss surgery or diabetes surgery. Weight loss surgery helps obese individuals achieve excellent weight loss results. It involves the use of Bariatric techniques such as gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding, ileal interposition, transit bipartition, sleeve gastrectomy etc.
A quick question which comes up is, why or more appropriately, how weight loss surgery works when diets don't?
Weight loss surgery typically achieve the following effects
· Decrease in the capacity of the stomach, thus reducing the amount of food intake and increasing satiety with smaller meals. This is difficult to achieve with dieting alone.
· Decrease the length of the gut leading to decrease in absorption of nutrients.
· Modification of gut hormones, leading to decreased hunger and increased satiety with smaller meals.
· Increase the metabolic rate of the body.
· Increasing insulin secretion and increasing the sensitivity of body cells to insulin.
All these work together to ensure rapid weight loss and also maintain weight loss, preventing regaining of weight in the shortest possible time.
Diets on the other hand require a lot of discipline to stick to and relapses typically occurs among individuals. In addition, in obese people, the body cells are already primed, causing them to lower the body's metabolic rate enabling them to conserve energy and store up fat. This leads to regaining weight.
Added to the achievement of significant weight loss, weight loss surgery has also been noted to improve metabolic conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, with diabetics achieving remission and good blood sugar control in the long term.
Of the various weight loss surgery options available, the one which produces the most drastic result is gastric bypass surgery. However, in choosing the best option for you, a lot of factors need to be considered including cost, desire for reversibility, long term effects etc. These factors must be considered and discussed with your physician in order to arrive at the best weight loss surgery option for you.
After weight loss surgery, the body undergoes the transformation in order to adjust to the new status quo. A knowledge of these possible transformations is essential to preparing for adequate adjustment.
· The most obvious change is significant weight loss. Get ready to alter your wardrobe too.
· Due to the laparoscopic approaches used, recovery typically takes 1-6 weeks.
· Some procedures require you to take some vitamin and mineral supplements after surgery.
· You'd be expected to eat small meals, more frequently than before. Getting adjusted to this meal plan can sometimes be difficult for some individuals.
· Exercise is important as it helps you to keep off lost weight.
· Some challenges with rapid weight loss include aesthetic issues such a short saggy skin.
· Some patients have been noted to have some mood swings and even depression. It is good to have supportive family, friends or social support.
Working with your physician and keeping to your appointment schedule helps you cope with the transformation and help you live healthier and happier after surgery.
