Weight loss surgery helps in the reduction of stomach size. The disparate procedures often leave patients at a loss on which to choose.
Out of these numbers, the gastric bypass procedure ranks as the most utilized off all weight loss surgeries. This doesn’t come as a surprise because it not only offers maximum weight loss but also has fewer risks.
Qualifying for bariatric surgery is not a cheap fry. There are times when patients are shown the door because they do not meet up with specific requirements. This scene plays out in all weight loss surgeries. It takes the commitment of the patient and to meet up with the requirements. Each of the bariatric surgeries has specific requirements that qualify patients to pass through the knife. The inability to meet up with these entails disqualification from the process. If you are looking at hitching a ride with gastric bypass in order to lose weight, it is important to live up to the expectations of these seven requirements.
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1. Body Mass Index (BMI)
This is the first thing that comes to the mind. First, an individual ought to have gained extra flesh over a period of time before contemplating weight loss surgery. Coming to that, there are different BMI values for each of these procedures. It is important to master these to avoid taking the value for a gastric sleeve for the gastric bypass procedure. For the latter, there is a general figure that qualifies a patient for the procedure. However, some clinics such as Weight Loss Riga have specific figures for the procedure. If you are looking at undergoing the surgery, it is pertinent to meet up with these specifications:
- A BMI of 40: The procedure is perhaps, the lone-ranger in the field of bariatric surgeries. From another perspective, some clinics (such as Weight Loss Riga) demand a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 and above. However, the general figure is 40. Hence, you must measure up to this before undergoing the procedure.
- A BMI of 35 is allowed: Contrary to the fixed figure, there might be room for “negotiations”. This becomes the case when a patient suffers from obesity-related diseases. In some cases, a BMI of 35 might be accepted. This is usually the case when a patient has co-morbidities (obesity-related diseases) such as sleep apnea, Type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. In some instances, an obese individual with a heart and respiratory disease might be considered with this same value.
Disqualification
In the event that a patient fails to meet up with the BMI requirements, it might not be possible to undergo the procedure. Note that the benchmark of 35 BMI is for patients that have obesity-related ailments. In their case, it requires urgent attention and waiting for it to get to 40 might not be in the best interest of the patient.
2. Failure of Previous Attempts
Before an obese individual takes the decision to pass through the knife, it is likely that previous attempts at weight loss met the brick wall. The traditional method is dieting and regular exercises. The fact remains that these strategies are effective but patients who are not willing to endure the long-term wait before seeing results, often turn to bariatric surgery for a quick answer. But can these attempts really fail?
Exercises might not be enough
Leaving patients to the task of regular exercises as a means of weight loss might not offer much to the quest to lose weight. The routine might either not be enough or the relevant physical activity was not utilized. In such an instance, it becomes hard to lose the desired weight. That is the reason why bariatric surgery is a crucial element in the quest to shed off extra kilos of flesh. It is two sides to a coin- the patient is either displeased with the slow pace of losing weight or not measuring up to the standard.
When Food becomes a Poison
Obese individuals are at the risk of escalating their situation. In the critical moment they are in, it is expedient to watch food consumption. It is not out of place to posit that meals can become a poison if not checked. For instance, patients are meant to avoid calories and other foods that can trigger weight gain. While some can keep up to this guideline, others find it hard to resist the candies that stare into their face while shopping and the chocolates that signal for a bite. It is worth noting that bariatric patients are at the risk of eating virtually anything that comes their way. Thus, the inability to curtail cravings for food might lead to a failure in the attempt to lose weight by diets. In this state of quagmire, only weight loss surgery is the solution to get a new lease of life.
3. Readiness to Change the Lifestyle
Are you ready to walk down the path that will change your life forever? There is a serious commitment to weight loss and patients ought to be ready to make the necessary changes and adaptations that will shape their life after the surgery.
The current lifestyle of the individual is where the concentration lies, and he alone can apply the positive change that will be the basis for his new lifestyle after the surgery. It is worth noting that the patient’s way of life contributes to weight gain. Hence, to make the best out of gastric bypass, it is pertinent to commit to a restructured lifestyle that will sustain the long-term goals. If you are wondering what these changes might be here are some of the corrections and adaptations that are expected of you.
- Stick to Diet Guidelines: After the procedure, a new diet plan is issued to the patients. This helps them to eat rightly. The new plan specifies the amount of food and intake water.
- Keep to Follow-Ups: Aftercare services help the doctor to ascertain how far you have gone in keeping the weight off. At intervals, tests might be suggested to be certain of the weight loss effects.
- Join a Support Group: Being in the midst of like-minds is a good way to sustain the tempo. Patients have to take the decision to join any of the support groups nearer to them and make the necessary commitments to keep weight gain at bay.
Weight loss surgery is all about commitment and the patients’ decision to make the necessary changes will facilitate a successful weight loss after gastric bypass.
4. Psychological Preparation
Some patients are scared of the knife and the mere thought of spending a few days in the hospital bed is a trauma. The brain is already wired to believe that surgical operations are a pathway to death and must be avoided. With this sitting on their minds, bariatric patients would rather remain obese or resort to exercise than passing through the knife. This is a hurdle that must be surmounted before qualifying for gastric bypass. Patients have to show mental preparation to undergo the procedure. Here are some tips to help you:
- Believe the Surgery will be Successful: Have a firm belief that the outcome of the surgery will be favorable and that you can shed extra kilos of flesh after that.
- Have Faith in the Medical Team: Apart from hoping for the success of the procedure, also believe in the medical team that will undertake the surgery. Be of strong faith that they can perform the surgery without complications.
- Be Prepared for Anesthesia: Shake off the creepy thought that you will pass away once you commit to gastric bypass. Be ready to accept anesthesia as a relief from the pain while the surgery is ongoing.
5. Recommendation by the Physician
You have to obtain a permit from the doctor before booking for the gastric bypass surgery. The necessity of this is to be certain that the procedure is the best medium to shed off extra kilos of flesh after trying other approaches. To achieve, a medical team will look into the patient’s case and arrive at a unanimous decision to give him leave or to cancel the procedure. The psychologist, doctor, and dietitian are the core constituents of the team.
The Doctor
The doctor considers your medical history and the correlation to previous attempts at weight loss. It is also his duty to figure out which weight loss surgical operation will be beneficial to you. Usually, the buck lands on gastric bypass.
The Dietitian
He examines your past eating habits and the negative impact on the body. The dietitian might also suggest a reduction in meal intake ahead of the gastric bypass surgery. The eating habit exercises and the stress level form the basis for this evaluation. The idea is to ascertain the best way of reducing food intake without restricting the number of nutrients needed by the body.
The Psychologist
In the event that you are not mentally ready for the procedure, the psychologist can suggest alternative methods to get prepared.
The three personnel play vital roles to the successful qualification of a patient for gastric bypass. Above all, the evaluation is a good way to find out if a patient is medically fit to pass through the knife. It also creates the room for further planning, which will support the patient after the surgery.
6. Sticking to Pre-Surgery Requirements
Before the surgery itself, patients are subjected to a review of what their lifestyle will be after gastric bypass. Sticking to food and exercise plans, keeping to follow-up appointments and losing a significant amount of weight are some of the requirements to scale the stage. This usually comes after you have gotten the nod to undergo the surgery. Most times, patients “lose it” at this stage and fail to make it to the surgery room.
The essence of this miniature approach is to help the medical team take a final stand on the chances of an obese individual at passing through the knife. This is the most critical point in the quest to lose weight. Patients fail to go past this stage for a number of reasons:
- Showing signs of non-readiness to commit to the surgery. This can be the inability to convince the team through actions that you are psychologically prepared to undergo the surgery.
- Inability to shed off weight during the period (in some cases, patients gain weight during the period).
- Patients’ inability to adapt to the necessary lifestyle changes such as dieting and exercises.
7. The Absence of Serious Health Challenges
You are likely to be a candidate of gastric bypass if you are not at the risk of severe health challenges. It is important to find out from the doctor if your obesity-related diseases might negatively affect the outcome of the surgery. The importance of this is to get insight into the risks that come with having a gastric bypass surgery with serious health issues. For instance, patients with health disease ought to discuss with the doctor before passing through the knife. This creates the room to cross-check the chances of the surgery being successful. On the contrary, the gastric bypass procedure is popular for fixing obesity-related diseases. Always find out acts from your doctor before committing to the surgery.
Your Gastric Bypass might not be Successful
Just like every other bariatric surgery, there are risks associated with gastric bypass. Some of these are:
- You may develop gallstones because of immediate weight loss
- The reconnection sites of the stomach and the intestine might start leaking
- Dumping syndrome is common and can trigger nausea and vomiting
- Inflammation of the stomach lining
Final Thoughts
Reducing the size of the stomach through gastric bypass with the intention of shedding off weight can be a herculean task. However, you can scale through by abiding by the requirements and strict application of medical guidelines. We at Weight Loss Riga are committed to making your weight loss goals a reality. Get in touch with our medical team and find out the best ways to overcome the hurdles and undergo successful gastric bypass surgery.
