Discuss Weight Control Options With Bariatric Surgeons NJ Residents Count On

By Olive Pate


Severe obesity is not a problem that many individuals have the ability to fix easily with exercise and diet alone. Many people in Ridgewood, NJ have failed to lose their excess weight even after trying intense physical activity and restricted diets. For some individuals, the obesity is triggering other health problems that interfere with quality of life. Anyone in this situation can get help from bariatric surgeons NJ residents can count on for healthy weight loss.

Bariatric surgery requires patients to make a lifelong commitment to changing the way they consume food. Going through with the surgery requires careful consideration because the various procedures alter the body's ability to absorb calories. Stomach and small intestine reconfiguration restricts the amount of food the patient can consume before feeling full.

The four most common surgeries are the gastric bypass, the gastric band, the duodenal switch, and the vertical sleeve gastrectomy. The adjustable gastric band fits over the top portion of the stomach to limit its capacity to hold food. Instead of being able to hold approximately three pints, the stomach can only hold about one ounce. The surgeon can adjust the band as needed by injecting saline.

Gastric bypass involves stapling some of the stomach together to create a pouch with a capacity to hold one cup of food. The surgeon separates the stomach from the duodenum and reattaches it to a different place on the small intestine. Bypassing the duodenum restricts calorie absorption.

Duodenal switch surgery is the most involved and is irreversible because portions of the stomach are removed completely to make the food pouch more compact. The risks of developing complications are the highest after this procedure. This surgery requires a more intense reconfiguration of the intestines to allow food to pass through only a short portion of the small intestines before reaching the large intestines. Because this procedure changes how the body absorbs nutrients, patients must begin a lifelong habit of supplementing the diet with essential minerals and vitamins.

Vertical sleeve gastrectomy is another procedure involving removing stomach tissue. The thin sleeve that remains connects the esophagus to the beginning portion of the small intestines. Patients are unable to eat as much after surgery and have lower levels of ghrelin, the hormone that triggers appetite.

Regardless of which type of surgery bariatric patients decide to have, they have to commit to making lifestyle changes after the procedure that they must follow forever. Most patients will require lifelong medical follow up for careful monitoring of health. All patients must adapt to eating less food, consuming a nutritious diet, and keeping up with a regular exercise routine to achieve long-term success with their weight loss program. Some will require mineral and vitamin supplements to compensate for the body's inability to absorb nutrients.

Individuals who had obesity related illnesses before the surgery will often see dramatic improvement in health after the procedure. They are at lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and severe sleep apnea. Surgery alone does produce short-term weight loss but patients must make healthy lifestyle choices about exercise and diet to enjoy long-term success with this type of weight loss program.




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