Am I a Good Candidate for Gastric Bypass?

Home Blog Am I a Good Candidate for Gastric Bypass?
portrait of plus size woman Posted on Saturday May 1, 2021 | Bariatric Surgery, Gastric Bypass, Obesity, Weight Loss
People who are obese, as in those who have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more, are at increased risk for many serious health conditions, including:
  • High blood pressure
  • High LDL (bad) and low HDL (good) cholesterol
  • High triglyceride levels
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Vein disease
  • Gallbladder disease
  • Stroke
  • Mental illness
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Sleep apnea and breathing problems
  • Pain conditions
  • All-cause mortality

These conditions all greatly decrease quality of life.

At The Bariatric Experts in Frisco and Abilene, Texas, Dr. Scott Stowers and his team provide solutions for severely overweight and obese patients, including gastric bypass surgery. Though this is a serious step to take, they believe that, for the right candidates, the procedure can be literally life-saving. Here’s what you need to know.

What is gastric bypass surgery?

Gastric bypass surgery, also referred to as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), is a type of weight loss (bariatric) surgery used to both restrict the amount of food a person can eat and limit nutrient — and calorie — absorption by the small intestine. It’s a procedure that requires complete commitment by the patient to make permanent lifestyle changes once it’s been done; they need to change the way they eat and exercise to maintain their results and to avoid potential health complications.

According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, gastric bypass is the “gold standard” of weight loss surgery. It’s a more complex operation than adjustable gastric banding or sleeve gastrectomy, but it’s associated with greater and more sustained weight loss — 60-80% excess weight loss long-term.

First, the surgeon creates a small stomach pouch, capable of holding only about one ounce or 30 milliliters. Next, he divides the first portion of the small intestine (duodenum) and connects the bottom end to the new stomach pouch. He finishes the procedure by connecting the top portion of the divided small intestine further down so that stomach acids and digestive enzymes can mix with and digest food.

The gastric bypass works in three ways. First, the new stomach pouch is considerably smaller than the original, meaning it can only hold a limited amount of food and a limited amount of calories. Second, since the stomach doesn’t digest as much food, and since the segment of the small intestine that would normally absorb calories and nutrients is bypassed, the body can no longer absorb as many calories and nutrients. And third, rerouting the food stream changes the levels of gut hormones that promote a sense of fullness, suppress hunger, and reverse one mechanism by which obesity induces type 2 diabetes.

Who’s a good candidate for gastric bypass?

As the surgery requires a lifetime commitment on the patient’s part to radically alter their eating and exercising patterns,they must meet a number of different criteria to be considered a good candidate.

Medically, the person must have a:

  • BMI equal to or greater than 40
  • BMI over 35 with at least one health condition related to obesity
  • BMI over 30 with type 2 diabetes that can’t be managed

In addition, they must not have any of the following conditions:

  • Unstable coronary artery disease or heart failure
  • End-stage lung disease
  • Drug and/or alcohol dependency
  • Untreated or uncontrolled bulimia nervosa
  • Untreated major depression or psychosis
  • Impaired cognitive function and/or inability to stick to to lifelong vitamin replacement
  • Crohn’s disease (inflammation of small intestine)
  • Severe bleeding disorder

Since patients must commit to lifestyle changes post-surgery, even if they meet all the criteria above, they still have to undergo psychological and cognitive assessments that:

  • Analyze behaviors that could enhance or impair the ability to sustain weight loss after surgery
  • Evaluate for potential substance abuse and eating disorders
  • Access motivation and executive functioning skills, such as planning and organizing, important for adhering to postoperative dietary and exercise regimen

Post-surgery commitments

Following surgery, you must commit to:

  • Eat three (or six smaller) nutrient-packed meals each day
  • Incorporate protein into every meal; consume protein shakes between meals
  • Eat protein first, starch last
  • Use fats only to flavor or keep food moist
  • Chew slowly and thoroughly; stop eating when full
  • Avoid all foods high in sugar or fat
  • Drink sufficiently (around two liters of water a day)
  • Exercise regularly (30 minutes, five to seven days a week)

You also need to go to all of your follow-up appointments with your surgeon and bariatric dietitian to monitor your progress and watch for any problems.

If you’re overweight or obese and dealing with weight-related health complications and decreased quality of life, gastric bypass surgery might be an effective treatment for you. Give The Bariatric Experts a call at 940-577-2090, or schedule a consultation with us online. We can help.