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Gastric bypass surgery was once a last-chance resort for the morbidly obese to shed pounds quickly and easily. Of late, the surgery has been marketed as a first option for weight loss – an effortless means of losing large amounts of weight quickly. The surgery is a way to lose weight due to an imposed lifestyle change, rather than a conscientious decision to change eating habits and become more active. Although they are not inevitable, gastric bypass complications are often severe and occur with sufficient frequency that it should make you think twice before making the decision to have the surgery.
Gastric bypass is an extremely risky surgery. Researchers at the University of Washington conducted studies concluding that 1 in 50 people die within a month of undergoing gastric bypass surgery. Five times as many deaths occurs if the surgeon is inexperienced. 10-20 percent of patients require some sort of follow-up operation to correct a complication of the surgery. Abdominal hernias, abscess, ulcers, gallstones, embolism (blood clots), and gastrointestinal leaking from staple breakdown are common. And that's just in the early post-operative period. There may also be other side effects and complications which have not yet become apparent. It's important to remember that in addition to being a very risky procedure, gastric bypass is also a new procedure. As such, there may be other complications and side effects which have not yet become apparent.
Almost 30 percent of patients who undergo gastric bypass develop nutritional deficiencies. A gastric bypass causes the food you consume to bypass the duodenum and jejunum – places where important minerals are absorbed into the bloodstream. Patients are at high risk for developing iron deficiency anemia, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and calcium deficiencies. On the extreme, after patient Loren Root received gastric bypass surgery, she dropped to a dangerous 87 pounds due to malnutrition and an inability to consume enough food to maintain a healthy weight.
Gastric bypass may seem like a convenient solution, but easy solutions to complicated problems are rarely as easy as they first seem. Gastric bypass complications are life-threatening, so before deciding to have the surgery, do some research – especially on the surgeons in your area. Also, make every effort to find natural ways to lose weight that work for you. It may take some extra effort, but it's worth it to avoid the complications which can result from a dangerous procedure.
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Source by Susannah Young
