Weight Loss Treatments & Services

Gastric Bypass BenefitsBenefits of gastric bypass when compared to other weight loss surgeries:

• Rapid weight loss for six months to a year
• Permanent weight-loss measure
• Considerable reduction in obesity-related health issues, including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea
• Produces weight loss where diet, exercise, and other measures have failed

The gastric bypass procedure begins with the removal of a substantial portion of the stomach in order to create a smaller gastric pouch and limit eating. After the stomach has been reduced in size, weight loss surgeons identify a portion of the small intestine to be bypassed during digestion. Once that section of small intestine is removed, the intestine is then re-connected to the stomach. Gastric bypass patients eat less, feel full, and only partially absorb the calories they consume.

Candidates for gastric bypass surgery will have a Body Mass Index (BMI) above 40, which translates to being over 100 pounds overweight for men and 80 pounds for women. Gastric bypass may also be an option for people with a BMI between 35 and 40 who suffer from chronic conditions or life-threatening complications associated with obesity.

Recovery after the gastric bypass procedure usually involves a three-day hospital stay for patients. Gastric bypass patients are typically able to return to work within three weeks of the procedure. Because the gastric bypass procedure shortens the digestive process and reduces the body’s ability to extract calories and nutrients from food, vigilance about nutrition and vitamin supplements will become a lifelong necessity following the gastric bypass weight loss surgery.

Gastric bypass surgery patients generally lose 75-80% of their excess body weight within two years of the procedure. The most dramatic weight loss occurs during the first six to eight months after undergoing gastric bypass.