Gastric Sleeve: The Ultimate Guide to Safe Weight Loss

26 Jul 2023

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Nowadays, obesity and weight loss problems are common in almost whole countries. Different methods exist for weight loss, including medical ones. And gastric sleeve surgery is one of these operations made for it. But even after the surgery, do you need to make adjustments in your life?

Yes, you need to make needed adjustments in your daily life such as post-surgery diet. You can think of the gastric sleeve surgery as a beginning, as a life-changer to make it better.

In this article, we will take a look at gastric sleeve surgery first. Then, will discuss the benefits and risks, along with the before and after surgery processes for weight loss, etc. Lastly, we will see the possible final results.

Benefits and Risks: Is Gastric Sleeve Surgery Right for You?

Like all medical operations, gastric sleeve surgery includes both benefits and risks that need to be considered before deciding to get surgery. Your discussions with the doctor will guide you as well.

And, here are some benefits:

This surgery may help reduce health conditions such as sleep apnea, joint pains, and high blood pressure in some cases.
Long-term weight loss is possible but should be supported with a post-surgery diet.
Quality of life may increase with this surgery since it will help to support self-esteem.

Along with some risks:

Like in all surgeries, bleeding and infection risks exist.
If the leaks happened during surgery, they may have irreversible impacts and need to be corrected immediately.

Preparing for Surgery: What to Expect Before, During, and After

You need to be prepared for before, during, and after processes. It is essential to follow your doctor’s instructions as well.

Before surgery: You will be examined to learn whether you are a good candidate or not. If you’re eligible, the doctor will give you a pre-diet to prepare your body and the changes that need to be done before surgery such as quitting smoking & alcohol.

During surgery: You will be unconscious during surgery because of the anesthesia. Generally, it takes one to two hours to complete the operation.

After surgery: You must stay at the hospital to recover and the doctor will monitor you for any complications that may happen.

Then, they will inform you about your post-surgery diet. You need to follow the instructions about this diet very well.

The Procedure: Step-by-Step Overview of Gastric Sleeve Surgery

In the previous title, we talked about for preparation process. And now, we will take a look at the gastric sleeve surgery, overall.

Before the surgery, blood tests, ECG, and ultrasound should be done.
The surgery starts with general anesthesia so that you won’t feel pain during the operation.
The process continues by making incisions inside.
Then, the surgeon separates almost 80% of the stomach from the tissue that is fatty and removes it. After this, they will leave a tube-shaped stomach. It's called a gastric sleeve.
After placing the gastric sleeve, they will apply the blue dye test before closing the incisions to learn and prevent possible leaks.

The rest of this procedure covers recovery and healing.

Recovery and Aftercare: What to Expect in the First Few Weeks

After a successful surgery, you need to follow your doctor’s instructions to have a healthy recovery and aftercare.

First of all, you will stay at the hospital for two days, in general. They will give you some medicines for the pain. And after leaving the hospital, you will start applying the post-surgery diet which is also called the liquid diet.
The two weeks after the surgery covers it, you will lean on a liquid diet and will stay away from solid food. Returning the solid food process would be slow.
You need to stay hydrated for healthy recovery while avoiding exercising.
You should keep your follow-up appointments for checking the overall situation.

Achieving and Maintaining Weight Loss: Lifestyle Changes and Dietary Guidelines

As mentioned before, the surgery is beginning for weight loss. To achieve and maintain it properly, you need to keep up with the changes in your life. The post-surgery diet is important.

Following the diet is essential: You should stay away from foods that are high in sugar, fat, and carbohydrates. Choosing greens and fruits over them would be to your benefit. Don’t forget to control the amount of them.
Keeping hydrated is needed during diet and after.
After the recovery and healing, you should discuss when you should start exercising to maintain a healthy life.

You need to follow the before and after instructions and maintain a healthy post-surgery diet supported by light exercises to achieve successful results.

Long-Term Results: Success Rates and Possible Complications Over Time

Generally, the success rates are high for gastric sleeve surgeries. However, like any surgery, the risk of complications may happen for gastric sleeve surgery as well. Don’t let it scare you, here are the success rates and possible complications over time - for long-term results.

For the success rates:

The expected average weight loss is closer to 60% in the long-time. You need to support it with a post-surgery diet and light exercises.

For the possible complications:

The bleeding and infection may happen during or shortly after the surgery, but they may happen in any surgery that you will get.
In some cases, leaks may happen if the blue dye test was not observed very well. Therefore, you need to be monitored carefully.