Individuals who are obese can have a difficult time losing weight. Although diet and exercise are beneficial for weight loss, it may not be enough to lose enough pounds to be at a healthy weight.
For those who are obese and have difficulty with weight loss, gastric sleeve surgery is an ideal option to shed unwanted pounds. There are many places that offer the procedure, but having gastric sleeve in Tijuana can be more affordable than other places.
What is Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
Gastric sleeve surgery is also referred to as “vertical sleeve gastrectomy.” Gastric sleeve in Mexico is a bariatric surgical procedure that significantly reduces the size of the stomach, which results in a smaller stomach that resembles a sleeve. When an individual has gastric sleeve surgery, the stomach will be the size of a banana.
After an individual has the surgery, he or she will feel fuller much longer. Gastric sleeve surgery also effectively reduces the body’s production of hunger-inducing hormones, which will lead to long-term weight loss and overall improved health.
How the Procedure Works
An individual who has gastric sleeve surgery will be administered general anesthesia before the procedure begins. General anesthesia is medication that will keep a patient asleep throughout the procedure, which will block the patient from feeling pain.
In most cases, the surgical procedure is performed using a small camera that is put in the stomach. The camera is called a laparoscope, and it will enable the surgeon to see inside the stomach during the procedure.
The surgeon will administer 2 to 5 tiny incisions in an individual’s stomach. The scope and all the instruments will be inserted through the tiny incisions. The laparoscope is then connected to a video monitor, which will enable the surgeon to see inside the stomach the entire duration of the procedure. The surgeon will remove most of a patient’s stomach. The surgeon will then join what remains of the stomach together using surgical staples. The result will be a stomach that is a long vertical tube that resembles a banana.
The surgeon will then remove the camera and all other instruments that were used during the procedure, and the cuts are stitched close. During the procedure, the surgeon will not remove or alter any sphincter muscles that enable food to pass through the stomach. The entire procedure takes about 60 to 90 minutes.
In some cases, the surgeon will recommended that a patient have his or her gallbladder removed, which is called a cholecystectomy. This will prevent a patient from developing gallstones, which can happen as a result of gastric sleeve surgery. The cholecystectomy may be performed before the surgery, or a surgeon can perform the cholecystectomy during the gastric sleeve surgery.
Why Have Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
If an individual is obese and has not been able to successfully shed enough pounds to be at a healthy weight, then he or she may want to consider gastric sleeve surgery. However, it is important for an individual to remember that gastric sleeve surgery will not enable him or her to lose weight without a lifestyle change. When an obese individual has gastric sleeve surgery, the best way to lose weight after gastric sleeve surgery is to eat healthy foods, use portion control, and exercise. When these factors are combined, an individual will easily lose the weight that is needed to be healthy.
Who are Ideal Candidates for Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
There are certain factors that can make an individual an ideal candidate for gastric sleeve surgery. If an individual has a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40, then he or she could benefit from gastric sleeve surgery. If an indiviudal has a BMI that is greater than 40, then he or she is at least 100 pounds overweight. A BMI that is over 35 can put an individual at risk for developing serious health complications. Here are some health complications that can result from obesity:
Heart Disease
When an individual’s body mass index increases, the risk for developing heart disease also increases. Coronary heart disease is a condition where plaque accumulates inside the coronary arteries. Coronary arteries are essential for providing an individual’s heart with oxygen-rich blood. The plaque will reduce blood flow to the heart, which can cause a heart attack. An obese individual is also at a risk for heart failure, which is a condition where an individual’s heart is not able to adequately pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body.
Stroke
If an individual is obese, then it can cause a blood clot to form because of plaque accumulation in the arteries. When the blood clot is close to the brain, it can block oxygen flow to the brain and cause a stroke. Those with a higher BMI index have an increased risk for having a stroke.
Type 2 Diabetes
If an individual has type 2 diabetes, then he or she is at an increased risk of death, stroke, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease. In most cases, those who are overweight have type 2 diabetes.
Gastric sleeve surgery is also a great option for individuals who are too overweight to have other types of weight loss surgery. The surgery is not able to be reversed once it is complete, so it is important that an individual takes time to consider if this is the best option to meet his or her needs.
Recovery After Gastric Sleeve Surgery
The First Day After Surgery
After an individual has gastric sleeve surgery, he or she will go through a recovery period. The first day after surgery, an individual will usually feel moderate pain. Pain medication is usually given through an IV or pills to ease pain after surgery.
The first day after surgery, an individual may be given clear fluids. Based on the person, some patients may feel hungry and some may not, but is important that patients stay hydrated after gastric sleeve surgery. The first day after gastric sleeve surgery, patients may be offered broth, unsweetened beverages, milk, or sugar-free jello.
It is important to remember only small amounts of fluid intake are recommended at this point. An individual should avoid carbonated beverages and beverages that contain caffeine. Caffeine intake is a common reason patients have to be readmitted after gastric sleeve surgery because caffeine acts as a diuretic.
2 to 3 Days After Surgery
A few days after surgery, a recommended diet will be based on the individual. In some cases, the diet may still consist of clear liquids. When the doctor has cleared you from the liquid diet, then certain foods can be added to the diet. However, these foods must be pureed, which will be the consistency of a thick liquid. Yogurt, soft fruits, and beans can be easily pureed and are ideal for an individual recovering from gastric sleeve surgery.
At this point, an individual’s body is still healing, so strenuous activity is not recommended. However, a slow walk around an individual’s home for a couple of minutes may be acceptable.
1 to 2 Weeks After Surgery
A few weeks after surgery, an indiviudal should continue to eat foods that are pureed. It is important to maintain the diet regimen the doctor recommended to avoid a leak from occurring, which is life-threatening.
The surgeon will provide an individual with an exercise routine to follow. Light exercise, such as daily walks, are usually recommended. Most individuals are recommended to walk for 3 to 5 times a day for no longer than 10 minutes. At this point in recovery, other types of activity are not yet recommended. It is important for an individual to remember to build stamina gradually, which will take several months.
Gastric sleeve surgery is considered much safer than other weight loss surgeries because only a small portion of the stomach is removed, which makes an indiviudal less susceptible for developing infections and experiencing other surgical complications. Gastric sleeve surgery enables an individual’s intestines to stay intact, which also makes the procedure a safer alternative than other types of weight loss surgery.
If you are obese and want to consider having a gastric sleeve in Mexico, then there are many benefits the surgery has to offer. Although you have many places to choose from, gastric sleeve in Tijuana is a safe and affordable location to have the procedure.
