Things you should know about Bariatric surgery
Obesity is a problem that is affecting more and more people
around the whole world. Many sufferers want to change but simply
find they can't. They try dieting and chemically induced weight
loss because the stresses that obesity place on the body become
too overwhelming to cope with, but these techniques do not
always prove effective. Bariatric surgery should be the last
resort after you have tried these other methods because
regardless of the type of surgery you decide to undergo you
should know that it is a very serious operation that can have
severe and long lasting effects. You are essentially changing
the size of your stomach and the layout of your intestines in
order to prevent yourself from eating as much and consuming as
many calories.
Patients tend to lose between 100 and 200 pounds in weight and
this sudden change can have it's own effects on your body. You
may suffer from quite severe back pains and other complications
with joints and muscles. You will need to take it easy at first,
don't assume that because you weigh 100 pounds less you can
suddenly run the marathon.
If you are seriously obese then you may need to be taken into
hospital prior to the operation to ensure that there are fewer
risks with the surgery. You will likely have to spend some
considerable time in hospital after the operation and will need
to attend regular checkups with your physician and your
specialist.
Bariatric surgery will mean major lifestyle changes and many of
them will be forced on you. For a start you physically won't be
able to eat as much. Your stomach has been shrunk meaning that
there simply isn't the room to place large amounts of food.
One of the first things you should know, and probably already
know, is that Bariatric surgery is by no means a cheap
alternative to a life of dieting. At around $25,000 it is
expensive. Insurers are beginning to recognize that obesity is a
serious health issue and some time in the future they may offer
to cover part of these costs.