Bariatric Surgery and Diabetes – What You Need to Know
There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Let’s start with their similarities: both are chronic diseases that affect the way your body regulates blood sugar or glucose. Glucose fuels and runs your body, and insulin produced by the pancreas is the “key” that unlocks the power of glucose and lets it enter your cells. Both types lead to chronically high blood sugar levels which increase the risk of diabetes and related complications.
Medical Tourism: Are the Savings Worth the Risks?
Traveling for bariatric surgery seems relatively common, as evidenced when you scan popular online support groups. While discounted prices and quick workups may be appealing, there are several things you should consider, especially if you are looking to go out of the country for your bariatric surgery. Medical tourism isn’t without risks and it is important you do the appropriate research and feel confident in your decision, no matter where you choose to have surgery.
Can GERD Cause Nausea and Dizziness?
Acid reflux is so common that you would likely have a hard time finding someone who has never experienced heartburn. GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is when heartburn becomes a chronic condition. Some patients associate their GERD with nausea. Something that may seem to make less sense, is dizziness from reflux. While it is not a commonly recognized symptom, it can be related to your GERD.
Anemia After Bariatric Surgery
Anemia is a blood disorder in which patients either do not have enough hemoglobin in their red blood cells or do not have enough red blood cells. Since red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, a lack of oxygen due to anemia can cause symptoms ranging from mild to severe. There are a number of causes for anemia, some of which stem from the effects of bariatric surgery.
Getting Back on Track after “Failure”
The days, weeks and months after bariatric surgery are very exciting times, to be sure. As the pounds melt off and the number on the scale decreases, most patients maintain a very high level of motivation, keeping their weight on a downward trajectory. However, the truly successful bariatric patient is the one who has mastered the art of getting back on track after a misstep.
Body Image After Weight Loss Surgery
Several people have commented about body image when we were talking about sex. Some women stated they didn’t like to undress in front of the spouse. As most of you know, patients may develop loose skin and the breasts may “deflate” after surgery.
I will encourage each of you to love yourself as you are…regardless. Whether you’re overweight or underweight, tight overweight skin or loose skin, young or old. Learn to love yourself for your mental and emotional health. You say “how do we do that?”…the answer is simple. You must practice it. Consciously tell yourself the positive things. Work on repeating the positive things about yourself but be realistic. Ask the trustworthy people in your life for feedback too.
Avoiding Weight Regain
Weight regain is a common concern for bariatric patients. For most, their struggles with weight have been life long. Countless diets, programs and pills that all lead to gaining all your lost weight back, and more. Statistically, bariatric surgery is very different from the pattern most dieters are used to. ASMBS, a leading bariatric medical society, has reported that roughly 50% of weight loss surgery patients will regain a small amount of weight in the years following their surgery. This small amount falls around 5-10% of excess weight being regained. When looking at the bigger picture, even 10% regain when over 100 pounds have been lost, is by no means a failure. But seeing the number on the scale move up can be anxiety inducing.
The Problem With Pride
I am firmly convinced that one of the biggest obstacles to successful weight loss is PRIDE. Pride keeps people from asking for help even when they are drowning. Pride keeps people from being helped even when help is offered. It is an attitude of the heart that says “I can do it on my own” and “I know better how to deal with this”. I have been as guilty of this as anyone.
The Importance of Lifestyle Changes
You will hear it said time after time, bariatric surgery is only a tool. While many believe it is, or wish it were, a quick fix, success with weight loss surgery is highly dependent on committing to important lifestyle changes. The mechanisms of surgery create restriction and in some cases change the digestive tract to limit absorption of calories. This still means that, following surgery, a bariatric patient can sustain themselves on “cheat” foods. Of course, the long term result is that improved health and weight loss success isn’t likely. So what lifestyle changes are important for bariatric patients?
Snacking After Bariatric Surgery
As you undoubtedly know from your research about bariatric surgery, the postoperative lifestyle is very different from the eating and exercise habits you had before. And while it may seem like a diet – and it is in the early parts of recovery – the long-term maintenance diet is actually very similar to what we would consider a healthy, normal diet for anyone, bariatric surgery or not. But before we get into the details of how and when to snack, let’s discuss the idea of snacking and how we may have been looking at it all wrong, probably for our entire lives.
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