Gastric Bypass-What are the Benefits?

Gastric bypass – is it for you?  Well, that’s a question that, in the end, only you can answer after consultations with a bariatric surgeon.  It’s a tough decision, and it’s not one you should make rashly.  You need to look at all aspects of the question, from every angle, after getting as much information as you can.  The first thing to do is to ascertain whether or not you’re even a candidate for weight loss surgery.  Not everyone who is overweight, or even extremely overweight is considered a good candidate.  To qualify, you must be at least 100 pounds overweight, or twice your ideal weight.  In addition, you should have one life threatening complication from your weight, such as diabetes.  Finally, you need to have seriously tried non-surgical methods of weight loss and failed.

Next, compare the drawbacks and benefits of gastric bypass.  Make no mistake; there are some drawbacks.  You will no longer be able to enjoy a meal the same way you do now, as you’ll only be eating a minuscule amount of food.  Enjoying fine dining is one of life’s rich pleasures, and it will pretty much be gone forever.  Another thing is that you may have diarrhea for several months after the surgery while your body adjusts.  You’ll find too, that you may be unable to eat some of your favorite foods, as your new digestive system may reject them.  There are also some possible complications that are more serious – infection, hernias, malnutrition, etc.

But weigh those risks of gastric bypass against the rewards.  You’ll feel much better about yourself, and you’ll probably be more social.  You’ll be able to play with your kids or climb a flight of stairs without getting winded.  Your odds of dying prematurely will go way, way down.  If you have Type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea, the chances are very good that you can reverse them entirely.  Not only will you probably live longer than you would’ve without the surgery, odds are you’ll also enjoy the rest of your life a lot more.   For most people, these benefits greatly outweigh the risks.