Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery
Weight loss surgery is typically recommended to people who are considered severely obese. This means they’re carrying enough extra weight that it’s a significant health risk. The purpose of weight loss surgery is to make it easier to shed the excess pounds by reducing the amount of food the stomach can hold and to give the feeling of being full sooner. However, weight loss is not the only benefit of weight loss surgery.
About Weight Loss Surgery
Several different types of weight loss surgery are available. Examples include gastric balloon, gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass. These surgeries reduce the capacity of the stomach, which reduces food intake and leads to lost weight. This type of treatment is usually recommended only if you have tried to lose weight using other methods without success.
To be considered at risk for serious health problems related to your weight, you must typically have a body mass index over 30. This is considered obese. If your BMI is greater than 35, you will likely be a candidate for weight loss surgery as long as you meet requirements related to other medical conditions.
Following weight loss surgery, it’s important to note that you will need to change your eating and drinking habits. For example, you will no longer be able to drink liquids while you are eating. You will also need to take small bites and consume your meals slowly. Supplements and vitamins will be recommended as well.
Benefits of Bariatric Surgery In Addition to Weight Loss
Some of the benefits of weight loss surgery aside from losing excess weight include:
1. Relief from joint pain
Many people who are overweight experience pain in their joints as a result of the excess stress. When you lose weight, the pressure on your joints is reduced and you may not experience as much pain. You may also enjoy improved joint mobility after you have lost weight. If you were taking medications for pain before your weight loss surgery, you may not need to take them after returning to a healthy weight.
2. Type 2 diabetes improvement
The sustained weight loss that comes with weight loss surgery may improve the condition of people who have type 2 diabetes. In fact, you may even go into remission, no longer needing medications or insulin as long as your weight stays in a healthy range.
Learn more on our blog “Can weight loss surgery cause type 2 diabetes remission?”
3. Better cardiovascular health
Being overweight increases your risk of heart disease. However, after you have lost the extra weight through surgery and eating nutritious foods, your cholesterol and blood pressure levels can return to near normal or even normal levels. This improves your cardiovascular health, making it less likely that you will develop peripheral heart disease, stroke or coronary heart disease.
4. Improved sleep apnea
Sustained weight loss may improve symptoms of sleep apnea considerably. In fact, if you have been prescribed a CPAP machine, you most likely will be able to stop using it. Always talk to your doctor about this before you stop using it.
5. Improved mental health
Carrying extra weight leads to poor body image, physical limitations and social problems. As a result, many people who are overweight will deal with mental health concerns, such as depression. When you lose the extra weight, you will feel better about yourself and will experience fewer mental health symptoms.
6. Improvement of other medical problems
Losing excess weight may help with a variety of other medical issues as well, including fatty liver disease, reflux, and metabolic syndrome.
7. Improved quality of life
Losing excess weight through weight loss surgery makes it easier for you to enjoy your life. With better mobility, you will be able to participate in more physical activities and hobbies than you could before the surgery. In addition, your improved self-image and higher confidence levels can improve your social life as well.
8. Better fertility
If you are overweight, you may struggle with infertility as a result of hormonal imbalances. Losing the excess weight can stabilize your hormones, improve your fertility and make it easier to conceive.
9. Increased sex drive
Not only do you feel better and look better. But after surgery, your hormones change and your sex drive will usually see an increase in desire and activity.
10. Lower mortality rates
Obesity is associated with death at an earlier age. Losing the extra weight decreases your risk of dying from a complication of obesity and giving you more quality years of life with your friend and family.
Getting Weight Loss Surgery Safely
Not every person who is overweight will be a good candidate for weight loss surgery. For this reason, it is important to have an open and honest discussion with a bariatric surgeon. If you’re in the greater Houston area, Dr. Howard can consult with you. He’ll ask you some questions that help both you and him understand if you’d be a good candidate for weight loss surgery.
If you are, he may also discuss the different types of weight loss surgery procedures that are available. It’s important to choose the right procedure based on your lifestyle and your personal concerns.
Also, be sure the surgeon you consult with is experienced in bariatric surgery procedures and can share his or her credentials and experiences from past patients. Many surgeons do some bariatric surgery, but the best results are by surgeons like Dr. Howard who have advance training in bariatric surgery, specializing in bariatric surgery and practice at qualified Bariatric Centers of Excellence
If you think that weight loss surgery might be good for you, and you’re in the Houston area, schedule a consultation with Dr. Howard at his office in The Woodlands.
Categories: Weight Loss