Who should consider this surgery

Like other Bariatric Surgeries, Sleeve Gastrectomy is typically advised when one suffers from Morbid Obesity (BMI over 32.5 for Indians and other Asians). It can help you lose weight if other methods are not giving or maintaining results. Remaining obese can lead to many potentially life-threatening conditions like:

• Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
• Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Infertility – Both males and females
• Cancer of many kinds are related to excess fat

Diet after Sleeve Gastrectomy:

It is recommended that you eat healthy diet after any kind of Weight Loss Surgery and not repeat the same mistakes with diet as in past. Diet should be:

High in protein

Low in fat and sugar

You should eat small regular meals and avoid snacking. Your Bariatric Surgeon and his team will guide you through various stages of diet after surgery. Liquid diet is recommended for first few days after surgery which is gradually changed to normal consistency diet as per your recovery and tolerance.

You are also asked to take multivitamins and calcium after surgery.

Excercise after Sleeve Gastrectomy:

Light activity is started right on the day of surgery. Patient is allowed to move around in room and corridors of hospital on evening of surgery till discharge in one or two days. Thereafter one can do light work like taking care of one self, walking in a park, climbing stairs etc. Heavy weight lifting is usually avoided till 30 to 45 days from surgery for the risk of hernia formation. Thereafter one can join gym if desired or do other strenuous activities like sports etc. if one is interested otherwise a minimum level of activity like daily walking is recommended. Your doctor will advice you further depending upon you age, health and your capacity to do exercise.

How to proceed:

After you have made your mind to get out of obesity and start a new life, you should visit a Bariatric Surgery Hospital and get yourself examined. Their team will evaluate you condition and guide you how to proceed. Some blood are usually done before surgery like:

Blood Tests

Ultrasound of abdomen

Endoscopy (optional)

ECG

Xray Chest

Echocardiagraphy (optional)

Colour Doppler of legs (optional)

You are likely to be examined by some other doctors as well like cardiologist, anaesthesiologist, pulmonologist etc. but it differs from case to case.

It is recommended to visit your doctor empty stomach on the morning of your appointment so that all tests can be done same day if you are willing. Otherwise you may have to wait till afternoon or visit some other day for tests which require you to be empty stomach.

It is also recommended to quit smoking and alcohol for at least 4 weeks prior to surgery and stop or decrease them after surgery. 

Course in the hospital

You are likely to be admitted a day before surgery so that you are comfortable staying in the hospital and all necessary arrangements are in place before you are shifted to operation theatre for surgery.

I/V catheter will be inserted (which is used to give fluids routinely). Once inside operation theatre, anaesthetist will give some drugs to make to sleep and you will not come to know anything about the surgery.

Surgery involves small cuts on abdomen and these days no big cut of open surgery is needed making surgery more cosmetic, less painful and recovery is also very quick. Procedure lasts anywhere between 45 minutes to 2 hours.

By the time patient is awake, surgery is entirely complete.

You will be asked to start walking in the evening and doctor may allow you to start taking oral liquids same evening or next day morning. You may be shifted back to your room directly or may be kept in ICU for observation depending upon your recovery. Most patients are able to go home in one to two days after surgery.

Risks

As with any other major surgery, sleeve gastrectomy also has certain risks involved like:

• Infection
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Adverse reactions to drugs or anaesthesia
• Blood clots
• Breathing trouble
• Leak
• Etc.

Very rarely, complications of sleeve gastrectomy can be fatal.

Course after Surgery:

You will be happy to see rapid and sustained weight loss happening to you which you have not experienced ever before. But as body starts to accept this weight loss, one may feel the following on certain days during first few months:

• Tiredness
• Body aches
• Feeling cold
• Dry skin
• Hair thinning and hair loss
• Mood changes etc.

These are usually short lasting and improve on their own

Results

Results of any weight loss surgery vary depending upon a lot of factors but if you follow advice of your doctor well and live a healthy life-style, you can expect to lose most of your excess weight in 6 months to two years and main it as well.

In addition to weight loss, sleeve gastrectomy may improve or resolve conditions related to being overweight, including:

• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Type 2 diabetes
• Stroke
• Infertility

Sleeve gastrectomy surgery can also improve your ability to perform routine daily activities, and can help improve your quality of life.

What not to do after any weight loss surgery:

Frequent snacking

High calorie diet especially liquids

No physical activity

Missing follow-up with your doctor