Bariatric Surgery and Recovery

Did you know that 62% of Americans are overweight? Did you also know that 32% of those people are considered clinically obese? Weight has been a serious issue for many American's for decades. Many people have been fighting the battle of the bulge for virtually their entire lives. Their weight is like a yo-yo. They try a diet or weight loss program and lose a few pounds. Then, before you know it, the excess weight is back, accompanied by even more. For many, getting into shape is much more than looking good, or fitting into a smaller size of clothing. It has become a matter of quality of life and the very real threat of an early death. Then, it is time to consider bariatric surgery and recovery.

Contrary to what many individuals believe, bariatric surgery is not the easy way out of a lifetime of overeating and weight gain. In fact, it is just the opposite. Only after years of trying to get healthy and failing, the doctor may consider someone as a potential candidate for bariatric surgery. All other reasonable options have been tried. Bariatric surgery is the treatment of last resort.

Qualifying for Bariatric Surgery

But, just because you want to have weight loss surgery, and have raised the money to foot the bill, it does not mean that you will qualify. Being overweight is not the only criteria you will have to meet, before a surgeon will take you on as a patient. For example, you will have to present with a number of significant health issues that have ruined your quality of life or threaten your longevity. You may have:

·         High Blood Pressure

·         Sleep Apnea

·         Heart Problems

·         Lung Problems

·         Mobility Issues

·         Diabetes

·         Edema

·         And More

All of these health problems can have a significant effect on your ability to live life today and significantly reduces your chances of being around tomorrow.

For instance, high blood pressure is one of the leading causes of strokes. Believe me, it is not just a disease for the elderly. You can have a stroke at any age. If you are lucky, you might just have to learn fine motor skills again. But, what if you are totally incapacitated and lose the ability to communicate with loved ones? You may wish the stroke had killed you, instead. Of course, a lot of people do not get a second chance at life.

You may have sleep apnea and not even realize it. Do you wake up in the morning more tired than when you went to bed the night before? Do you every snore so loudly that you wake yourself up in the middle of the night? Do you wake up every morning and your bed looks like you have had a war with the sheets and blankets? You may have sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea can be of serious health concern. The main cause is obesity. But, it is dangerous because you literally stop breathing frequently in the night. It can be due to an obstructed airway from the fat in your throat. Most of the time, your body will wake you up, so you will take a deep breath or change position. However, over time it can do damage to your heart or cause you to have a stroke.

If you are obese, you already know about lung problems. Climbing stairs is basically torture on a grand scale. It can even be difficult to just get up and down. If someone comes to your door it about takes an act of Congress to get you out of the chair. Even the slightest exertion leaves you winded.

Mobility also becomes a problem, if you are overweight. Think about how heavy a full gallon of milk feels, when you pull it out of the refrigerator. Did you know that gallon only weighs 8 pounds? Now, think of the amount of excess weight you carry around each day. No wonder it is exhausting to navigate. Imagine the beating your joints take on a daily basis, even if you rarely get up from your chair.   You are a prime candidate for osteoarthritis. Plus, if you gain much more weight, you will not even be able to get up and down without help.

More and more Americans are being diagnosed with type II diabetes. Generally, unless it is type I, the cause is definitely related to excess weight and poor eating habits. But, the consequences of the disease can be devastating. People with diabetes are more likely to have heart problems, circulatory problems, have trouble retain their sight, and other equally scary health concerns. However, if you could lose the weight and start living a healthy lifestyle, diabetes may have to take a hike.

Do you have severe swelling in your legs and ankles? Do you ankles look like grapefruits attached to legs that look like tree trunks? You may be suffering from edema. You are retaining unnatural amounts of fluid and it can be a very serious health concern. It can lead to congestive heart failure.

Before Bariatric Surgery

Even if you have one or more relevant health concerns that should qualify you for bariatric surgery. However, you will have to undergo a battery of tests to make sure you are strong enough to withstand such a dangerous procedure. The doctor will test your heart, lungs, and other body systems. 

No surgeon wants you to have a heart attack or some other major health meltdown during surgery. If the doctor feels that the risks far outweigh the benefits of bariatric surgery, you will be denied the operation. In addition, you will have to undergo psychological testing. No, you do not have to prove you are sane, before the doctor will perform the procedure.

However, health care professionals will want to make sure you are ready for such a drastic procedure. Essentially, your digestive system is going to be rewired. Your lifestyle is going to change totally, and forever. You will never be able to go back to your former eating habits. 

After the surgery, you will begin a process of reintroducing food to your body in stages. At first, you will only be allowed clear liquids. When the doctor deems you ready, you will be ingesting small amounts of other liquids like milk. Eventually, you will be given pureed foods. It may be weeks or months before you are ready to start eating solids again. Even then, the portions will be minuscule, compared to how you have eaten in the past. In fact, you will never be able to eat large portions again.

Bariatric Surgery Options

You qualify for bariatric surgery based upon your weight and health history. You have passed all of the health and psychological exams. It is time to take the ultimate step and have a procedure that will finally help you gain control of your weight and have a better quality of life.

Basically, you will have 3 options to discuss with your doctor, although there are many different versions of bariatric surgery. One choice is a lap band. It is actually a device placed around your stomach to reduce the space you will have to contain food. A balloon is under the band, so the doctor can expand or contract the balloon to adjust the tension on the band. It is still dangerous, but probably the simplest procedure. 

However, the band can slip. So, you will have to know what symptoms to look for, if something goes wrong. Then, it will be up to you to contact a doctor immediately for treatment.

A more popular choice is to fashion a pouch out of a portion of your stomach, so you can only eat miniscule amounts before feeling satisfied. However, some types of the surgery simply empty into the larger portion of the stomach, and it are possible to revert back to old habits of eating unhealthily.

Finally, the most popular choice of bariatric surgery is probably some form of the gastric bypass. Essentially, the doctor will totally reroute your digestive system, so you will only be able to absorb a limited amount of calories and nutrients before waste elimination. Although there are several different methods of bypass, the principle is the same.

Therefore, it will be essential to make every calorie count and take the prescribed supplements. A real danger with bypass is not getting the proper nutrition. Even when you are losing weight, your body still needs a balanced diet, including a healthy amount of fat. So, it is a real balancing act. 

Thus, it is also a totally lifestyle change. Regardless of the surgical option you and your doctor feel is right for you, it will always be important to limit your food intake, eat small portions at a time, and make sure that the calories count. Yes, you might be able to eat a bite of two of your favorite dessert occasionally.  But, you will now be eating to live, not living to eat.

Recovering from Bariatric Surgery

Before you ever go through a bariatric procedure, you will need to be prepared for recovering from bariatric surgery. In some cases, you will already have what you need, because you have already had special needs based upon your excessive weight.

Mobility

For example, you may already have a bariatric wheelchair, if mobility has become a major issue. If not, you may need one following surgery. Although you will be required to be as active as possible, it will definitely be hard to get around for awhile. You may need a chair for getting around, and no ordinary wheelchair will provide adequate support, while you are healing.

If you are still able to walk, it can still be dangerous getting around until you heal and lose some of the excess weight. You may need bariatric crutches or a bariatric cane, to get around with a little extra balance support. A fall now could cause devastating complications.

When mobility is an issue, and you already need help to get around, a bariatric lift can make life a little easier. You caregiver can lift you without injury to him/her or you. In addition, there are special bariatric lifts, if you should fall, that you can operate yourself, even if no one else is around. Especially after bariatric surgery, you do not need to be straining to get up. So, if a bariatric lift could make life a little easier, you might want to consider the innovative solution to improving mobility.

For the bariatric patient with mobility issues, it may be necessary to invest in a bariatric gurney. Along with the lift, it can greatly assist in patient care. Especially in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, a gurney can greatly improve the quality of hygiene care.

Bariatric Bathroom Safety

When you are excessively overweight and have mobility problems, one of the most dangerous rooms in the house is the bathroom. If you slip and fall in the bathtub or shower, you can do major damage to your healing gastric surgery. Plus, it will be impossible to get up, because you are not supposed to lift anything-including yourself.

In addition, if you require the help of someone else to take care of your personal needs, you may want to consider a bariatric commode and shower chair. You can safely take care of elimination and then roll into the shower to get cleaned up for the day.

Safety in the Bedroom

Finally, you will want to make your bedroom as safe and comfortable as possible. Especially after bariatric surgery, you will be spending a lot of time resting and recovering. You may want to consider a bariatric hospital bed. It will be uncomfortable to lie flat, and it will probably be very difficult, if not impossible, to roll out of bed. A special bed can make sleep possible and help during the healing and weight loss process. You may also want to think about getting a bariatric mattress pad, to help make recovery a little more comfortable and prevent pressure sores.  Also, you may want to invest in a bariatric bedside commode.

Get Help

Of course, even with all of the bariatric aids and equipment, you are going to need help after bariatric surgery. You cannot do it all by yourself, no matter how tough you are. You will probably not even be allowed to lift a gallon of milk. You will not be pushing the vacuum cleaner for several weeks. If you have kids, it will be paramount to have someone around, until the doctor feels you are ready to resume your duties as a parent. So, do not try to tough it out, be too proud, or stoic. Get help, so all you have gone through to take care of your health will not be jeopardized.

In short, if you have chosen bariatric surgery, you have not taken the easy way out, in order to lose weight. In fact, you are very courageous. You should be proud of yourself for making the ultimate effort to become healthy. So, if you believe that you qualify for bariatric surgery, are willing to go through all of the preoperative tests, undergo the surgery, and are prepared to take care of yourself safely, you will have what it takes to make sure you finally succeed in achieving a better quality of life and a healthier you.