For someone witha BMI of 45-46 is Weight loss surgery a good option?!
Question:
For someone witha BMI of 45-46 is Weight loss surgery a good option?
Answers:
Each individual is different. When diet and exercise are faithfully applied and unsuccessful, surgery is an option. The Roux-en-Y procedure induces a permenant state of primary malnutrition, meaning you can't absorb nutrients effectively. I have seen some really impressive changes from both surgery and old fashioned exercise and "push-away" from the table. If you decide on surgery, consider the permanance of the change. Aside from the medical complications that are still frequent, and significant, if you were to have another issue that required additional nutritional support (cancer, say) getting enough calories to sustain you would be difficult at best.
Deciding about surgery for obesity
General reasons to have surgery:
Depending on the type of surgery, you may lose from about 30% to 80% of your excess weight (the weight above what is considered healthy).
You have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher or a BMI of 35 or higher and a health problem, such as diabetes.
You have tried diet, activity, and medications and have lost little or no weight.
Losing weight will reduce related health problems such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, and sleep apnea.
Are there other reasons that you might want to have surgery?
General reasons not to have surgery:
You have a history of alcohol abuse.
You have untreated depression or another major psychiatric disorder.
You are younger than 18 or older than 65.
Risks common to all surgery for weight loss include infection of the abdominal cavity, a blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism), gallstones, and nutritional deficiencies that can result in anemia or osteoporosis.1, 4
There is a risk of death. Fewer than 3 in 200 (1.5%) die after surgery for weight loss.
Surgery is expensive if insurance does not cover it.
You will only be able to eat small amounts of food after the surgery, which can cause nutritional problems.
Rapid weight loss may cause an excess of flabby skin, which may require more surgery to remove it.
Are there other reasons that you might not want have surgery?