Regarding bariatric surgery you need to know

If diet and regular exercise do not make you lose weight, usually obese people will be offered bariatric surgery. This operation can help you trim fat in the body. However, not all obese people can undergo this medical procedure. There are several conditions that must be met beforehand.

What is bariatric surgery?

Bariatric surgery is a special medical procedure aimed at dealing with obesity. Typically, postoperative weight loss can be as high as 40-68% over an interval of 2 years.

This operation is also performed with several procedures, depending on each patient's condition. The main goal of bariatric surgery is to lose weight in a fast time and prevent various chronic diseases that lurk.

Meki sounds promising, not all obese people can undergo this operation. There are several conditions that must be met, namely:

Have a body mass index of more than 35 with comorbid diseases (comorbidities)
Have two or more chronic diseases
Weight never goes down even though you have made a diet and a healthy lifestyle
Not taking drugs that can conflict with bariatric surgery
Have a strong motivation.

Even if you experience these things, you still cannot have this surgery if:

is pregnant
experiencing hormonal disorders that make him obese
are addicted to drugs
have a psychiatric illness that is not controlled is not allowed to perform this operation.

What is the bariatric surgery procedure?

In order to make the patient reach his ideal body weight, this medical procedure is performed in several different procedures.

Limiting gastric space

This procedure is done so that not too much food enters the stomach, so it can cut the body's calories. Some procedures that can make the space in the stomach narrow are the gastric binding procedure (vertical banded gastroplasty).

Manipulating the stomach

This medical action is done in a waysleeve gastrectomy (SV), namely removing several parts of the digestive organs. The goal is again to limit the food that is entered and digested. In addition, Roux-ex Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is also carried out, by dividing the digestive organ area into smaller areas. So, the stomach is full quickly and the feeling of full is long lasting.

Combined procedure

This procedure will make the malabsorption of macro nutrients and micronutrients into the body, this way is done to limit the absorption of food that is entered. Examples of this procedure are biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) and BPD with duodenal switch (BPD DS).

What must be prepared for bariatric surgery to be successful?

Before undergoing bariatric surgery, the patient will be examined and his condition checked. Patients will also be given knowledge regarding dietary changes that must be made after surgery, side effects, and risks of this medical procedure.

The medical team will also explain what the chances of success from bariatric surgery are. In addition, there are also additional checks that need to be done before the procedure is carried out, namely:

Pulmonary function and tests sleep apnoer syndrome
Examination of metabolic and endocrine disorders, blood lipids, TSH
Gastro-esophageal disorders (Helicobacter pylory etc.)
Measure bone density
Body composition
Resting energy expenditure

Is there a special diet that must be done before surgery?

For 2 to 4 weeks before surgery, patients are advised to adopt a low calorie diet (1000-1200 calories per day) or a very low calorie diet (± 800 calories daily).

Usually, the patient will also be checked for the amount of vitamins in the body. If any of the vitamins are less than normal, a special diet will be given to increase the levels of these vitamins before surgery.

Foods that should be avoided altogether, namely:

Sugar, foods that contain hidden sugars
Packaged fruit juices
Foods high in fat
Fried
Alcohol

Meanwhile, you also have to limit the following foods: foods that should be limited:

Dairy products
Flour
Several types of fruits and vegetables (celery, raw vegetables, dried fruit, fruit with skin)
Tough flesh
Soda

Then, do you still have to go on a diet after bariatric surgery?

Of course you have to stick to a special diet, so that the results of the operation are maximized. Generally, the diet that is given will be adjusted to the texture and shape of the food. Patients who have just undergone surgery will be given liquid food until they eventually return to solid food.

The application of this gradual diet is carried out for approximately 4 to 6 weeks, according to the condition of each patient.

Liquid food

While in the hospital, you will be given clear liquid foods that are sugar-free, 2-4 times after surgery. The liquid should be drunk about 14-30 ml per 20 minutes and should not use a straw

Pure food

After the liquid food, the patient can begin to be given crushed foods that are low in fat and without sugar. Usually, this food will be given until the patient is discharged from the hospital.

Soft food

After 3-4 weeks of discharge from the hospital, the patient is advised to eat soft foods. Slightly different from puree, this food already has a texture in it.

Solid food

Over time, the patient's stomach and digestive organs are getting stronger and normal, so they can be given solid food. Well, usually the type of food given depends on the diet that must be followed.

If confused, you should ask and consult your doctor, what kind of diet you should do after surgery.

Provision of vitamins and minerals

Apart from the form of food that must be regulated gradually, usually given special supplements that contain iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and folic acid.

Meanwhile, foods high in sugar and fat must also be abstained after undergoing bariatric surgery. Foods that should be avoided and limited postoperatively, the same as before you had surgery.

Are there any side effects after doing this surgery?

The side effects can be mild to severe, depending on the type of procedure being performed. However, the most common side effects are:

Digestive problems, such as difficulty swallowing, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, intolerance to some foods
Sagging skin in the area of the surgery
Lack of vitamins and minerals
Gallstone formation (because weight loss is too fast)
Hair loss, which usually occurs temporarily