Gastric Sleeve Surgery Results
Undergoing gastric sleeve surgery results in a reduction on the amount of food that you can consumed. How much your health improves from the surgery and how much weight you lose will entirely depend on you strictly following your surgeon’s instructions and eventually adjusting your physical activities and eating habits.
If you do stick to the plan, eat as prescribed and get a bit of exercise every day, you can expect to lose more than half the excess weight in less than 12 months, and more than 3/4 of the extra weight in less than 24 months.
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Gastric Sleeve Surgery Results – Overview
- 2 – 4 day stay in the hospital following surgery
- Some pain which will subside after the first 2 weeks
- Liquid diet for the first 2 weeks, progressing to solid foods within 8 weeks
- Lose 50% to 70% of excess weight in 6 – 12 months
- Lose 70% to 85% of the excess weight in 12 – 24 months
- Symptoms of Obesity-related illnesses will diminish
- Some obesity-related illnesses may disappear entirely
The following is an overview of the gastric sleeve surgery results you should expect in the following weeks the procedure, and its long term effects.
Gastric Sleeve Surgery Results – The First Two Weeks
The surgery alone takes about one to two hours after which you are to stay for a couple of days in a hospital to recover. Take note that your abdomen will be swollen and sore and your surgeon will be giving you some pain medication to relieve you of the pain.
Since your body will have to adjust after surgery, you need to heed your surgeon’s advice strictly, and it would also be a good idea to get your love ones involved to help make your surgery a success. You do not want to do anything that could hamper your recovery and cause some complications following your surgery, and your loved ones can help support you through the entire process.
The pain will slowly subside, and the incisions will begin to heal a bit more each day. You will be on a liquid diet for the first two weeks to minimize the stress on your stomach so that it can heal properly.
Gastric Sleeve Surgery Results – The Next Two Months
Once you have been discharged from the hospital and has strictly followed the liquid diet that was prescribed, foods may now be slowly introduced. This would mean that after the liquid diet, you may progress to pureed foods. And after the two weeks of pureed foods, soft solid foods may now be ingested as per your surgeon’s approval. When your shift to solid foods has begun, you may be obliged to change your eating habits and they are as follows:
- Chew your food slowly
- Eat in small portions
- Chew your food thoroughly before swallowing
- Drink your beverage 30 minutes before or after your meal but not during the meal
These are lifelong changes that must be made, so it is very necessary that you think of this type of weight loss surgery as a lifestyle change rather than a quick-fix solution to obesity.
Gastric Sleeve Surgery Results – Long Term
Since the gastric sleeve by itself is a new way to treat obesity, the data to support the long-term effects is still not yet available, but the initial reports are very promising, but many patients have seen a dramatic weight loss after only 2 years, and huge health improvements within 5 years. If you choose to make the safe lifestyle changes that the other patients had undergone after the sleeve surgery, then you must pay particular attention to these points in order to maintain your weight:
- Have a daily physical exercise for at least 30 minutes five times a day
- Look for a support group
- Be self taught on how to modify your behavior regarding food
- Follow the dietary guidelines laid out by your surgeon
The gastric sleeve surgery results after a dietary change are very similar to those of the gastric bypass surgery. You may lose from 50% – 70% of your excess weight in the first 6 to 12 months after the surgery, and 70% – 85% within the next 12 months. Another benefit is that those who have undergone the gastric sleeve gastrectomy do not experience the ‘dumping syndrome’ since the digestive system is not rerouted like in the case of the gastric bypass. Because the small intestine is not bypassed during the gastric sleeve surgery, there is no risk of malabsorption. The body will function to absorb all the nutrients that are in your food.
In some cases, patients that once suffered from illnesses such as type II diabetes have required less and less insulin, some have eliminated the need to inject insulin altogether. In many cases, the risk of heart problems has significantly dropped. Patients no longer suffer from sleep apnea. Many patients have seen a drastic drop in high cholesterol eliminating the need for medication.
There are many health benefits that gastric sleeve surgery results in, however the data is still coming in, but so far the results are very good. Many individuals who have undergone the gastric sleeve are showing a great improvement in health. If you would like to know more about what to expect from this procedure, and how is can help you improve your health, speak with your doctor about the gastric sleeve surgery results.
