With the weather getting warmer and longer days, what better time to be motivated to have weight loss surgery so that you can enjoy a healthier and more active lifestyle, and commit to significant weight loss.
Summer days conjure up thoughts of having fun in the sun. Obesity can inhibit your ability to get out and about and impact on your energy levels. Significant weight loss through bariatric surgery can open up many exciting opportunities for you and your family. It aims to improve your physical health, mental health and wellbeing.
So if you’re obese and you’ve been thinking of weight loss surgery, there’s no better time to find out more. But don’t be fooled into thinking weight loss surgery is an easy option. It requires total commitment to losing weight through sheer determination, stringent diet plans, an increase in exercise, and of course major surgery. Still interested? Then read more about what’s involved.
The types of weight loss surgery
There are a number of weight loss surgeries and the procedure that is best suited to you will depend on your individual situation. During an appointment with a bariatric surgeon the most appropriate weight loss technique will be considered based on many factors including your body mass index, eating habits, any health problems, previous surgery and the risks of each procedure.
Gastric balloon
A gastric balloon is a soft silicon balloon inserted into your stomach for six months. It takes up room in your stomach so that you feel full and eat less. The idea is that whilst the balloon is inserted you change your eating habits and lifestyle so that when it’s removed you can continue in the same vein.
It’s a non-surgical, temporary, less invasive and cheaper weight loss technique than the other weight loss options, but it is only a short term solution and weight loss tends to be slower and less than the surgical options.
Gastric band
A gastric band is an inflatable silicone band that is placed around the top part of your stomach to create a small upper pouch that takes less food to fill and passes food slowly to the lower pouch. This means you feel full with smaller portions and you eat less.
It safe, reversible and the least invasive gastric band surgery. On average people lose around half of their excess weight¹, but this is less and more gradual than the more invasive surgeries. It also requires patients to attend band fill appointments.
Gastric bypass
A gastric bypass divides your stomach into two parts and creates a bypass for food so that it enters your small upper pouch and then passes directly to your small intestine, bypassing the rest of your stomach, duodenum, and upper intestine. This limits your food intake and its absorption.
Gastric bypass surgery is highly effective in achieving substantial and long-term excess weight loss. Weight loss tends to be rapid with patients losing around 70 percent of their excess weight¹ and it offers improvements in conditions affected by obesity such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, sleep apnoea and heartburn. It is permanent major surgery, it can put you at risk of nutritional deficiencies and you may suffer from dumping syndrome.
Gastric sleeve
A gastric sleeve or sleeve gastrectomy reduces your stomach by approximately 75 percent and limits the amount of food you can eat and makes you feel fuller. It also removes part of your stomach with the hunger stimulating hormone called ghrelin so you feel less hungry.
Gastric sleeve is now the number one weight loss procedure worldwide. Gastric sleeve patients lose around 60 percent of their excess weight¹. It offers a rapid, significant and long term weight loss solution without re-routing your digestive system so that digestion occurs normally reducing nutritional deficiencies. Also dumping syndrome is unlikely. It can also be converted to gastric bypass if necessary for additional weight loss.