Gastric sleeve is the best option and a safe and incredibly popular method of weight loss. Around 160,000 people opt for bariatric surgery each year in this country, and the procedure is reserved for those considered to be severely or morbid obesity.
The term severe obesity is determined by the BMI (body mass index) system. You are considered to be severely obese if your BMI is at least 35, a figure which represents around 15 percent of the U.S. adult population. Morbid obesity describes those with a BMI of 40 or higher.
Gastric sleeve surgery (sleeve gastrectomy) is a surgical weight loss option that is performed laparoscopically and involves the removal of 75% of your stomach.
Those who have undergone the surgery report losing 70% of their excess weight in the first year and 55% after five years and accounting for any weight regain.
Celebrities have used this bariatric procedure to great success, such as Rosie O’Donnell in 2013, who told reporters gastric sleeve “Changed her life.”
Gastric sleeve is referred to as a restrictive operation due to its function of limiting the available space for food in your stomach.
As a result, you will feel more satiated with less, leading to long-term weight loss success.
The procedure involves the surgeon removing a portion of your stomach, which leaves behind a tube-shaped stomach or “sleeve.”
The procedure requires a few days of recovery in the hospital and two to four weeks of recovery time at home, but the results can be immediate and are long-lasting. In fact, you will begin experiencing rapid weight loss right away, in addition to more energy, and a host of other benefits.
Need more convincing? Here are six reasons you should determine if you’re a good candidate for gastric sleeve surgery for rapid weight loss and improved quality of life.
The gastric sleeve doesn’t just involve your stomach. This amazing procedure has a host of elements working simultaneously to help you drop the excess pounds.
Gastric sleeve modifies the gastric fundus, which expresses various hormones associated with feeling hungry and full. These hormones also affect chewing time, taste preferences, and food perception.
With a gastric sleeve, there is limited room in your stomach for food. This is why you are required to eat smaller portions and minuscule bites to give your body a decent chance to digest the good foods you eat.
Gastric sleeve surgery alters how your brain and gut communicate. For example, neuronal pathways are reconfigured so that your body receives negative feedback through stretch receptors in the stomach earlier than usual. This means it won’t take so much food to make you feel “stuffed.”
The gastric sleeve operation has been used successfully millions of times with few complications overall.
This is in stark contrast to other bariatric procedures.
Gastric bypass surgery, for instance, can lead to future hernias and scar tissue that later forms a bowel obstruction.
There is no rerouting of the bowels with gastric sleeve, which in turn means you are unlikely to suffer from malabsorption problems and an issue called dumping, where food and sugar move too quickly from your stomach into your bowels.
With the gastric sleeve, you will only experience dramatic weight loss, with full recovery from the procedure in around four to six weeks.
While it is true that gastric sleeve tends to cause slower and steadier weight loss as compared to other bariatric procedures, the weight still comes off fairly fast. The weight loss also tends to last long-term.
You can expect to lose a majority of the excess weight in the first 12 to 18 months. All told and over the long-term, the results are excellent and on par with gastric bypass.
Overall, patients can lose up to 70% of their excess weight, and we have 10 to 15 years of data to support the procedure’s long-term success!
Success rates for gastric sleeve are very good. To improve the chances of a successful outcome, your bariatric surgeon will provide you with a detailed plan to follow in the weeks leading up to surgery.
This program can include doctor visits, a strict-pre-surgery dietary protocol, and regular testing. The goal of this pre-surgery routine is to help you build the right habits that will lead to the most long-term success.
In very rare cases, complications can occur with gastric sleeve. However, the good news is that there are easy alternatives. For instance, the transition from a gastric sleeve to a gastric bypass or duodenal switch consists of a relatively low-risk operation.
While gastric bypass can come with complications, the procedure is still in use today and has helped many people lose excess weight. The bariatric procedure was also recently shown to reverse aging on the cellular level, as reported by CBS News.
Dr. Moeinolmolki can perform both gastric sleeve and gastric bypass procedures. Speak with your Dr. Moein about the bariatric procedures and any alternatives that may be right for you.
Ultimately, a gastric sleeve gives you what you’ve always wanted: A much smaller stomach.
From the very first day following gastric sleeve surgery, you will feel fuller faster every time you eat. This will result in the excess weight melting off your form. Even patients who occasionally “cheat” on their prescribed diet and exercise protocols see significant and long-term results.
The diet consists of healthy meals that consist of over 60 grams of protein per day, lots of water or low-calorie fluids, and smaller portions cut into tiny pieces.
There are several limitations, such as no sodas or starchy foods, and no drinks around mealtimes. These limitations ensure that you only fill yourself up with foods that will supply your body with the most quality nutrients without all the junk. Your stomach is smaller now, so you must be mindful of what you eat.
However, don’t think that you’ll be missing out. Many patients report that their cravings begin to change post-surgery. Those sugary drinks and sinful foods you love may not taste so good after a gastric sleeve procedure. This means your body will start to crave healthier foods, helping you keep the weight off for good.
To keep the weight off, you are encouraged to follow your bariatric surgeon’s recommendations after surgery. And most lose most of their excess weight within a single year.
You can also keep it off. Studies show that keeping active and eating properly are the best indicators of someone who will retain the weight loss following sleeve gastrectomy and other bariatric surgeries.
In addition to selecting a safe and effective weight loss procedure like gastric sleeve, you are doing yourself a great service by considering bariatric surgery.
Many patients find themselves relieved of many weight-related conditions in addition to life-changing weight loss.
Examples of conditions that are commonly alleviated by bariatric surgical results include sleep apnea,type 2 diabetes, hypertension, asthma, joint problems, and cholesterol issues.
A prominent cancer study also showed that weight loss surgery patients have a 33% lower risk of developing any type of cancer than the severely obese who don’t opt for bariatric surgery.
If your BMI is over 35 and you have tried diets, exercise programs, supplements, and gym memberships, and nothing has managed to get that excess fat to budge, schedule a consultation with bariatric surgeon Dr. Moeinolmolki.
Dr. Moein can educate you on the process, answer your questions, and present you with a treatment plan to drop the excess pounds using safe and effective gastric sleeve surgery. Call now to schedule.
