If you suffer from emotional overeating, at some point you may have thought about weight loss surgery. But, weight loss surgery is a drastic treatment to take so you need to make sure it’s right for you. You need to know the different options out there when it comes to weight loss surgery too as well as the pros and cons of it. So, let’s take a look at all these things.
1. Lap-Band
The lap band surgery option is known as a restrictive surgery and the band can be adjusted. What happens during this surgery is a doctor will go in and place a silicon ring around the top of the stomach. There will be a small pouch above the ring that gets left for the food to go into. What happens is that because that pouch is so small it fills up quickly making the person feel full quickly. The food works its way, slowly, into the main stomach eventually.
It’s normal that every once in awhile the doctor will have you come in for a procedure where saline is injected into the ring. The purpose for this is to inflate the ring, decreasing how much the pouch can hold even more. If need be, the opposite can be done too.
Pros:
* It’s adjustable meaning that saline (fluid) can either be removed or injected into the ring.
* The digestive process is not compromised; food is digested "the usual way."
* The procedure is very invasive because it’s done laproscopically.
Cons:
*If the band/ring twists, more surgery may be required.
* Slow weight loss results.
* You will have to have several follow-up visits with your doctor.
2. Gastric Bypass
The gastric bypass is known as malabsorptive. This is a drastic surgery. The process for this surgery is where a pouch is created at the top of the stomach. This pouch is created by using staples unlike the above surgery where a ring is used. Once the pouch is created the small intestine (a part of it) is actually re-routed so it connects to this pouch. This creates a smaller stomach.
Where does the term bypass come into play? It’s called bypass because that’s exactly what the food is doing. It’s bypassing the rest of the stomach and the original small intestine connection.
Pros:
* Quick, significant and permanent weight loss results.
* Mild side effects, such as heartburn, tend to be resolved easily.
Cons:
* Patients are usually required to take several supplements so they don’t go through nutritional deficiency.
*Dumping syndrome – I’m sure you can figure out on your own what dumping refers to!
* Cancer and other serious health problems can go undetected because it’s harder for doctors to see the intestine and stomach via endoscopy.
These are the two main weight loss surgeries. While weight loss surgery can help with weight gain associated with emotional overeating, it doesn’t help resolve the underlying emotional issues that cause you to overeat. If you do opt for weight loss surgery, find a place that does it as a whole person treatment plan. Meaning, they require you to go through extensive counseling and therapy before the surgery (or even after the surgery).
Nothing stated or presented here is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider if you have any questions regarding a medical condition, your diet, nutritional supplements, an exercise regimen, or any other matter related to your health and well-being. See Health Disclaimer for more information.
