What is obesity ?
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Obesity is a medical condition that occurs when a person has excess weight or body fat that affects their health.
What are the causes of obesity ?
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Genetic
Increased intake of food
Decreased Physical Activity
Environmental Factors
What health problems are associated with obesity ?
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High BP
Type II Diabetes
Cardiovascular Diseases
Arthritis
Cancer
PCOD
Infertility
What is Body Mass Index ?
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BMI is used by doctors to assess the health status of an individual to see if the weight of a person is appropriate for their height.
Is Obesity a surgical disease
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Definitely Yes !! It is a complex problem that can be controlled in its entirety by surgery.
How does bariatric surgery work ?
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– Restricts the amount of food you can take
– Bypassing a fixed amount of intestine so that it limits the absorption of the nutrients
– Combination of both
Is bariatric surgery safe ?
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All patients are examined by the bariatric anesthetist and only once found fit, are taken for surgery. Yes, risks of anesthesia are higher in obese patients, but overall the risks are less than 0.5%.
What are the complications of bariatric surgery ?
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Overall complication rates are equal to any laparoscopic surgery. There are complications that happen but rates are <0.5%.
Some of them are:
– Leaks
– Bleeding
– Infections
– Pulmonary Embolism
– Ulcers
– Severe malabsorption
Is bariatric surgery a cosmetic surgery ?
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No. It is a gastro intestinal surgery that alters the anatomy of the intestine to produce weight loss. Some patients may need additional plastic surgery to remove excessive skin.
What about my diet after the surgery ?
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There will be an absolute change in your diet. You will have to decrease the quantity of your meals and increase the frequency of meals. A tip that will help you a long way is to chew your food thoroughly. This will benefit you in the long run.
Do I need to take medicines life long ?
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It depends on what procedure you have undergone. At every routine follow up, you will get tested and depending on results, appropriate medicines will be prescribed.
Am I a candidate for bariatric surgery ?
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Any person who is unable to lose weight by diet or exercise is a candidate for obesity surgery. Basically the candidates are:
– BMI > 40 kg/m2
– BMI > 35 kg/m2 with significant co morbidity (Diabetes, High BP, Sleep Apnea)
– Evidence or previous attempts to lose weight through a medically supervised program
Is the surgery covered under insurance ?
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Since October 2019, bariatric surgeries are gradually being incorporated into the program and are being covered. Contact your agent/provider for further assistance.
