Do You Know The Side Effects Of Obesity Surgery?

Traditional obesity surgery—often referred to as gastric bypass surgery—accomplishes two goals. First, the stomach is stapled so that the small pouch left can only hold a small amount of food. Second, the small pouch of stomach is attached directly to the middle portion of the small intestine so that it bypasses (hence the name) the upper portion of the small intestine where nutrients and calories are absorbed.

Of course, any time you so dramatically alter the human body, you can expect side effects, and obesity surgery is no exception. There are several reported side effects of obesity surgery. Five of the more common ones are as follows:

Side Effects Of Obesity Surgery #1: Decreased Ability To Absorb Minerals

If calories and nutrients can’t be properly absorbed, it makes sense that the minerals the body needs to function will not be properly absorbed, either. Almost all patients who have been through gastric bypass surgery must take vitamins with iron and calcium. Almost ¼ of gastric bypass patients require monthly injections of Vitamin B12.

Side Effects Of Obesity Surgery #2: Hibernation Syndrome

In addition to the trauma of going through a surgical procedure, the body, which now is no longer absorbing nutrients properly, sends a signal to the brain that it is starving. The brain immediately decreases all non-essential activities so that the patient can survive the “famine.” This may cause the patient to feel extremely tired with no energy to get up and move, go to work, complete household chores, or pay attention to children. Additionally, the patient may become depressed over their lethargic condition. Hibernation typically only lasts a few weeks, long enough for the body to adjust to its new circumstances, but the sheer exhaustion involved makes this time period feel like it will last forever.

Side Effects Of Obesity Surgery #3: Dumping Syndrome

This syndrome is as bad as it sounds. Because part of the bowel has been bypassed, people who have had gastric bypass surgery may feel sudden, intense urges to defecate. Some obesity surgery patients report occasional incontinence of bowel.

Side Effects of Obesity Surgery #4: Loose Skin

Obesity surgery does help people lose weight rapidly. When very heavy people lose weight fast, their skin becomes loose, almost like a garment they have outgrown. Those who have lost weight with obesity surgery often complain of unattractive loose folds of skin hanging from their bodies. This skin can’t be toned, because there is no muscle in it to tone (the muscle lies underneath the skin). Typically, cosmetic surgery, which most insurance companies will not pay for, is the only way to get rid of unwanted loose skin.

Side Effects of Obesity Surgery #5: Regaining Weight

Even a stapled stomach can be slowly expanded to hold more food. Just like people who try other diets, many people who go through the trauma of weight loss surgery find themselves regaining the weight they lost and then some.

Gastric bypass surgery provides a way for patients whose lives are at risk to lose weight quickly, it is not without its problems. There are many side effects of obesity surgery, and some patients may find these side effects unacceptable. However you choose to lose weight, getting the pounds off and keeping them off will require lifestyle changes and self-discipline on your part. There is no magic cure for obesity.

Prozac And Obesity: Why Depression Is Common Among Obese People

For the past several years, some of the doctors have been known to give obese patients anti-depressant drugs such as Prozac to help them cope with their problems. Studies show that obesity and depression have become very closely related anti-depressant drugs, such as Prozac, and obesity seemed to be closely linked nowadays.

According to experts, people who take anti-depressants often suffer from insomnia and restlessness that can lead to several other forms of medical complications. What is more alarming is that people who have been taking anti-depressant drugs tend to suffer from withdrawal symptoms as soon as they are taken off the drugs. There have been so many reported cases of people who have been taken off their anti-depressant medication who became so depressed and suicidal that they are considered to be a danger to themselves and to others. In most cases, these people have to be taken into hospitals for close monitoring and treatment.

The link between Prozac and obesity has become so common in the past few years that several sectors have raised the alarm on the issue. According to some experts, in many cases, Prozac and obesity have become so closely related that some people have come see of this drug as a cure to obesity. Unfortunately, Prozac is designed to help people who are depressed and not to cure obesity. Prozac and obesity does not belong to the same category although the two of them are closely related to each other.

Getting Professional Help

Drugs should be used as a last resort when fighting obesity. Note that Prozac and obesity doesn’t have to go together all the time. There are ways and means to prevent obesity in the first place so we should all take advantage of these natural methods of preventing obesity. For instance, doing a lot of physical activities that will burn the calories that we have eaten will not only keep us slim, it will also build our muscles and keep us fit.

What is more interesting about doing exercise is that it helps us shake away the blues. Experts believe that doing physical activities are one of the most effective ways to fight off depression so instead of taking anti-depression drugs such as Prozac, one can shake off the blues by doing some brisk walking, jogging and other low impact physical exercises.

The Importance of Prevention of Obesity in Women

Obesity is a problem worldwide and with men and women of all races and ages. However, there are certain methods that can be used in order to prevent or at least strive to prevent obesity, and this is particularly important when it comes to women. This is because the overall effects of obesity on women is much more devastating than on men, and so women even more so need to take the issue of obesity seriously.

Prevention of Obesity in Women

The most important step is prevention, and so this means taking the proper and basically necessary steps in order to avoid becoming obese in the first place, rather than simply dealing with the problem once it is too late.

One of the most important steps in regards to the prevention of obesity in women is to make sure that they are getting the proper amount of exercise. Although you would think having children would keep you on the go all the time and thus offer you the proper amount of physical activity, this is actually not necessarily true.

In fact, although you may be on your feet running after your children all day every day, you need to make sure that you are getting actually physically exerting exercises in. Running around the house can in no way compare to a good half hour of crunches, squats, and leg lifts.

So even if you have several children that you tend after, you are nonetheless going to want to try and make sure that you get to the gym at least once a week, or even work out right in your home if you have to.

Another crucial step for the prevention of obesity in women involves the diet. A woman needs many more nutrients and vitamins than a man, and so you need to make sure that you are eating a healthy and balanced diet each and every day. This does not mean that you have to get the expected number of food servings, or be overly cautious about what you eat, but just make sure that you are eating lots of fruits and vegetables and drinking at least eight glasses of water a day.

Regular checkups are also vital for the prevention of obesity in women, and so you need to make sure that you go in frequently to see your doctor, so that they can keep an eye on you and keep up to date on your health.

Overall, if you are interested in the prevention of obesity in women and want to include yourself in this, then following the previously discussed steps is going to be your first and most important move. This is going to get you started on living a healthy and proper lifestyle, and not only are you at less odds of getting obese, but as well you will have less risk of being susceptible to other health problems as well.