Millions of people each year line up to try various weight loss programs and techniques. Unfortunately, most of these individuals will fail and never manage to keep weight off long-term.

If you’re looking to lose weight by having surgery, many types of weight loss procedures are extremely effective. Fortunately, the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass surgery is a reasonably safe and effective surgery for weight-loss patients. In 2008, 200,000 people had this operation, and most had favorable results with the surgery. [1]

Facts You Should Know About Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery

Facts to Know Before You Undergo Gastric Bypass Surgery

Here are five things to be aware of before your RNY gastric bypass operation,

1. How Does Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery Work?

The Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass surgery makes the stomach smaller and allows you to eat a lot less. Food then passes through the stomach, allowing food to skip the small intestine, making you feel fuller than ever before.

Gastric Bypass Surgery RNY Schematic

It limits the amount of food that you eat and lowers your risk of obesity. The Roux-En-Y isn’t a solve-all, but it can work – and has worked – for many people.

2. Who is the Bypass Surgery For?

Bypass surgery is for people struggling with weight loss, but mainly those with a 35-39% BMI. People who cannot walk or participate in a daily activity because of their weight can have this surgery, although they should be acquainted with the risks involved in taking part in the operation. However, it is a successful surgery and has helped many people.

3. What the Gastric Bypass Surgery Doesn’t Do

The bypass doesn’t guarantee that you’ll always be healthy, and it doesn’t say that you’ll always feel fit every day. You’ll have to maintain a healthy lifestyle after the gastric bypass, and you’ll have to eat healthily and live healthy. The gastric bypass surgery is not a cure-all.

4. What are the Risks Involved?

There are some risks involved, just like any other surgery. For example, there is vitamin and mineral deficiency, which is a danger. Dehydration, a bleeding stomach ulcer, intolerance to certain foods (foods that vary by individual), low blood sugar, and gallstones can result as a part of this surgery. People with gastric bypass surgery must regularly take vitamins, and some must have regular B12 shots.

Related: Risks of Gastric Bypass Surgery

The Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass is an effective treatment option that has helped millions of people fight obesity and lose excess weight. If obesity severely impacts your life, you should get gastric bypass surgery.

First, speak with your doctor to find out if weight loss surgery is right for you, then pick out a certified, top-rated gastric bypass surgeon you know. Don’t let excessive weight keep you from living your life; learn more about gastric bypass surgery today.

Update 2015: Although gastric bypass was once the leading choice of bariatric surgery options, gastric sleeve is now the most common weight-loss surgery. This shift in bariatric surgery preference is due to lower complications and similar expected weight loss.

5. Post-Op Recovery and Possible Complications

After this weight loss procedure, patients usually stay in the hospital for two to three days to recover safely under nursing care and, more importantly, to ensure no leaks or complications. Patients typically expect to return to physical activity within 1 to 2 months after surgery. Complications that you may run into include;

More serious complications and life-threatening include:

Bariatric hospitals with over one hundred or more yearly surgeries usually have lower complications. As a well-established procedure that has been around since 1966, death is very rare when an experienced surgeon performs the procedure.

How is the Bypass Procedure Performed

There are several different options for gastric bypass, and the preferred method, the one discussed here, is where the doctor creates a small pouch in your stomach. The stomach is then stapled, and a little pocket is created for food around a part of your small intestine.

The bariatric surgeon divides the stomach into two parts: a large part and a smaller part. Next, the surgeon will staple or sew the smaller part of the stomach to create a stomach pouch. The smaller stomach pouch results in patients eating less and feeling full faster.

The remaining larger parts of the stomach are then removed, and the parts connecting to the smaller stomach pouch are disconnected. This process is called Roux-En-Y. By disconnecting the parts, food passes from the stomach into the jejunum, which results in a lack of calories and nutrients. This is why bariatric patients have malabsorption.

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