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People often ask me if weight loss surgery is worth the risks involved. My stock response is, "It depends." There are some serious risks involved with this, or any, major surgical procedure. With weight loss surgery, however, the serious side effects suggest that one not take lightly. Some of the Risks of Weight Loss Surgery Most doctors do not recommend bariatric surgery unless their patient has a BMI of 40 or more. For men, this translates to around 100 pounds overweight. For women, the measure is 80 pounds overweight. A second criterion is that the patient has tried and failed at dieting many times over. The patient may be depressed or has given up all hope of weight loss by dieting. Yet, clearly, the patient is at great risk for significant health problems. Weight loss surgery, when first suggested, appears to be the 'diet' of last resort. But is it? Morbid obesity is born of emotional eating coupled with a modern diet of processed foods. If one is able to address the emotional eating, something most fad diets do not do, then weight loss is likely. Weight loss surgery promises that one will lose about one-third of one's body weight. A 300-pound man will lose 100 pounds. This may leave you still obese, but health risks are reduced. On the other side of this equation, the weight loss is quite often regained over a five year period. This is true if one doesn't address the emotional eating disorder before or after surgery. Other side effects directly related to the surgical procedure include nutritional deficiency. Your body no longer processes nutrients in the same way it did before the weight loss surgery. Two reasons for this are mainly associated with either of the gastric bypass procedures available. Your stomach is greatly reduced in size and function. It is no longer a place to break down food into absorbable pieces. Along with the stomach, your small intestine is reduced in length by about a third. This means less absorption of nutrients. A friend of mine who had a gastric bypass around 10 years ago must now visit an oncologist three times a year for infusions of iron. His body no longer is able to absorb iron by natural means. He knows it is time to go when he is constantly tired from the iron deficiency. He wonders if his bypass was worth the effort. Of course, major surgery alone has its risks. Infection, internal bleeding, and pain are all risks that must be considered before undertaking this drastic step. What to Consider when Thinking about Weight Loss Surgery There are a few questions that you should ask before deciding to take this radical step. 1) You must decide that this is the only way you will lose weight. That one more diet will have the same result as all the rest. 2) You must decide that you have the will to follow some strict rules about eating that come about because of your new plumbing. 3) You must be clear that weight loss surgery is merely a starting point; that you still must diet and exercise forever more. If you are clear about these questions and honest about your answers then you have a shot at successful weight loss through bariatric surgery. -------------------- Sara Dawson is the managing partner of Weight Loss Science, a Fischel Group Company. She works with clients successful dieting tailored to the individual's needs as well as personal fitness plans.
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