Questions and Answers

Almost immediately after the surgery, doctors will require you to get up and move about. Walking also decreases the risk of getting life-threatening blood clots. Patients are asked to walk or stand at the bedside on the night of surgery, take several walks the next day and thereafter. On leaving the hospital, you may be […] Read More

If you do not follow the guidelines after having bariatric surgery, you can still be obese and malnourished at the same time. Read More

No. Doctors encourage you not to drink alcohol after surgery. It is dangerous since alcohol rapidly enters the intestine in all the procedures and can become unexpectedly toxic. Alcohol also contains too many calories and will slow or limit weight loss. Read More

No. Doctors do not recommend smoking after surgery. We encourage you to stop smoking at least 3 months before surgery.  We routinely check your blood levels of nicotine and byproducts to make sure nothing is in the blood. Nicotine products greatly interfere with wound healing and increase risks of severe complications such as leaks, infection, […] Read More

Recovery is easier after lap-band procedures – placing an inflatable band around the stomach that can be reduced in size to restrict eating. Lap bands, however, may not be as effective. Lap bands require a great deal of patient compliance with diet as well as with visits to the physician. With gastric bypass, most people […] Read More

Reduction in nutrient absorption following a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is fairly minimal. The major problem comes from iron and vitamin B12. These are poorly absorbed and need to be supplemented. Calcium absorption is reduced and needs supplementation. A primary care physician should conduct annual checks of basic nutritional measures. Read More

The mortality rate for bariatric operations ranges from 0.2 to 1.8 percent. This relates to the patient’s risk for complications. Surgery on obese individuals is inherently high-risk. Many of the complications that cause postoperative death are not related specifically to bariatric surgery; rather, they are a function of obesity. For example, one of the most […] Read More

Current recommendations allow for bariatric surgery if there are significant obesity-related medical conditions for those with BMI ranging between 35 and 40. More studies are needed before clear recommendations can be given regarding the safety/efficacy profile for patients with BMI less than 40. Read More

Over time, stretching of the stomach may occur. No one has clearly documented that this really happens. It is known that weight loss is not related to pouch size or the size of the connection between the stomach and small intestine. It has been clearly shown that subsequent operations to reduce the size of large […] Read More

Ghrelin is a hormone secreted by the stomach that induces appetite. Studies looking to see if ghrelin is affected by gastric bypass are very inconsistent. Based on currently available information, no one can conclude that ghrelin is involved in the gastric bypass effect on eating. The exact mechanisms by which gastric bypass works remain unknown. […] Read More