Gastric Bypass
Gastric bypass surgery is a really serious procedure and for it to get done, a lot of preoperative tests are done to the patients. Besides the tests, endocrinology and psychiatry professors examine the patients too.
They make sure that the hormones of the patient are normal and that they are mentally ready for this long surgery and healing process. If they decide that the patient is ready to undergo gastric bypass surgery, the obesity surgery department starts the process.
There are two categories of gastric bypass surgeries. The first one is Mini Gastric Bypass (MBG), which is easier, and the other one is the traditional Roux-en-Y (R-YGB) surgery.
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Gastric Bypass Surgery Cost
Gastric bypass surgeries are expensive medical procedures because of their importance. Also, some insurance providers might not cover the surgery prices since it can be an optional surgery to get. The cost of gastric bypass surgery can differ depending on the region, the medical center, and the doctor who is doing the surgery. Even the patient’s conditions can change the price. Countries around the world have different price ranges for gastric bypass surgeries.
| Country | EUR | USD | GBP |
|---|---|---|---|
United States |
€15,000 - €25,000 | $17,000 - $28,000 | £13,000 - £22,000 |
United Kingdom |
€12,000 - €20,000 | $14,000 - $23,000 | £11,000 - £18,000 |
Türkiye |
€4,000 - €8,000 | $4,500 - $9,000 | £3,500 - £7,000 |
Can You Lead a Normal Life After a Gastric Bypass?
After the gastric bypass surgery, the patient stays in the hospital for four days to one week under control. When they are allowed to go home a dietitian gives them a diet to follow until the first doctor checkup. Since the body is adapting to a new digestive system it is really important to follow the six week long diet. In the first two years after the gastric bypass surgery the patient is checked by obesity surgeons, endocrine and psychiatry departments regularly. The patient should not drive in the first two weeks after the surgery and should not lift heavy stuff for six weeks. The doctor determines if the patient is well enough to return to work after two to eight weeks. After their surgical incisions are fully healed, the patients have to do exercises daily in order to make the weight losing process work. The process of healing differs for every patient but it can be said that the gastric bypass recovery time takes a maximum of two years.
Gastric Bypass Surgery in Turkey
Gastric bypass surgery is one of the most popular bariatric surgeries done in Turkey. Most of the best doctors who have mastered this procedure apply for gastric bypass surgery in Istanbul. There are even special clinics and hospitals which are known for the success in gastric bypass surgeries. It is one of the most famous procedures of medical tourism in Turkey.
The prices are lower compared to Europe, the US, and the UK. Also, Turkey has great advantages when it comes to the health sector. Because of the advantages listed below, thousands of patients come to Turkey from all around the world for health care.
To qualify for gastric bypass surgery, you usually need to have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher, or a BMI of 35 with serious health problems like diabetes or heart disease. Additionally, you should be committed to making long-term lifestyle changes to achieve your weight loss goals. Bariatric surgeons will evaluate your health and determine if this surgical procedure is the best option for you.
The recovery time after a gastric bypass procedure typically takes several weeks. Initially, you will be on a liquid diet, gradually progressing to soft foods and eventually normal foods as your digestive system heals. Most people can return to normal activities within 3 to 5 weeks. During recovery, it’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions to avoid complications like blood clots and ensure the best possible outcome for your quality of life and long-term weight loss.
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Mini Gastric Bypass (MBG)
Mini Gastric Bypass (MBG) is a type of bariatric surgery that helps people lose weight by reducing the amount of food their stomach can hold.
During this surgical procedure, the surgeon creates a smaller stomach by forming a small pouch, then connects it directly to the small intestine. This means food bypasses most of the stomach, leading to long-term weight loss.
MBG is considered simpler and faster than other bypass procedures, making it a popular choice for those seeking effective weight loss solutions.
Roux-en-Y (R-YGB) Surgery
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (R-YGB) is another type of bariatric surgery that involves creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach and connecting it directly to the small intestine.
This gastric bypass procedure limits the amount of food you can eat and alters the digestive system to help you achieve your weight loss goals.
The Roux en Y gastric bypass is one of the most common and effective types of bariatric surgery for significant, long-term weight loss.
Gastric Bypass Side Effects
Gastric bypass surgeries can cause some of the same side effects as other surgeries. There are risks that can happen right after the surgery. These include anesthesia-related responses, severe bleeding, and wound infections. These side effects can happen right after the surgery, so the patient will still be in the hospital, where the doctors will intervene immediately. Besides these, gastric bypass surgeries can cause long-term complications.
Even though they rarely happen and the risks are really low, those side effects are bowel obstruction, dumping syndrome, gallstones, hernias, infection inside the abdominal cavity, low blood sugar levels, malnutrition, and ulcers. However, with the current technology and the experience of the surgeons, these side effects almost never occur. But, in the first six months, it is totally normal to feel side effects like body aches, feeling tired, feeling cold, having dry skin, hair thinning or loss, and mood swings. These are mostly caused by the fact that your small intestine absorbs fewer nutrients and your body consumes less food.
Less experienced side effects are the changes in taste. Some patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery have reported that they have experienced changes in their appetites. After the surgery, they found the food they loved less appealing. However, they said that this side effect has helped them lose more weight.
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Gastric Bypass vs Gastric Sleeve
Both gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgeries are really effective and successful ways of treating obesity. The doctors decide which surgery the patient has to go under by applying tests and talking with the patient.
Gastric sleeve surgery involves cutting and taking out a part of the stomach, while the gastric bypass does not take out any parts of the organs of the body; it just changes the way they are connected to each other. Both of the surgeries help the patient lose a lot of weight, but the gastric bypass is proven to be more successful in helping weight loss than the gastric sleeve.
Gastric bypass surgery changes the way food comes to the small intestine when the gastric sleeve only reduces the volume of the stomach. However, the gastric sleeve has fewer side effects and can cause fewer nutritional deficiencies compared to gastric bypass surgeries.
Gastric Bypass vs Sleeve
When comparing gastric bypass to gastric sleeve surgery, both are effective for weight loss, but they work differently. Gastric bypass involves creating a small pouch in the stomach and bypassing a part of the small intestine, which reduces the amount of food you can eat and how many calories you absorb. Gastric sleeve surgery, on the other hand, removes a large portion of the stomach to create a smaller stomach. Both surgeries have similar results, but gastric bypass might be better for those with severe obesity or related health issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happens to Your Body After a Gastric Bypass?
After the gastric bypass surgery, the way your digestive system works is changed by the modifications made by surgeons to your stomach and the small intestine. Your stomach volume is reduced, and the food that you consume bypasses most of the small intestine. Following the procedure, you lose weight rapidly and can keep losing weight as long as you adhere to your doctor’s recommendations. Since your small intestine absorbs less food and nutrients, it is possible for you to feel tired and sick after a gastric bypass. You must take vitamins orally and consume a lot of water to avoid this.
How Painful Is Gastric Bypass?
The gastric bypass procedure is a surgical procedure, so some discomfort is expected. However, most patients find the pain to be manageable. Bariatric surgeons use modern techniques and pain management methods to minimize discomfort during recovery. After surgery, you might feel some pain around the incisions, but this typically lessens as you heal. Most patients return to normal activities within a few weeks.
What Can You Never Eat After Gastric Bypass?
Your body struggles to adjust to a new, unfamiliar digestive system. Because of this adaptation process the body finds it harder to digest some food. However, we cannot say that the patient cannot eat some food ever again after the gastric bypass surgery but there are some foods that are recommended to eat less after the surgery. Two years after the procedure, the patient can resume their regular diets, however doing so will result in weight increase once more. There is a special gastric bypass diet that the patient must follow. The patient should follow the given strict diet and exercise to lose weight healthily after the surgery. In the first two weeks, mostly liquids are consumed. In the first several months, the patient loses weight really quickly, but 70–80% of the excessive weight is lost in approximately two years. Sugary foods and drinks, fast foods, tough meats, carbonated beverages, alcohol, tobacco and fibrous vegetables are not allowed in the first few months and are not recommended after that. However, that does not mean you will never be able to consume them again.
How Many Years Does Gastric Bypass Last?
Gastric bypass surgery is considered as a long-term and effective solution for obesity treatment. The reason for that is that the surgery changes the way the digestive system works, so the treatment becomes a new lifestyle. It can be said that the patient can lose weight for almost ten years if they follow the doctor’s instructions carefully. But this surgery changes the way things work inside your body. This raises the question: is gastric bypass reversible? No, it’s not a reversible surgery. Even though it can almost make the patient lose weight for ten years, it is not something to be taken out of the body like an implant. The organs’ shapes and connections to one another are altered by the gastric bypass surgery. Some researchers say that it can be possible to reverse the gastric bypass from before, but today it is not allowed to do the reverting surgery. Because it may cause a lot of complications, including the death of the patient.