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, there are many types of weight loss procedures that 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 have had favorable results with the surgery. [1]

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

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

The Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass surgery makes the stomach smaller and makes you able to eat a lot less. Food then passes through the stomach, and it allows food to skip the small intestine – which will get you to 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.

Who is the Bypass Surgery For?

Bypass surgery is for people who are struggling with weight loss, but mainly those who have a BMI of 35-39%. 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, many people.

What the Gastric Bypass Surgery Doesn’t Do

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

How this Weight Loss Procedure Works

There are several different options of 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: the 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 is then removed and the parts connecting to the smaller stomach pouch is disconnected. This process is called Roux-En-Y. By disconnecting the parts, food passes from the stomach into the jejunum, this results in the lack of calories and nutrients. This is why bariatric patients have malabsorption.

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. It’s important the people who’ve had gastric bypass surgery regularly take vitamins, and some people have to have regular B12 shots.

Related: Risks of Gastric Bypass Surgery

Overall, 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 is severely impacting your life, you are encouraged to get the 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; find out 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.

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 make sure there are no leaks or complications. Patients can typically expect to return to their 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 that have performed over one hundred or more surgeries per year usually have lower complications. As a well-established procedure that has been around since 1966, death is very rare when the procedure is performed by an experienced surgeon.

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