Three Things You Need To Know Before A Gastric Bypass

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Gastric bypass surgery is used every year to help thousands of American's try to lose weight and keep it off for good. Considering millions of American's are obese, it should come as no surprise the popularity of this procedure, but it is not just as simple as it may sound from the outside. There are a few conditions that have to be met before you will likely be able to go through with a gastric bypass, and it is important to know these so that you have the best chance of success in the long term. Here are three things you should know before you ask your doctor or surgeon to complete a gastric bypass for you.

Quit Smoking

Yes, it can be hard to quit smoking, but if you want to undergo a gastric bypass, then most doctors will require you to quit smoking around four weeks before the procedure. The simple fact is that this is an already complicated procedure, and smoking elevates the risks of future complications. Your body may not be able to handle the shock of such a change in lifestyle, and smoking puts you more at risk for a heart attack or pneumonia after the surgery. 

Current Medication

If you are currently on any kind of long-term medication for a chronic condition, then you will have to disclose this to your doctor or surgeon (if they don't already know about it) and see what the possible ramifications of this are. Sometimes other medical problems will preclude you from having gastric bypass surgery because the risk is too great. Most of the time a minor break in your medication can be budgeted for, and you can still have the surgery, but it is important for your healthcare professionals to know all the facts.

Lifestyle Changes

Often the hardest part of gastric bypass surgery is not the actual procedure but sticking to a new lifestyle that involves different, more nutritious food. Gastric bypass surgery isn't a simple cure for obesity. It will most certainly help and make the journey a lot easier, but you still need to be committed to it for it to take hold. Some doctors will advise you to change most of your eating habits before they even put you under so that you prove that you can last when the surgery is done. Talk to a gastric bypass specialist, and see what they think about your particular condition. You will get a much more personalized diagnosis and can know how much effort you will have to put in to make this work. 


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