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Pros and Cons of Surgical Weight Loss Methods

surgeonIf you are seriously overweight, you may be considering weight loss surgery. However, that is not a decision to be taken lightly. Bariatric surgery will have a major impact on your health and your life as a whole. Because the procedure is now so widely accepted, some people have started to think that it is also an easy procedure, but that is not true. If you are considering it, you have to consider the pros and cons first. Let’s take a look.

Pros of Bariatric Surgery

  • You will no longer have to take any, or at least as many, prescription drugs. Diseases such as type 2 diabetes, asthma, autoimmune diseases, and high blood pressure can all be cured by losing weight.
  • Your quality of life will be greatly improved, meaning that you can take enjoyment out of life and out of activities with your family and friends as well. You can go to water parks, on roller coasters, and travel with ease. You will once again be able to enjoy the great outdoors. And you will also see an improvement in sexual relationships.
  • Your cost of prescriptions will drop significantly as well. This is one of the reasons why many insurance companies now cover bariatric surgery, as patients will require less lifelong medication overall.
  • Your overall health will improve significantly. You will really start to notice this when you have lost 50% of your excess weight.
  • You will be less likely to develop cancer. While this is true for all forms of cancer, kidney, esophageal, colon, and breast cancer is particularly reduced.
  • You and your family will engage in better, healthier eating habits. This means that you will have the chance to become a role model to the rest of your family and even your friends.

Cons of Bariatric Surgery

  • Bariatric surgery isn’t cheap. And while, if you meet the criteria, your insurance company may cover some of the cost, this is usually no more than 80%. Plus, there are some costs outside of the surgery itself, such as aftercare and dietician consultation.
  • You will have to take time off work. Recovery from surgery is usually between two and six weeks, and you won’t know how much time you will need until you have had the surgery.
  • There are some serious complications associated with the surgery. 40% of patients have at least one complication, although these are often only moderate. Mortality rates, by now, are less than 1% however.
  • You may require further surgery. This can be as a result of complications like leaks or hernias, but also cosmetic surgery to remove skin.
  • The cost of your food will go up, because healthier food tends to be more expensive. Furthermore, you will need to purchase supplements.

When you consider whether or not you will have bariatric surgery, you need to discuss these pros and cons in great detail with your surgeon. Overall, however, the pros greatly outweigh the cons, not in the least because bariatric surgery is essentially a life saving procedure.

If you have any questions, please ask below!