If you are obese, you may have already tried to lose weight through a diet and exercise plan. For some people, these methods are difficult or do not work fast enough. You may decide to consider weight loss, or bariatric surgery. There are many different options available to you. Before you select an option, be sure you understand how your eating abilities and dietary needs will change following surgery. You should also ask your surgeon about the possible risks and complications resulting from surgery.
Gastric Sleeve Surgery
Gastric sleeve surgery is ideal for people who are too obese or sick to have other surgeries done. It's used as a jump-start procedure. After losing weight with this surgery, patients may go on to have gastric bypass surgery. Gastric sleeve surgery got its name because in this procedure, the surgeon removes over half of the stomach so that it resembles a sleeve. Following this surgery, your surgeon will likely place you on a liquid diet for 2 weeks, followed by pureed foods for 2 weeks before you can eat solid foods again.
Gastric Banding
Gastric banding places a restriction on how much food you can eat. It uses a silicone band placed around the upper stomach. This causes you to feel full with less food. The band can be adjusted as desired. The band can also be removed. As with the gastric sleeve surgery, your diet following surgery will undergo some changes. Immediately after surgery, you will have a liquids-only diet followed by pureed foods.
Biliopancreatic Diversion
A biliopancreatic diversion creates a stomach pouch, like a gastric bypass; however, it also alters the digestive process. The small intestine is altered so that your digestive juices and bile will begin working on your food in the middle or end of the small intestine. This reduces the absorption of nutrients and calories, which can help you lose weight. Unfortunately, it can also lead to malnutrition.
