Obesity is a chronic illness and may result in serious health problems, like high blood pressure, if you do not seek medical attention. Being overweight may prevent you from engaging in mild activities like walking around. Other times, weight-loss exercises and diet may fail to work for you; your doctor at The Bariatric Experts may recommend a gastric sleeve in Frisco to limit the absorption of nutrients, reduce appetite, and increase your chances of losing extra weight.
What is Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
This is a weight-loss procedure and is also known as bariatric surgery. It is done to help lose extra weight and prevent you from developing severe health problems, including:
- Sleep apnea
- Type 2 diabetes
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Advantages of Bariatric Surgery
The benefits of gastric sleeve surgery go beyond weight loss. Other positive effects of bariatric surgery include:
- Improved cardiovascular health
- Relief from psychological problems like stress and depression caused by social stigma and poor body image
- Elimination of snoring or sleep apnea; a condition you may experience when you are overweight
- Joint pain relief
- Long-term remission for type 2 diabetes
Your doctor will recommend this procedure only after other weight-loss methods like imporeved diet and exercise have not been beneficial to you.
During the consultation, your doctor will brief you about the risks and complications you may develop after the surgical procedure. Certain dangers associated with this process include:
- Severe reaction to anesthesia
- Blood clots
- Excessive bleeding
- Infection
- Breathing difficulties
There are also some long-term complications that you may develop over time. For example:
- Gallstones
- Dumping syndrome may cause diarrhea
- Bowel obstruction
- Malnutrition
- Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar
- Hernias
- Acid reflux
- You may require a second surgery
- Vomiting
Sleeve Gastrectomy Procedure
Before surgery, your surgeon will administer general anesthesia.
Your surgeon will make small incisions in your abdominal wall to insert a laparoscope. This device is used to send pictures of your stomach to a monitor.
Your surgeon will examine your stomach and divide blood vessels to the lateral side.
Your doctor will insert a bougie tube inside your stomach to estimate the new size for your belly.
Using a stapler, your doctor will divide your stomach into two parts.
Your doctor will remove about 80% of your stomach during this procedure, leaving a small tube-like pouch.
By reducing the size of your stomach, your body will produce less ghrelin which is an appetite-regulating hormone and will lessen your desire to eat.
Care Instructions After Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery
- For the first seven days after the procedure, your diet should consist of non-sugar and non-carbonated drinks.
- Consume pureed foods for three weeks.
- Avoid lifting or pushing heavy loads for the first three months after the procedure.
- Keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
- You will require frequent medical check-ups for the first several months after surgery.
- Contact your surgeon immediately if you experience shortness of breath, fever, and vomiting lasting more than 12 hours.
You do not have to be ashamed of your body image. Reserve a session with your specialist at The Bariatric Experts to learn how gastric sleeve surgery can improve your overall well-being.