Why Doctors Prescribe Gastric Bypass Surgery

One weight loss solution that is rapidly growing in popularity across the world is gastric bypass surgery, also known as bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery. This type of surgery is an invasive procedure that reduces the capacity of the stomach and allows food to bypass some of the small intestine. The result is that you are unable to eat as much food before you get full, and the reduced time spent in the intestine reduces the number of calories extracted from the food. While it is seldom recommended right away for someone who is trying to lose weight, some doctors do, in fact, prescribe this procedure to their patients. Why exactly do they do that?

Life-Threatening Situation
Many people who are morbidly obese, as in people who have a body mass index in excess of 40, are at very high risk for a number of different life-threatening or disabling conditions. In order to save the life of the patient or to prevent permanent disability, some doctors prescribe gastric bypass surgery in order to ensure that they lose enough weight to overcome these risks. Heart disease, circulatory problems, diabetes, and many other conditions are improved following gastric bypass surgery. Still, doctors will employ most other available methods of weight loss before suggesting surgery, due to the fact that bariatric surgery comes with a number of potential dangers.

Last Resort Option
Unfortunately, many people out there have tried every option available in order to lose weight, but have been unable to find success with any of them. When diet, exercise, and other options have been tried extensive and have not yielded the necessary results, the doctor may recommend gastric bypass as a last resort option in order to save the life and health of the patient. This is usually only done in concert with other life-threatening medical conditions.

Diabetes Treatment
Recent research indicates that gastric bypass surgery can be very beneficial in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This is particularly true when the patient starts off obese. After the surgery, many diabetics find that they are able to immediately determine the use of their blood sugar control medications, and most diabetics are able to reduce their dosage significantly. This is especially true in the months and years following the surgery, when they begin losing significant amounts of weight. It should be noted, however, that the research into gastric bypass surgery in relation to type 2 diabetes is still very early.

Source by Walter L. Thompson