Gastric Sleeve Surgery

If you’ve tried exercise and diet for years and are still not losing weight, you may need to consider a gastric sleeve surgery. In gastric sleeve surgery, the surgeon will remove parts of the stomach and join the remaining parts to make a banana-sized sleeve or stomach. The new stomach sack is about one-tenth of the size of the original stomach size, and with that, you’ll feel full much quicker than before. This means you’ll not eat as much as before, and in the process, you’ll lose weight. Additionally, the surgery removes the part of your stomach that makes the appetite-boosting hormone. If you’re considering getting a gastric sleeve in Frisco, you’ll first need to know the risks and benefits of the procedure, if you’re a good candidate for the procedure, and what long-term commitments you need to maintain the results.

It’s also important to note that there’s a difference between a gastric sleeve and gastric bypass. With a gastric bypass, a surgeon will make a small pouch that bypasses the stomach, straight into the intestine. The gastric sleeve is suitable for people who have a body mass index of at least forty. These are people who are too heavy for a gastric bypass procedure.

The Procedure

Gastric sleeve surgery is a permanent procedure that takes about an hour, but you might remain in the hospital for an additional 2 or 3 days. During the procedure, the surgeon will make a few small incisions in your abdomen and insert a laparoscope. This is an instrument with a small camera attached to it to take pictures and send it to a monitor. Next, the surgeon will insert other tools and instruments through the cut incision and remove a large part of your stomach. He will then reattach the remaining parts of your stomach to form a tube or a sleeve.

Post-Procedure

The first day after the surgery, you’ll need to drink clear liquids. However, by the time you’re leaving the hospital, you should be able to eat protein shakes, and pureed foods and should continue to do so for the next month. The most important factor is to realize that you’ll have to change the way you eat forever. You’ll gradually start eating soft, solid foods after the first four weeks. Keep in mind that everything must be chewed thoroughly before swallowing, don’t overfill your stomach, especially by drinking while eating. If you need to drink liquids, take them half an hour after your meal. Avoid high-calorie foods such as snacks and sodas, and take your vitamins and mineral supplements every day. You can shift to regular meals two to three months after the procedure but you’ll not be able to eat as much as you did before.

Associated Risks

Over the next year or year and a half, you’ll be able to lose about sixty percent of their extra weight, but this varies from one person to another. Eating right and exercising will also help you lose more weight. The risks of the procedure include infection and bleeding, and in very rare cases, it’s possible to have a leak along the staple line in the stomach. You may also experience nausea, vomiting and constipation immediately after the surgery.

You might find that certain foods no longer agree with you, and that you’ve developed new nutrition problems. This is why you’ll need to take supplements and vitamins for life.