G.I. bypass surgery, how dangerous/hard is it?

Question

I am hovering around 300 lbs and have considered GIB for a while now. How dangerous is it really? Is it difficult to get? How long a recovery time should I expect? Can I still eat the same foods afterward? I'm completely healthy except for my weight and have never been in the hospital for ANYTHING. I'm 31 years old and am desperate for some relief from being so big.

Answer 1

Check out the webstie www.obesityhelp.com. It has a lot of information about GI bypass and the lapband. Good Luck!

Answer 2

It is a hard surgery, and you have to be very motivated even after the surgery because a stomach can be stretched right back to the original size and so can your weight. However if you are serious and nothing else has helped it can be a life saver. One of the main concerns is blood clots after the surgery but the surgeons are aware of this and will treat you appropriatly. I have known several people that have had it done some have lost amazing amounts of weight others have started out well then just stoped . Lap band is easier on your body you might consider that. At any rate there are siminars given routinely in most areas large and small and are free I think this would be your best starting point. Find a surgeon that does this surgery and call his office ask about a siminar and Im sure they can help you. I wish you the best of luck I know how hard it is.

Answer 3

bypass surgery is actually fairly easy to get now...now that they consider obesity a disease...the insurance company's will pay for it. The department is called Bariatrics. It can be dangerous if the doctor takes to much of the small intestines, which lowers the amount of time your body has to absorb its nutrients...that's where the problems come in...all of the vital nutrients such as proteins (amino acids), vitamins, minerals will not be absorbed right if they do a 3 or 6 in bypass. And you will need to take oral vitamins and supplements, To avoid becoming anemic it's just a percautionto prevent it. No you will not be able to eat the same way...in the begining after a few bites...literally...you will be full and if you over eat you will be sick (vomiting). This can be a great option...but you need to know all of the facts before you do it.. my advice is call your local hospital and see if they offer a bariatric dept and make an appointment...couldn't hurt...and if you have insurance they will cover it now...Good luck.

Answer 4

Well for one, it's now much eazier then it was 5 yrs ago to have done.

Also risk depend on what your health is like. If you have risk factors for High B?P, heartattach, stroke, blood clots, bleeding issues, diabetes. It may be to dangerous for you. Honestly from the sounds of it, you've never been checked for any of this. And at 300lbs i'd make the guess you probably have at least 4 of the ones i listed. ( depending on your height)

Now for my cousin's they had to lose some weight before they had it done, they were on a special diet to get down in weight. Took them 2 years to even be considered for the surguery. We almost lost one of them.

Depends on what or how they do it, can be short 6 weeks it can get longer.

Can you still eat the same foods...thats there shows you arn't ready to have this done. This shows you are only doing it for a quick fix. This is a lifestyle change that will last a life time. You have to have dealt with what ever the issue is that has caused you to eat in the way you do. You have to eat differntly. So if your eating fast food, large amounts of food, lots of sugars, drinking alot of calories/soda's, none of the surgurys out there will work for you. You will have undone everything the dr's will be doing.

My suggestion, go get councling, go see your dr, see what your health risk are, see what you may already have and be combating. Get some help then consider the surgury.

Answer 5

Your dr. can help you weigh the benefits v. the risks. I've heard it's really painful, but aren't most surgeries? I would make it a last resort because there are risks and the possibility of regaining the weight later. I'm sure if you do all the research and find a caring dr., you will be able to make the right decision. (Check out the 2nd website listed below, it's really informational) Best wishes!

Gastric bypass operations combine the creation of a small stomach pouch to restrict food intake and construction of bypasses of the duodenum and other segments of the small intestine to cause malabsorption (decreased ability to absorb nutrients from food).

What Types of Gastric Bypass Operations Are There?
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RGB). This operation is the most common gastric bypass procedure performed in the U.S. First, a small stomach pouch is created by stapling part of the stomach together or by vertical banding. This limits how much food you can eat. Next, a Y-shaped section of the small intestine is attached to the pouch to allow food to bypass the duodenum as well as the first portion of the jejunum. This causes reduced calorie and nutrient absorption. This procedure can now be done with a laparoscope (a thin telescope-like instrument for viewing inside the abdomen) in some people. This involves using small incisions and generally has a more rapid recovery time.


Extensive gastric bypass (biliopancreatic diversion). In this more complicated gastric bypass operation, the lower portion of the stomach is removed. The small pouch that remains is connected directly to the final segment of the small intestine, thus completely bypassing both the duodenum and jejunum. Although this procedure successfully promotes weight loss, it is not as widely used because of the high risk for nutritional deficiencies.

Gastric bypass operations that cause malabsorption and restrict food intake produce more weight loss than restriction operations, which only decrease food intake. People who have bypass operations generally lose two-thirds of their excess weight within 2 years.



Are There Risks Associated With Gastric Bypass Surgery?
Yes. People who undergo this procedure are at risk for:

Pouch stretching (stomach gets bigger overtime, stretching back to its normal size before surgery).
Band erosion (the band closing off part of the stomach disintegrates).
Breakdown of staple lines (band and staples fall apart, reversing procedure).
Leakage of stomach contents into the abdomen (this is dangerous because the acid can eat away other organs).
Nutritional deficiencies causing health problems.
Gastric bypass operations also may cause "dumping syndrome," whereby stomach contents move too rapidly through the small intestine. Symptoms include nausea, weakness, sweating, faintness, and, occasionally, diarrhea after eating, as well as the inability to eat sweets without becoming extremely weak. Gallstones can occur in response to rapid weight loss. They can be dissolved with medication taken after the surgery.

What Health Problems Can Nutritional Deficiencies Cause?
The limited absorption of vitamin B-12 and iron can cause anemia. The lack of calcium absorption can cause osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease. People who undergo this procedure are required to take nutritional supplements that usually prevent these deficiencies.

The more extensive the bypass operation, the greater is the risk for complications and nutritional deficiencies. People who undergo extensive bypasses of the normal digestive process require not only close monitoring, but also lifelong use of special foods and medications.

Answer 6

I truly hope that you will reconsider doing this.With any type of surgery,there are risks.They made it somewhat easier since they dont slice you wide open.You recover faster with the laparascopic surgery(I probably didnt spell this right)You cant eat the same afterwards either.Rich or high fat food make you vomit.And you can only eat tiny amounts of food at a time.You also have to take vitamin supplements for the rest of your life. I know what its like to be overweight,believe me!I struggled for years till I finally went to doctor and I found that my thyroid wasnt working.Im on medicine now and I finally lost weight.I increased my exercise and try to eat healthy.Please check out all your options before doing this(It cant be reversed)I know some people are very unhappy living this way.Good Luck!

Answer 7

It is very dangerous and takes a long time to recover. You will only be able to eat very very small bites of food once you have the surgery. If you are healthy except for your weight I would consider talking to the doc about medically approved ways to lose weight without surgery. My "other mother" had the surgery and she had complications and lots of vomiting if she accidently ate a couple bites of to much food.

Answer 8

As with any invasive procedure, I'd consult with more than one physician before submitting to it. This is especially true if you have other treatment options.

I've heard good and bad stories - so you'd be wise to ask for references, attend a bypass support group etc. And really, really explore all options for weight loss before electing Bypass as the best solution for you.

There are many weight loss programs to choose from. I prefer weight watchers - you get to eat the foods you like - just not as much of them as one would like. This is especially good for those with food allergies - case in point: I'm allergic to many artificial sweeteners so I have to use real sugar - WW allows for that.

Again, Bypass surgery sounds like a really quick way to lose weight - and for some it's just the right choice. But for others it has meant a lifetime of difficulty. Please speak with your doctor about ALL the pro's and con's to this procedure before you choose what's best for you.

Keep in mind that many insurance companies no longer provide coverage for this procedure - be sure to discuss this with your insurance company, too.

Answer 9

Go online a do a ton of research. There are other options like the LapBand that is not so risky. The only advice I can give you is to make an informed decision, do what's right for you and don't listen to the negative other people.

Answer 10

If you said you're healthy, read this:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070510/ap_on_he_me/thin_fat_people

Also, I wouldn't recommend it. Go to those websites recommended above and read up on how your life will change, you'll be taking suppliments forever and will never eat the same.

I am big too and was desperate to have it done as well. My friend had it done and she's had to go back for followup procedures b/c of complications, infections, leaks, etc. She's miserable and wishes she'd never done it now. I'm glad I didn't!