Weight- loss surgery, like some other surgeries, may not be 100% effective without a life-long commitment to a lifestyle change.
Determining whether or not to have weight-loss surgery is a major decision. While doing your research you need to understand there are a handful of different types of weight-loss surgeries available. Each one of the procedures has different restrictions and potential outcomes. The three procedures offered at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, NC are:
- Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RNY, RGB)
- Gastric Sleeve
- Gastric band
Who is it for?
- One main requirement for all weight loss surgeries is a BMI greater than or equal to 35. There are several other requirements for the surgeries. To learn more about these restrictions visit www.ncweightlosssurgery.org.
Time commitment:
- Operation time ranges from 1-3 hours
- Hospital stays range from 1-4 days
- Time off work ranges from 6 weeks
Dispelling the myths about surgery
- The surgery doesn’t work:
- Each surgery has a suggested weight loss of 50-80% of excess weight.
- Sleeve Gastrectomy has the highest chance of weight regain if the dietary modifications are not adopted.
- RNY/RGB has less than 50% loss of excess weight.
- If you eat more than ½ cup of food you will throw up
- Nausea and vomiting is a possible side effect from the surgery.
- All surgeries restrict the diet to an intake of 800 calories a day for the first 1-2 years, then goes up to 1,200 calories a day thereafter.
- Severe diarrhea
- With RNY/RGB, Dumping Syndrome can occur with the intake of fatty foods.
- Develop nutritional deficiencies
- Most of the surgeries cause malabsorption, which is the inadequate absorption of food nutrients across the GI tract. This can be managed with proper vitamin intake. Click here to see suggested supplement intake after weight-loss surgery.
Though there are some side effects from various weight-loss surgeries, other health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, depression and osteoarthritis have been proven to resolve following surgical weight loss procedures.
FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital has all the resources you need when it comes to weight loss and weight-loss surgery. There are bi-monthly free informational meetings the first Thursday and the third Monday of every month. Call (800) 213-3284 for more information or click here to register.
FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital has partnered with Pinehurst Surgical to establish a comprehensive Bariatric Surgical Program for the Pinehurst, Sanford, Raeford, Laurinburg, Lumberton, Troy and Rockingham regions of North Carolina and beyond.
