Although you might think that bariatric surgery (surgical weight loss) is a shortcut to swift weight loss, this is a myth. Bariatric surgery means changing the way you eat for the rest of your life, in addition to facing the risks associated with surgery. As such, making changes to your diet and increasing your level of physical activity should always be considered as a first option. In fact, according to the NHS, surgical weight loss procedures should only be considered as a last resort.
If you’re considering weight loss surgery, it is important to understand the facts:
- Not everyone is eligible to receive bariatric surgery on the NHS.
- Following surgery, you will never be able to eat in the same way again without running the risk of serious illness.
- After your operation it is essential that you follow a controlled diet and exercise regularly.
- In order to prove you can stick to a carefully controlled diet after you undergo weight loss surgery, you have to follow a strict diet before you undergo any operation.
See also: Non-invasive Cosmetic Procedures
Types of weight loss surgery
Gastric banding and a gastric bypass are the two main types of weight loss surgery, and both are designed to be permanent. The gastric banding procedure involves fitting a band around the top of the stomach in order to cause fullness after eating a very small amount of food. This also means that food has to be eaten very slowly. In a gastric bypass operation a smaller stomach is made, which causes a feeling of fullness after the consumption of a small amount of food, which results in the body absorbing fewer calories
Is bariatric surgery right for me?
If you’re considering any surgical weight loss procedures, make an appointment with your GP to learn more about the options available. Your GP will also be able to give you an assessment of whether or not weight loss surgery is the healthiest choice for you. On the NHS, only patients with a BMI (body mass index) of 40 or above, or patients with a BMI of 30-40 and a weight-related health condition like type-2 diabetes, are eligible for bariatric surgery. To find out if you have a healthy BMI, use the NHS’s healthy weight calculator at www.nhs.uk.
Even if you opt to have weight loss surgery carried out privately, it’s likely that you will only be eligible for the procedure if the following criteria are met:
- You are healthy enough to undergo an operation under general anaesthetic.
- You have attempted to lose weight by eating healthily and exercising for a minimum of six months.
- You can commit to the long-term follow-up treatment that is necessary after you have undergone the surgery.
A long term success
To ensure the long term success of surgical weight loss, the follow-up appointments with your specialist weight loss team are extremely important. It is their job to help you transform your old eating habits, as you will never again be able to eat in the same way you did before. A dietician in your team will provide information on how to eat a healthy, balanced diet and any nutritional supplements you will need.
Know the risk
Any type of surgery comes with risks, and your specialist consultant should explain these to you after your referral. For example, complications regarding general anaesthetics are more likely if you are overweight. If you opt to forge ahead with the surgery, you should be provided with psychological support throughout, including guidance from a dietician on how you can change your diet. Gastric bypasses usually necessitate a one to three night stay in hospital, although patients who undergo gastric banding usually only need to stay for one night.
Weight be gone
Your follow-up appointments also offer a chance for your specialist weight loss team to monitor how much weight you are losing. If you have undergone gastric banding, you should aim to lose weight at a steady rate of 1-2lb per week for the first 18 months following surgery. If you have undergone surgery for a gastric bypass, you are likely to lose excess weight more quickly at first.
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