GASTRIC BY-PASS

What is gastric by-pass?

Gastric bypass is an obesity surgery that limits the food intake and decreases the absorption. It will limit the amount of food you can eat and decreases the calorie (and amount of nutrients) that derive from the foods.

There are many bypass surgery options. Roux-en-Y gastric by pass (RYGB), mini gastric by pass, duodenal switch etc.

How does a gastric bypass work?

A gastric bypass surgery acts in two ways:

A small upper gastric pouch and a non-functioning lower gastric pouch are created. Accordingly, volume of your stomach is efficiently reduced and thus, you eat less food.

The food you eat is bypassed from a substantial part of your stomach (unused lower part of your native stomach) and small intestines and thus, foods are not completely digested.

It helps changing your eating habits and focusing on healthy foods. You will need to take vitamin supplements after the surgery. As is the case with all operations, success of the surgery is largely dependent on your ability to change your life style. Most patients report that it is worth doing so and they really enjoy the new weight loss.

Is Gastric Bypass a good option for me?

You may be a good candidate of gastric bypass if;

BMI (Body Mass Index) is 40 or above.

Your BMI is 35 or above and you have other medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus or hypertension.

You want to lose weight and you are willing to comply to your new life style and diet programs to help us manage your weight loss

You have already tried to lose weight with diet and exercise, but it failed

After Gastric Bypass

At early phase, you will eat only liquid foods. Next, you will be switched to soft foods and ultimately, you will add solid foods to your diet. You will be recommended vitamin and mineral supplements in order to take all nutrients your body needs to be sure about a healthy life style in the rest of your life. Moreover, you will need vitamin B12 injections at regular intervals to prevent anemia.

Your obesity surgeon or dietician will discuss your gastric bypass diet, changes in your foods and the amount that you need to consume with you. Initially, you will lose some weight and next, you will be informed about healthier life style options and how you can become more active.

Most patients may resume activities of daily life approximately 10 days after gastric bypass surgery, but full recovery may last three to four weeks.

Complications and side effects

Gastric bypass surgery may be associated with side effects:

If you persist on bad eating habits and continue eating too much and too fast as you were doing in the past, you may suffer from pain, distension and vomiting. Our dietician and psychologist will support you while you are adapting to your new eating habit. Eating foods that are rich in sugar and fat may cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, dizziness and excessive sweating. If you do not want to suffer from these symptoms that are jointly called Damping Syndrome, you will eventually learn to avoid these foods. Moreover, this surgery is not free from complications, as is the case with all operations, and you will have the opportunity to discuss them with your surgeon.

After Gastric Bypass

Diet- and eating-related expectations

You will need some time to have the edema disappear and the stitching lines heal immediately after the gastric bypass surgery. Your digestive system will gradually adapt to your new diet regimen. Convalescence is subject to inter-patient variations, but full recovery of your body may take three to four months.

Best tips for the life after gastric bypass

Since diets do not fulfill all needs of the body, vitamin supplements are required for gastric bypass patients. Some  gastric bypass patients may develop Vitamin B12 deficiency even despite daily vitamin B12 intake. Therefore, Vitamin B12 injection may be required.

Medical concerns

The risk of a serious medical complication is relatively low after a gastric bypass surgery. However, you need to be aware of certain symptoms that necessitate emergency intervention. Damping syndrome creates a problem for most people after gastric bypass surgery.

Follow-up and support

You need to visit our team at regular intervals, participate personally or online to group meetings and seminars as well as sportive activities and events in order to be motivated and eliminate your concerns. Our bariatric surgery team will always be with you to help and support your weight-loss journey.

Gastric Bypass Diet

You will need some time to have the edema disappear and the stitching lines heal immediately after the gastric bypass surgery. Your digestive system will gradually adapt to your new diet regimen. Convalescence is subject to inter-patient variations, but full recovery of your body may take three to four months.

Initially, you will be allowed to consume clear liquids in the first two weeks after the surgery and you will be switched to liquids with grains as long as your body tolerates. You will start eating purees twice or for four times a week followed by addition of soft foods. Finally, you will start eating a diet that covers healthy and solid foods six weeks later and it will also form your long-term eating plan.

Proteins are important

Gastric bypass diet focuses on supply healthy proteins and foods with nutritional value to your body. Your body will need protein to regenerate muscles and other body tissues and to recover in the postoperative period. Since protein is not stored in your body, it should be taken in each meal. You are recommended to first eat foods that are rich in protein in your meal.

Vitamin and mineral supplements

You will need to take vitamin and mineral supplements at daily intervals immediately after the gastric bypass surgery and at least a part of the rest of your life.

Cosmetic Surgery following Gastric Bypass

Since you will lose weight quickly after the gastric bypass surgery, the skin folds and sagging may lead to a disturbing look from cosmetic perspective, although it is not always the case.

We recommend you to reach and stabilize your optimal body weight, before considering a cosmetic surgery.