The side effects of weight loss surgery are such that they should not be ignored. It is one of the things that one should look at before they embark on this journey of weight loss. Whilst it may not require any form of physical activity, it has it disadvantages and some of them can be very disastrous to one’s mental well being. In some cases, it can even lead to death. Here are a few things that you need to know about the side effect of weight loss surgery:
Black outs
One side effect to know is that this causes blackout in the individual due to low blood glucose also known as hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia can cause problems like extreme sweating, seizures, excessive hunger, dizziness, confusion, shaking, elevated heart rate and even blackouts (which has been known to be the cause of some traffic collisions). A change of eating method is to be used, but in some serious cases, the need to completely or partially remove the pancreas to limit the amount of insulin it produces can become an issue. Here are some of the symptoms of severe hypoglycemia can include; Confusion, Lightheadedness, Rapid heart rate, Shaking, Sweating, Excessive hunger, Headaches in the morning, Nightmares.
“Dumping Syndrome”
The dumping syndrome is as a result of when the small intestine fills up (very quickly at that) with undigested food, it spills over and then falls or “dumps” directly into the small intestine, while this symptom may show up immediately to some people, for the others it can take as long as 3hours. This is one of the common issues faced and it can also cause nausea, diarrhea, or painful abdominal cramps.
Risk of death
Research taken has discovered that a higher increase in the death rate following surgery. In a study of more than 16,000 subjects, more than 5 percent of men and nearly 3 percent of women aged 35 to 44 were dead within a year of the weight loss surgery. There was also a slight rate discovered in patients age 45 to 54 and among other patients age 65 to 74. 13 percent of men and about 6 percent of women died.
Malnutrition, infection, shock to the system
This new change can cause utmost shock to the body, and a lot of reactions begin to take places due to the changes that have happened. There is a disrupted gall bladder problem, a bowel movement, infection arising from somewhere and malnutrition in general. Older patients tend to suffer more of these problems. Gastric bypass is the most common U.S. obesity surgery. About 160,000 people undergo gastric bypass surgery every year.
Incontinence
Another side effect is incontinence, and it is the least discussed but the most embarrassing side effect. An example was the Al Roker’s incidence at the White House, while this might not cause serious medical issues, it can affect one’s state of mind or emotional well-being, even socially too. This also involves urinary issues too. This has helped made some bypass surgery side effects public, giving this situation the proper attention that it needs.
Substance abuse
Those that undergo the weight loss surgery still have an emotional attachment to food, since they can’t enjoy what they normally had to soothe their emotions they turn to illicit substances. Unlike following a diet regime, where by you can discipline yourself to eat when you are to eat, and see food as a helping source but not the ‘be all end all’ last resort. According to a survey, there is an increase in substance abuse of 50% merely two years after an operation. Sudden changes can cause an imbalance to the body leading to many issues, in all, it seems going for the traditional route of diet and exercise is the best way to deal with these issues after a surgery.
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