If you are like millions of people today, you are worried about how to lose weight. You have probably heard that exercise and eating right are the best ways to lose extra pounds. But for lots and lots of people, those methods are too hard for a number of reasons. This can be a significant complication because excess weight carries serious health implications. For those of you that have been frustrated by unsuccessful diets and with failed exercise plans, weight loss surgery may be the best option. This article is meant to better inform you of the procedure, give you an idea of the cost, help you decide if this is right for you, and teach you from the experiences of other patients you have gone through this process already.
Is weight loss surgery good for me?
If you are considering weight loss surgery, you should first think about how much weight you are looking to lose. Women with more than 80 excess pounds and men who more than 100 pounds overweight are good candidates for surgery. You should be aware that the surgery limits how much food you can eat, and in some cases, those restrictions can be severe. Most people lose weight very quickly after having the surgery, and if you stick with the new diet and exercise plans your doctor gives you, you should be able to avoid gaining that weight back.
The risks of weight loss surgery
As with any invasive procedure, weight loss surgery carries with it real risks and the potential for serious complications. These risks can include blood clots, a number of infections, and hernias. If you have a body mass index of over 30 and you have already been classified with Type 2 diabetes, however, the risks of these conditions may be even greater than those of the surgery. It is also important to know that psychiatric evaluation is an important part of the surgery and is considered critical to its success. People who are candidates for this surgery tend to be depressed before entering the operation room, so monitoring that situation is important.
Eating after getting weight loss surgery
In the days following your weight loss surgery, you can expect to be limited to a clear liquid diet. That means you will be eating things like sugar-free Jell-O, water-down fruit juices, and clear chicken broth. Just think; if you ate like on a normal basis, you could avoid the surgery altogether! This diet allows your stomach to recover and get back to normal over time. After the clear liquid phase, you move on to the blended diet. You are still restricted to sugar-free foods, but you have more options this time. You can eat cream of wheat, protein drinks, skim milk, and even mashed potatoes with a little margarine. You will have to stay on that diet for at least two weeks. Even after you recover, you need to limit your intakes of the fun stuff, like fats and alcohol. On the bright side, the surgery is very likely to accomplish its goal of creating a skinnier you.
