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Bariatric (weight loss) surgery is an effective weight loss procedure performed on people who are dangerously obese and have failed to lose pounds with a healthy diet and exercise.
Bariatric surgery is billed as the life-changing procedure that improves an individual's physical and mental health as well as appearance. According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS), major developments in the field of bariatric surgery, particularly laparoscopy, has made it the most effective treatment for morbidly obese patients.
There are a variety of weight loss surgeries, including gastric bypass, gastric sleeve and gastric banding, that aim to reduce the amount of food you can consume at a given time by reducing the stomach size or/and bypassing some of the small intestine so that fewer calories are absorbed into the bloodstream.
These weight loss surgeries have been seen as an increasingly attractive option for obese patients in recent years. But people who have had any kind of bariatric surgery could experience side effects that can be dangerous and even life-threatening.
Common Side Effects
Nausea, Vomiting and Abdominal Discomfort
Eating too quickly, taking large bites, not chewing well enough, eating foods that are too dry or tough or consuming food in large quantity at one time can bring on abdominal discomfort in many people after weight loss surgery. Eating less than 'mindfully' can cause nausea, vomiting and other complications.Dehydration, Constipation
Ingesting water inappropriately after bariatric surgery can lead to dehydration. It is essential to drink about 2 liters of liquid a day during the first few weeks after weight loss surgery. Consuming fluid in larger quantity could create complications as well. Constipation is another bariatric surgery complication that may occur due to lack of water consumption. So, be sure to maintain adequate fluid intake after bariatric surgery.Dairy Food Intolerance
There is also a possibility that you may develop intolerance to some foods, mainly to dairy food items like milk and milk products. Some patients struggle to digest cheese or ice cream, or any other gummy foods like bread, pasta, and rice as well as steak and pizza.
Hair loss or hair thinning, fatigue, dry skin, abdominal pain and mood swings are other bariatric surgery side effects.
Dangerous Side Effects
Dumping Syndrome
Many bariatric surgery patients can experience "dumping syndrome," which occurs as the result of rapid emptying of undigested stomach contents into the small intestine. This complication mostly happens following gastric bypass surgery. Although the condition itself is not considered a serious health concern, the associated symptoms can be extremely unpleasant. They include nausea, shaking, weakness, sweating, faintness, tiredness, nightmares, rapid heart rate, excessive hunger and stomach cramping after meals.Malabsorption and Malnutrition
The potentially severe complications can include malabsorption, where body fails to absorb nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract effectively. The deficiency of calcium and iron in the body can cause anemia, diarrhea, and even bone disease. Nutritional deficiencies after the surgery can have an everlasting effect on your life. The NIH statistic shows that nearly 30% of bariatric surgery patients develop nutritional deficiencies like anemia or osteoporosis.NIPHS
Although rare, but some patients may deal with a serious complication called Non-Insulinoma Pancreatogenous Hypoglycemia Syndrome or very low blood sugar levels. Bariatric patients with this complication may experience severe neurologic symptoms, including frequent episodes of confusion throughout the day, visual disturbances and seizures.Suicide
A review of nearly 17,000 bariatric operations performed from 1995 to 2004 in Pennsylvania suggested that weight loss surgery patients can also be at greater risk of suicide.Risk of Death
Some studies have associated the weight loss surgery with a higher-than-expected risk of death. According to the study results, not only the older patients, even the younger patients may die after the surgery.
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