Post-surgery patients will usually lose about 50-75% of their excess body weight. Substantial weight loss occurs 18-24 months after surgery.
In addition to weight loss, surgery has been found to have a beneficial effect on many medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, acid reflux, sleep apnea, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), urinary stress incontinence, low back pain and many others.
Several patients report an improvement in mood as well and other aspects of psychological functioning after bariatric surgery.
The overall quality of life is improved after significant weight loss.
Many surgical weight loss patients express their contentment on being able to do things that may seem trivial to the non-obese person such as going to the store, playing with their children, getting in and out of a car, or shopping for regular sized clothes.
Setting Realistic Expectations
For the person with obesity, the health benefits of losing weight are countless. Not only does the risk of serious diseases decline dramatically but some conditions may actually be reversed. For example, 80% of non-insulin dependent diabetics are cured as a result of gastric bypass surgery.
High blood pressure is cured in about half of the patients who lose weight following bariatric surgery. The majority of patients with sleep apnea no longer have disrupted breathing at night following surgery.
Digestive issues, such as acid reflux and heartburn are resolved following gastric bypass. Dramatic weight loss also improves shortness of breath, circulation, and mobility. Many people find significant improvement in joint pain, back pain and arthritic conditions following weight loss surgery.
For women who struggle with infertility before bariatric surgery find that conception is possible after surgery.
(Note that pregnancy should be avoided for 18 months to 2 years after surgery until weight becomes stable. Pregnancy is not recommended before that time because of nutritional issues related to fetal development.)
To be successful and again all the health benefits that weight loss surgery has to offer, you must make major changes in your daily eating habits and develop a healthy lifestyle, including a program of regular physical exercise. Your effort and commitment to these changes play an important role in the success of your surgery.
The medical conditions that improve after safe weight loss surgery include:
Diabetes
More than 90 percent of Type 2 Diabetes obtain excellent results, usually within a few weeks after surgery; normal blood sugar levels, normal Hemoglobin A1C values, and freedom from all their medications including insulin injections.
Based upon numerous studies of diabetes and the control of its complications, it is likely that the problems associated with diabetes will slow in their progression when blood sugar is maintained at normal values. Medical treatment for diabetes type 2 that can achieve as a profound effect as weight loss surgery had led some physicians to suggest that bariatric surgery maybe the best treatment for diabetes in the seriously obese patients.
The possibility to reverse abnormal glucose tolerance or “borderline diabetes” by weight loss surgery is even more. Weight loss surgery could help prevent the development of this condition to diabetes in many cases.
High Blood pressure:
At least 70% of patients with high blood pressure and on medications to control it are able to stop all medications and have normal blood pressure, usually within two or three months after weight loss surgery.
When medications are still required, their dosage are often lowered reducing the medication’s side effects.
High cholesterol:
More than 80% of surgical weight loss patients will reach normal cholesterol levels within two to three months after surgery.
Heart disease:
Although we can’t say definitively that heart diseases are reduced, the improvement in problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes certainly suggests that improvement in risk is very likely.
In one recent study, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease was profoundly reduced in diabetic patients who are susceptible to this heart diseases in specific.
Asthma
Most people with asthma find that they have fewer and less severe attacks or sometimes none at all after weight loss surgery. Improvement of exercise tolerance and breathing ability usually occurs within the first few months after surgery.
Many patients benefit from gastric bypass as a choice of weight loss surgery when their asthma is associated with gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Often, patients who have barely been able to walk find that they are able to participate in family activities even sports.
Sleep Apnea
Dramatic relief of sleep apnea occurs as patients lose weight. Many report that within a year of bariatric surgery, their symptoms were completely gone, and they had even stopped snoring. Many patients who require an accessory breathing apparatus to treat sleep apnea no longer need it after bariatric surgery.
Gastro-esophageal reflux disease
Relief of all symptoms of reflux usually occurs within a few days of gastric bypass surgery for nearly all patients.
Gallbladder disease:
When gallbladder disease is present at the time of the surgery, it is “cured” by removing the gallbladder during weight loss surgery. If the gallbladder is not removed, there is some increase in the risk of developing gallstones after the surgery, and occasionally, removal of the gallbladder maybe necessary at a later time.
Stress urinary incontinence
This condition responds dramatically to weight loss surgery and usually becomes completely controlled. A person who is still complains of incontinence can choose to have a specific corrective surgery later with a greater chance of safe and successful outcomes after having reduced their body weight.
Low back pain, degenerative disk disease, and degenerative joint disease
Patients usually experience considerable relief of pain and disability from degenerative arthritis and disk disease in weight bearing joints. This tends to occur early, with the first 11-14 kg lost, usually within a month after bariatric surgery.