Pros & Cons of Gastric Bypass

Gastric bypass surgery is a weigh loss measure for people who are at least 100 pounds overweight. These individuals have tried every diet, but they still can't manage to take the weight off. In addition, many people who consider this drastic step are concerned with other health issues, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. As with any surgery, individuals should consider the pros and cons of gastric bypass.

Rapid Weight Loss

• One of the major pros of gastric bypass surgery is how quickly people can drop weight. Some individuals lose as much as 40 pounds within the first month after surgery.

Improved Health

• Because patients rapidly lose the unwanted pounds, conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure practically disappear after the surgery. Acid reflux and sleep apnea also improve or go away.

Breathing and Energy

• Because they no longer have the extra weight, an added pro of this procedure is that individuals are no longer out of breath and have increased energy.

Excess Skin

• Individuals who opt for gastric bypass surgery are often left with unsightly excess skin because of the rapid weight loss. Some even have additional surgeries to fix this.

Blood Loss and Death

• Gastric bypass is a major surgical procedure, so there is always the risk of blood loss. If too much blood is lost, patients can go into shock and may even die.

Malnutrition

• Gastric bypass surgery reduces the stomach to the size of an egg, so individuals are forced to eat small amounts of food. So, malnourishment and the lack of important vitamins are a concern. Most people have to take multivitamins to make up the losses.