Gastric bypass, one of the weight loss surgeries bring about many changes and alterations (physiological, metabolic, hormonal) in your body. The gastric bypass surgery rearranges the stomach into an upper pouch (the smaller part) and a relatively larger lower part. It is the small pouch that is connected to the small intestine, where the absorption of nutrients and minerals from the ingested food takes place. The surgery plays a significant role in limiting the intake of food. Thus, post-surgery, a person's body reacts differently than it used to before the surgery. Many, if not all, people experience difficulties in coping up with the changes.

Patients are often advised to refrain from alcohol consumption after the gastric bypass surgery. Surprisingly, and quite alarming, cases of alcohol abuse increases post the surgery. According to a survey by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, few people, who had no prior history of alcohol abuse developed one after the weight loss surgery. What triggers the alcohol abuse in some patients is still a debatable issue.

Many patients experience an emotional breakdown, stress, anxiety, and depression after the surgery. People who needed no reason to binge on food are suddenly expected and made to consume a limited quantity of food. Unable to do what they loved doing the most, people look for an alternate solution. As expected, in most cases, alcohol becomes the much-needed solution. What started as a means of distraction gradually becomes an integral part of life. Hormonal changes associated with the surgery can also result in panic attacks, stress, and anxiety.

Incidences of alcohol abuse may also be high in patients who had a history of drinking (regular or occasional) and smoking before the gastric bypass. Under normal circumstances (before the weight loss surgery), there is a partial enzymatic breakdown of the consumed alcohol in the stomach before it passes into the small intestine. However, post-surgery, the small size of the stomach does not facilitate such enzymatic breakdowns. Thus, the alcohol passes into the intestine, where it gets rapidly absorbed. As a result, a person gets into an inebriated state at a faster rate.

It is because of this reason that doctors advise the patients to keep away from alcohol as much as possible after the surgery. To keep away from or reduce the instances of alcohol abuse after the gastric bypass surgery,

Look for healthier and low-calorie food options when you get an urge to eat.
Meditate, go for morning and evening walks. These physical activities act as great stress busters.
If you are feeling low or going through an emotionally low phase, share it with your loved ones. Do not suppress your emotions.
Consult your attending physician in case of any physical discomfort

Alcohol & Gastric Bypass - Can They Be Mixed?

Cholecystectomy is an operation performed to remove the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a kind of a small sac found just below the liver, on the right hand side of the abdomen. The gallbladder stores a liquid known as bile. Bile is made in the liver and it gets released into the intestine along with the meals. The importance of bile lies in the fact that it helps to digest the fat in foods.
As gallbladder is not really an essential organ, so a child would do well after cholecystectomy. Once the gallbladder gets removed through this pediatric surgery, bile will continue to get released from the liver right into the intestine along with meals.

What is the necessity behind cholecystectomy?
The necessity for performing this surgery of Cholecystectomy can be outlined as follows:

The main reason behind the surgery is gallstones and pain.
Gallstones are small rocks, which form inside the gallbladder
These stones prevent the release of bile out from the gallbladder.
This blockage results in pain as well as jaundice
If a child comes across these problems, he or she would be recommended by his or her primary doctor to visit a paediatrician.
A paediatrician can get rid of the gallstones by removing the gallbladder through performing the surgery if Cholecystectomy.
How is the surgery performed?
The surgery is performed in the following manner:

A Cholecystectomy is performed on most of the occasions by way of laparoscopy.
A small telescope and tiny instruments are placed through very small incisions made on the abdomen.
The surgery normally gets completed within two hours.
When a child gets hospitalized, he or she receives intravenous fluids, antibiotics as well as pain medication.
As and when a child feels well, he/she would be allowed to eat, drink and also take pain relievers through mouth.
Cholecystectomy surgery involves very less loss of blood. Only in a rare case, when there is an emergency, a child needs to receive blood.
Children are released from hospital, one or two days after the surgery as and when they are able to eat, drink and be comfortable about themselves.
Homecare needed after the surgery
There are certain guidelines which parents must follow when their children get back home after the surgery. They include:

Pain management: The pain medication prescribed by the paediatrician is not required at a routine basis after discharge from the hospital. Most of the children only require Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprophen once they are at home.
Healing ridge: Once the small incisions get healed, children would be able to feel a firm ridge just below it. It would last for few months, slowly get softened and then disappear.

Cholecystectomy - Know More About It!

Surgeons perform the Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Procedure when there is an obstruction to the flow of bile from the gallbladder to the digestive system. This may happen due to the formation of stones in the gallbladder. 

In case there is stone in the gallbladder, it calls for the removal of gallbladder. If the gallbladder is not removed, it may give rise to abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, pain in the shoulder, arms, etc. It may also lead to jaundice and infection and put the pancreas in difficulty. The gallbladder removal procedure can be carried out through the Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

In this procedure, the gallbladder is removed from the abdomen through small incisions using a laparoscope and other surgical instruments. A total of five incisions are made into the abdomen.

Role of Gallbladder and Why Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is Needed?

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ located at the right side of the liver. It helps the digestive system of the body. The gallbladder stores the bile juice made by the liver. This bile juice helps in digesting the fat. If there are stones in the gallbladder, it can block the flow of bile fluid, which affects the functionality of digestive system. This problem is known as Gallstones. A Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is performed when there is a stone in the gallbladder.

What Is a Laparoscope and How Is It Used?

A laparoscope is a narrow tube-like structure that carries a camera in front of it. This instrument is inserted through a small incision and the doctor manipulates it to view the targeted area clearly. He can view the area clearly on the monitor. Surgical instruments are then inserted through other incisions, and the gallbladder is removed.

The Procedure:

Before the procedure, the patient is administered with general anesthesia. This relaxes the muscles and prevents pain. The patient falls asleep and the doctor carries out the procedure. Carbon dioxide is inserted into the abdomen to inflate it. After this, a small incision is made in the navel and the laparoscope is inserted through it. The surgeon may also perform an X-ray to confirm the existence of stones in the common bile duct. Once he is confirmed about the existence of stones, he inserts surgical instruments through other incisions. The surgeon removes the gallbladder through these incisions.

What Are the Benefits of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Procedure?

There are many benefits of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy over open gallbladder removal:

The patient suffers less discomfort compared to regular surgery.

The patient also needs to stay in the hospital for a lesser number of days as compared to open surgery.

The patient also suffers smaller tears as compared to open surgery.

Risks of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy:

The risk of complications is low in a laparoscopic procedure. However, there are still some risks, that include:

Infection

Business

Injury to the common bile duct

Shoulder Pain

Leakage of Bile

Conclusion:

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become a popular option for patients suffering from gallbladder stone. Surgeons often suggest this procedure so that patients can recover quickly and there is minimal bleeding. However, the laparoscopic surgeon must be experienced to perform this type of surgery. An experienced laparoscopic surgeon can ensure that there are minimal bleeding and little risk of other side effects during the procedure. The patient must be able to recover quickly and get back to his routine.

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Procedure!

We have for ages seen our parents and our grandparents reach out for a piece of jaggery at the end of every meal. Jaggery is healthier compared to refined sugar because of its deposition of phytochemicals and other important minerals. While many people do not choose jaggery because of its no-so-good-appearance, it is perhaps more sensible to consume it considering the host of health benefits it offers.

Here is a list of benefits that can be extracted from the consumption of jaggery.

Skin benefits: Jaggery nourishes the skin in the true sense of the word. Owing to the numerous amount of mineral and vitamin, it can eliminate common skin problems such as pimples and acne. It can negate dark spots, wrinkles delay the common signs of aging.
Digestive benefits: Jaggery plays a huge role in ensuring smooth digestion. It stimulates secretion of digestive enzyme. It, therefore, makes it easy for the body to quicken the process of digestion. It can also help to stabilize the bowl movement by keeping common digestion related disorders such as constipation, intestinal worms, indigestion at bay.
Blood: Jaggery does a great job in purifying the blood. It acts as a cleansing agent by filtering the blood from the toxic agents. It also keeps the hemoglobin count normal and help the body refrain from blood-related disorders such as anemia. Since the quantity of iron content in jaggery is plentiful, it successfully helps the body to stay healthy and negate deadly diseases. Furthermore, jaggery can help women to stay away from complicated menstrual related disorders, beat weakness and fatigue.
Weight loss: Jaggery s rich potassium content helps the body balance the electrolyte, build muscles and improve the metabolism of the body. Potassium also helps in managing water retention in the body. Both the factors coupled together helps in weight loss and beat fatigue, obese etc.
Blood pressure: The sodium and potassium content of jaggery helps the body maintain an effective adequate acidic level. This ensures that the blood pressure remains in the balance and the body refrains from undue blood pressure related disorders.
Antioxidants: Jaggery contains selenium, the latter is a rich source of antioxidants which can help the body to fight the free radicals and keep it at bay. The antioxidants also help the body to stay away from other ailments.
Respiratory health: Jaggery is a great source of food that can effectively fight various respiratory problems of the body. It can fight diseases such as bronchitis and asthma.
Body temperature: Jaggery helps to keep a normal body temperature. This is extremely beneficial for patients suffering from asthma since maintaining a steady body temperature is sacrosanct for patients suffering from this disease.

Jaggery (Gur) - 8 Amazing Reasons Why You Must Eat It!

Bariatric surgery is a surgery performed on the stomach and is usually recommended for people who are obese. If you have a BMI value more than 40, then this surgery is a very good option. Along with those having an obesity problem, this surgery is also said to be ideal for those people who are suffering from type 2 diabetes and having a BMI value between 35 to 40.

There are many studies which show that there is a great improvement in people with type 2 diabetes after bariatric surgery. Even the cholesterol and blood pressure levels can also be controlled with the help of this surgery. Post-surgery, you will have to take fewer medicines or in some cases, you need not have to take medicine at all.

How does the doctor decide if you need bariatric surgery?
Basically, there are two things that will be considered by the doctor. The first one is the BMI value, which should be above 35. And the second parameter to consider is if you have tried any other methods to lose weight but did not succeed. Based on these and if you are ready to face the mental and physical challenges after the surgery, you will be advised to go through this surgery. You should make sure that you are doing regular exercise and also eat less.

Types of bariatric surgeries for type 2 diabetes

Gastric bypass: In this kind of surgery, the stomach is divided into two parts. One small part at the top is separated from the lower part of the stomach. Whatever you eat, will go into this small part of the stomach and that makes you feel full faster. Also, fewer nutrients and calories are absorbed into the body. After this kind of surgery, more than 80 percent of diabetes patients showed no signs of diabetes at all.
Gastric sleeve: In this surgery, a large portion of the stomach is removed and hence you will be able to eat less. This also reduces the amount of ghrelin, the hormone responsible for making you feel hungry, produced. This is successful in 60 percent of people with type 2 diabetes.
Adjustable gastric band: A small inflatable band is placed around the stomach. This will look like a small pouch at the place where the food goes in. This pouch will get full a lot quicker and hence you will not be able to eat too much.
Does it help?
Some surgeries show 80 percent success rate and some show 60 percent success rate, but that is in terms of diabetes levels. Due to less food, the body will not get the required minerals and vitamins, which will result in other health complications. Some surgeries are also irreversible. So, it is your doctor who understands the surgery and your health better and they will always suggest the best option for you.

Bariatric Surgery For Type 2 Diabetes - Does It Help?

Hernia surgery is performed for the correction of a hernia which refers to the bulging of internal organs or tissues through an abnormal opening. It is easy to detect hernia through any pain or discomfort while lifting heavy objects, cough and strain during urination or bowel movements or during prolonged standing or sitting. It can be found in both men and women. The Hernia can be congenital or can be developed over a period of time. If it doesn t get better over time and also does not go away by itself, then surgery becomes the only option.

Types of Surgery
There are two types of surgery for hernia treatment. One is the conventional open method, which requires an incision in the skin directly over the hernia. The other one is the Laparoscopic hernia repair in which surgery is performed using a small telescope known as a laparoscope. In this type of surgery minimal invasions are made and the hernia is repaired with only small incisions adjacent to the hernia. Most hernia operations are performed on an outpatient basis, which means that you can go home the very same day.

Tips for early recovery

    Wear comfortable clothing with expandable waistbands.
    Keep yourself active by moving around as much as you can as it increases circulation, which further speeds up healing.
    Eat a diet rich in fibre, fresh fruits and vegetables.
    Drink lots of water and other fluids to avoid constipation.
    Do not lift any objects even if it is very light as it can bring back pain.
    Do not to pick up things from the floor as it will be difficult to bend.
    Hold a pillow against your stomach while sneezing or coughing to lessen the pain.
    Use stool softener for a few days before and after surgery to help you with your bowel movements.
    Avoid driving till the time you feel any pain and as long as you are taking narcotic pain medicines.
    Band-Aids which cover the incisions should be changed as and when needed.
    Refrain yourself from intercourse as it can be painful.
    Check with your doctor when to take a shower so as not to hurt your incisions, and make sure to gently dry your incisions and replace the Band-Aids after taking a shower.
    Do not consume any alcoholic drinks for at least 24 hours.

The tips mentioned above will definitely provide help to cope up with post surgery blues. However, in case of fever, excessive sweating, difficulty in urinating, bleeding or any prolonged pain consult your doctor immediately.

Hernia Surgery - 13 Tips to Help You Recover from it

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