Do you have third degree obesity? You diet and exercise, but to no avail. See if you can undergo bariatric surgery. It is one of the modern methods of treating the advanced obesity disease.
Bariatric surgeryis a method of treatingobesityIII degree, commonly known as enormous. If yourBMI(Body Mass Index), that isbody mass indexis 40 or more and your diets have not worked, ask your primary care physician (family doctor, internist) about bariatric surgery. Several types of bariatric surgeries are performed in Poland. The most common is sleeve gastrectomy. Other bariatric surgeries include: gastric by-pass and mini gastric bypass, and an adjustable gastric banding.
Adequate BMI is not the only requirement to qualify for bariatric surgery. We suggest what are the indications and contraindications for the surgical treatment of obesity.
Bariatric surgery: when can you get surgery?
Condition 1 /If your BMI - Body Mass Index - is:
- 40 and more or
- 35 and more, and obesity is accompanied by other complications, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, arteriosclerosis, heart disease, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis.Tip:The decision to qualify a patient for bariatric surgery is made by a bariatric surgeon, i.e. a surgeon performing bariatric procedures. When determining whether a patient can undergo surgery or not, the surgeon relies not only on the current BMI, but also on parameters from previous years. Before visiting the surgeon, remember how your weight, or body weight, has been developing - increasing or decreasing - since you became obese.
BMI is the amount of body fat in your body. To find it, divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. You can also use our handy calculator.
What about people with BMI 60 +?If you suffer from obesity, the so-called "Extremely enormous" means your BMI is equal to or greater than 60 for yoursThe surgeon may offer you a surgical treatment that consists of two stages. The first is to wear a gastric balloon for a specified period of time to help you lose weight to a certain, safe weight. The second stage of the surgical treatment will be the performance of the main bariatric surgery.
Condition 2 /If you lost weight significantly after conservative or pharmacological treatment of overweight and obesity, and then gained weight again. Conservative treatment is in other words treatment with diets and physical activity. You will be qualified for surgery if you have repeatedly tried to lose weight, but they did not bring significant results. If you manage to lose weight right before the operation, you will still be able to undergo it. This signals to the surgeon that you are ready to follow postoperative recommendations and change your lifestyle after surgery.Condition 3 /If you are over 18 and under 60. In patients with obesity outside this age range, the decision to admit to bariatric surgery is made individually, taking into account the benefits for the patient resulting from the procedure and the risk of complications. In Poland, as in the world, bariatric surgeries are already performed in adolescents.Condition 4 /If you accept the need to follow pre- and postoperative recommendations and periodic checks.
Bariatric surgery: why can't you get surgery?
There may be times when you meet the main eligibility criteria for a bariatric surgery and yet your surgeon refuses to perform your surgery. Why? For what reasons can a bariatric surgeon refuse to perform a bariatric surgery?
Reason 1 /If in your history of treatment of overweight and obesity you have not attempted conservative treatment, i.e. losing weight with the help of a proper diet and physical activity. Or when you had too little of such attempts and in too short a time to determine their longer effects.
Reason 2 /If you do not agree to the conditions of preparation for surgery, to be under the supervision of a surgeon after surgery and to participate in long-term postoperative follow-up. When choosing bariatric treatment, you must have knowing this is a very serious operation. It is only the beginning of obesity treatment. After bariatric surgery, you need to take care of your altered digestive system. Adhere to a diet that is appropriate for the type of surgery and be physically active. This way, the surgery will help you control your obesity.
Reason 3 /If you suffer from serious mental illness (e.g. schizophrenia), personality disorder or eating disorder,the consequence of which is obesity. But it also happens that the surgical treatment of obesity in a patient is undertaken at the request of his psychiatrist. What about depression? If you have episodes of depression, you can undergo bariatric surgery. In such a situation, the bariatric surgeon and your psychologist or psychiatrist agree a plan of conduct before and after the operation - lifestyle, taking medications, etc.
Reason 4 /If you are addicted to alcohol, drugs and psychoactive substances. If you are addicted to nicotine, you will have to stop smoking completely two months before your surgery is due. All the substances listed above can cause serious anesthetic complications during anesthesia for surgery and recovery, as well as surgical and systemic complications that will prevent proper operation and recovery.
Reason 5 /If you suffer from an immediate life-threatening illness such as cancer or cardiovascular disease.
Reason 6 /If, due to obesity or other diseases, you are unable to function independently and you will not receive help from relatives or social services in the most difficult times, i.e. during your hospital stay and right after the operation.
Important
Poradnikzdrowie.pl supports safe treatment and a dignified life of people suffering from obesity. This article does not contain discriminatory and stigmatizing content of people suffering from obesity.
About the author
Magdalena Gajda A specialist in obesity disease and obesity discrimination of people with diseases. President of the OD-WAGA Foundation of People with Obesity, Social Ombudsman for the Rights of People with Obesity in Poland and a representative of Poland in the European Coalition for People Living with Obesity. By profession - a journalist specializing in he alth issues, as well as a PR, social communication, storytelling and CSR specialist. Privately - obesity since childhood, after bariatric surgery in 2010. Starting weight - 136 kg, current weight - 78 kg.