POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS
It is important that we are fully aware when entering into Weight Loss Surgery
Risks, complications and long-term issues following Weight Loss Surgery
As with any major surgery, weight-loss surgeries pose potential health risks, both in the short term and long term.
Risks associated with the surgical procedure can include:
- Excessive bleeding
- Infection
- Adverse reactions to anaesthesia
- Blood clots
- Lung or breathing problems
- Leaks in your gastrointestinal system
- Death (rare)
Longer term risks and complications of weight-loss surgery vary depending on the type of surgery. They can include:
- Bowel obstruction
- Dumping syndrome, causing diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting
- Gallstones
- Hernias
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)
- Malnutrition
- Stomach perforation
- Ulcers
- Vomiting
- Death
When weight-loss surgery doesn’t work
It’s possible to not lose enough weight or to regain weight after any type of weight-loss surgery, even if the procedure itself works correctly. This weight gain can happen if you don’t follow the recommended lifestyle changes. To help avoid regaining weight, you must make permanent healthy changes in your diet and get regular physical activity and exercise. If you frequently snack on high-calorie foods, for instance, you may have inadequate weight loss, or even regain a large percentage of your original loss. Your first year following surgery is very important as this is the time to learn new, healthy habits, so that when maintenance arrives, it is not so difficult to contend with. Please make the most of your ‘golden time’.
Bariatric surgery is NOT the ultimate solution to your weight issues, but in combination with a healthy lifestyle, it is a great tool. It’s up to you how you use it!
To help prevent regain you have to
Learn how and what to eat all over again eg no snacking, stay away from cake, crisps,chocolate, junk-food, take-aways, alcohol, fizzy drinks (fizzy drinks are the quickest way to regain your hard-earned weight loss), minimise carbohydrate based foods (rice, pasta, white bread, potatoes), and eat more healthy foods(meat, fish, vegetables, fruit). Also you MUST start an exercise regime that you can stick to permanently.
If you feel that you cannot/will not do these things, you are NOT ready to have weight loss surgery, and you will have a high chance of regain.