Obesity is a major problem across the world. In India, fast foods and an unhealthy lifestyle have led to widespread obesity as well. While following a proper diet and leading a healthy life can help manage obesity and weight gain in most cases, severely obese people require surgeries to lose weight.

Weight loss surgery, known as bariatric surgery, aims to reduce hunger and appetite in extremely obese people. However, simply undergoing surgery does not guarantee positive results. In fact, the lifestyle changes post-surgery is the most important factor to keep the extra weight off your body.

Recovery post bariatric surgery:

If you undergo a bariatric surgery, your lifestyle changes will depend on the procedure of the surgery. For instance, in laparoscopic bariatric surgery, the recovery period is short. In this surgery, the doctor will make 5-6 very small incisions on your stomach. He will then insert a tube-like equipment with a camera in your stomach and carry out the surgery.

Since very small incisions are made instead of a large cut, you will be discharged within a week. Furthermore, you can return to your normal routine within a month.

Lifestyle changes to follow:

1. Eating healthy: Post the surgery, you will need to follow a low sugar and low-fat diet. If this is a break from your usual diet then you need to get used to this diet, since you will need to stick to it for a long time. Immediately after the surgery, you will need to stick to a liquid diet, so that your stomach can adjust to the food.

Once your stomach starts adjusting to the sudden change, consume soft proteins. You will be able to return to solid foods around six months after your surgery. In the initial six months, it is essential to avoid foods such as white bread, pasta, and potatoes. Furthermore, you need to consult your doctor before consuming certain medicines such as painkillers.

2. Exercise daily:

Exercise becomes vital in your long-term goal of losing excess weight after the surgery. Your doctor will first need to clear you to take part in light activities, which will help enhance your body s metabolism. Joining a gym is helpful in this regard   you will have access to trainers and training equipment to help you exercise correctly. However, make sure to inform your instructor of your surgery before beginning an exercise regimen.

Most people fail to understand that you do not magically lose weight after bariatric surgery. You will need to maintain a healthy lifestyle if you want to achieve an ideal body mass and stay in shape. Therefore, you need to be committed to the procedure for the rest of your life.

Lifestyle After Bariatric Surgery!

Is there a relation between weight loss surgery and type 2 diabetes? Yes, there is and a very promising one. Many diabetics may not know this but a key hole procedure called metabolic/ bariatric surgery can help resolve type 2 diabetes.

It s scientifically proven that these surgeries can normalize blood sugar levels and control diabetes in most patients. This means that you may not need any medicines post such a surgery. One long-term study which tracked 400 people with type 2 diabetes showed that six years after bariatric surgery, 62% diabetics showed normal blood sugar levels. Apart from this, they also showed better blood pressure, cholesterol and blood triglyceride levels that can cause heart disease.

Should you get a metabolic/bariatric surgery done? You are a fit candidate for bariatric surgery if your:

BMI is 27.5 or higher
And if are finding it difficult to maintain blood sugar with medicines & lifestyle changes.
Your doctor will give you a physical exam to check whether you are fit for a major surgery and if you are emotionally ready to commit to necessary lifestyle changes like eating healthy and exercising regularly.

Types of weight loss/diabetes surgery:

The most popular type of weight loss surgery is one in which the size of your stomach is reduced so that you feel full even after small meals. Other types of bariatric surgeries change the way your body absorbs calories and nutrients and vitamins. A few other types of bariatric surgeries do both.

Gastric Bypass: In this surgery, your surgeon makes a small stomach pouch by dividing the top of the stomach from the rest. This small pouch is connected to intestine so other part of stomach is bypassed. So, when you eat, food goes into this small pouch, which makes you feel full faster and also makes it possible for your body to absorb fewer calories. This is a very promising type of bariatric surgery for diabetics as up to 80% of people have normal blood sugar after it. And they also lose 60% to 80% of their extra weight on an average.
Gastric Sleeve: In this surgery, your surgeon will remove a major part of your stomach. When your stomach is small, you will feel full faster. It also reduces hunger pangs. This type of surgery is also very effective in reducing diabetes and losing weight.
Adjustable Gastric Band: In this surgery, your surgeon puts an inflatable band around the top of your stomach. This forms a small pouch which makes you feel full faster. The good point is that your stomach is not cut and your intestines are not shifted. There are thus lesser complications. It also helps in controlling diabetes. The con is that you lose less weight in this type of surgery.
Biliopancreatic Diversion: This is an uncommon surgery but most effective for diabetics. In this the doctor removes a large part of your stomach and also changes the way the food goes to your intestines. This helps in losing weight but also affects digestion long term.
As with any major operation, all bariatric surgeries come with potential risks of bleeding, infection, and leaks in the digestive system. It is necessary to change lifestyle to avoid weight regain.

Is There A Relation Between Weight Loss Surgery & Type 2 Diabetes?

Laproscopic Bariatric Surgery allows Surgeons to perform minimally-invasive treatments to obese patients who have had repeated failure in losing weight through diet change and exercise. Bariatric Surgery is a procedure that does not require any incisions. Patients can return home within 2-3days without much discomfort. In this procedure, inserting operative instruments through multiple holes along with a camera which displays video images on monitor without making a single incision. The camera allows the Surgeons to witness the internal condition and perform the procedure safely. The three most well-known Laproscopic bariatric surgery procedures include gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, and mini-gastric bypass. 

Most common types of Laparoscopic bariatric surgery: 

Gastric sleeve: This is a more drastic mode of surgery and is a new addition to the bariatric endoscopic surgery procedures. Through this procedure, 90 percent of a patient s stomach is removed to facilitate the loss of hunger. This also helps in portion control of food. 
Gastric bypass: This is the most widely used bariatric procedure to cut down fats and control hunger across the globe. The digestive system is re-routed to suppress the hunger of the patient in this procedure. It also contains minimal risk to a healthy individual. 
Mini-Gastric bypass: Similar to Gastric bypass but shorter procedure with approximately equal results in comparison to gastric bypass. 
Other procedures for weight loss are: EndoBarrier therapy and Intra-gastric balloon The procedure is decided by the Surgeons and depending on which types of the procedure will suit you the most. 
Bariatric Surgery allows doctors to perform minimally-invasive treatments to obese patients who have had repeated failure in losing weight through diet change and exercise. Bariatric Surgery is a procedure that does not require any incisions. Patients can return home within the few day without much discomfort. A keyhole procedure involves inserting camera and instructions within abdominal cavity and operations performed by viewing over the monitor. The camera allows the doctor to witness the internal condition and perform the procedure safely. 

Benefits of Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery: 

Being a minimally-invasive procedure, laparoscopic bariatric surgery has its own advantages. Since minimal incisions are made, the risk of operative complications is easily mitigated. Bariatric surgery is also a long-term solution.

Most Common Types Of Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery!

Bariatric surgery is unlike other surgeries, the success is defined after 6-18months later. It is not without its complications. But complications managed well by Bariatric surgeons and the introduction of Laproscopy, it gives advantages of reduced post-op pain to less incisional hernias and less post-operative hospital stay. 

Sometime problems may happen like- 

Post-operative bleeding: Managed well by the surgeon. 
Dehydration: Chances of dehydration, therefore, one of the main post-op instructions, would be to increase water intake significantly, after the first week of course, when water is included in the diet. For someone who is not used to drinking lots of water, this can be difficult. 
Indigestion: Difficulty digesting food after the surgery is very common. There could be a burning sensation in the stomach. This is often managed by dietary changes like avoiding fatty foods, eating small frequent meals, avoiding too much sugary food items, etc. Too much fruits and vegetables should not be introduced early on, as fibre can be difficult to digest. Avoid fruits like nuts, seeds, fried foods, processed foods, etc. Gradually moving from water to pureed diet to semi-solids to solids can help in getting the stomach used to it. 
Vitamin and mineral deficiency: With the drastic cut in the amount of food consumption, there could be multiple problems including skin rashes, weak bones, dental issues, hair loss, gallstones, kidney stones, etc. All these are due to deficiency of various essential minerals like calcium, potassium, etc. This can be managed through minor diet modifications to ensure the body gets the required minerals and vitamins, even if they are in the form of supplements. 
Dumping syndrome: With a reduced size of the stomach, the food moves from the stomach into the smaller intestine much faster. Therefore, the sugar levels increase rapidly, producing various symptoms like bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, weakness, and anxiety. This is managed by eating less amount of sugars and fats and spacing out the meals through the day. Five to six small meals are preferred over 2 to 3 large meals. Some people also get relief from lying down after eating. 
Hernias: Less after laproscopic surgery but sometime it may happen. 
Diet changes: Whether it is medications or foods, some substances have to be knocked off your list. A detailed diet plan should be made with the doctor, as some can affect the stomach in an adverse manner. 
Altered bowel habits: Some people may have diarrhoea, others have constipation. Looking into one s diet and making suitable changes will help. Therefore, it is very important that you must keep regular follow-up and consultation with your surgeon, in order to avoid complications.

Bariatric Surgery - 8 Complications It Can Cause!

Abdominoplasty, also known as  tummy tuck  is a surgical procedure aimed at removing excessive skin from the abdomen. This surgery removes the extra fat and skin, thus making the abdomen flatter, resulting in tighter muscles near the walls or border of your abdomen. You should consult your doctor and strictly follow prescribed procedures before and after the surgical process. It must not be confused with liposuction i.e. the cosmetic surgery which removes excessive fat deposits in the body. 

Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is beneficial to you, 

If you possess good physical health. 
If you are a non-smoker or have recently quit smoking. 
If you have a stable health and realistic expectations about the outcome of the surgery. 
If you have been pregnant previously and now need to lose weight and fat deposits. 
The surgery is not suitable for the following cases: 

If you are planning to get pregnant, then it is recommended to perform the surgery after delivery. This is due to the fact that your muscles can be stretched again after the surgery. 
If the appearance of scars after tummy tuck is a problem, consult your doctor about the scar replacement procedure. 
If you still smoke or are absolutely unable to quit. 
Types: 

There are two procedures of tummy tuck. These are decided by the surgeon during your consultation and some pre-surgery medical tests. The procedures are: a) Complete Abdominoplasty and b) Partial or mini abdominoplasty. 

In Complete Abdominoplasty, the surgeon cuts the abdomen from hipbone to hipbone and your skin, tissue and muscle will be operated. In the case of partial or mini abdominoplasty procedure, the fat deposits are usually located below the navel region and the surgeon may not move your belly button. The entire procedure may take around two to three hours. 

Aftercare: 
Proper nutrition and healthy meals are required for this surgery. You must follow a balanced diet and focus on post-operative care.

Tummy Tuck Surgery - Abdominoplasty!

If you have taken the big decision to go ahead with bariatric surgery, one thing you need to prepare for well in advance is the additional effort that is required after the surgery to ensure it is a success. The results will be evident only after a few months post the surgery. This period requires your constant attention. 

Listed below are some after-care measures that are essential for the success of a bariatric surgery.

Hospital stay: Most patients are advised hospital stay for four days, during which the hospital staff will ensure the sleeve is working fine. No food is allowed for 48 hours. Diet is gradually advanced from water to clear liquids, about 50 ml to 100 ml and then to 150 ml.
Wound care: Depending on whether a laparoscopic or open surgery was done, the number and location of incisions will vary. However, the wound should be maintained clean and it should be ensured that there is no infection of the site. Wound care should be done by the nursing staff if required. Suture removal, if required, should be done as per doctor s advice.
Pain management: Finish the course of antibiotics and pain killers to ensure infection is completely gone. Pain would continue, if the infection is not completely controlled.
Diet: The first two weeks would be a completely liquid diet. The next two weeks will consist of a pureed diet. After these four weeks, solid foods will be introduced.
Foods to avoid after a bariatric surgery include anything with a higher protein content and anything that has too much oil as the stomach s ability to digest these is reduced. Refrain from:

Carbonated beverages
Hard meat
Nuts and seeds
Fried foods
Food items to include post bariatric surgery include those which are easy on the stomach, including:

Liquids such as soups, broth, juice, and milk
Pureed cooked vegetables and eggs
Soft mashed food including meat and vegetables
Adherence to this will reduce complications. While eating, the patient should also remember to chew nicely, eat and drink slowly, increase water intake throughout the day, and avoid fats and sugar. It is advisable to eat three proper meals a day and avoid snacking during the day.

Remember that the need for bariatric surgery arose in the first place due to uncontrolled eating of oily food. After undergoing a bariatric surgery, diet pattern is definitely going to move to a healthier side with reduced fat and sugars. It is not an easy shift, but definitely required, if the surgery is to be a success. Imagine the new you and you will be able to do it!

Bariatric Surgery - Aftercare Tips You Must Follow!

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