Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss: What happens?

Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery is a relatively new procedure that helps obese individuals recover their normal weight. The stomach is reduced to a small size permanently and is not reversible. Yet many obese patients opt for this irreversible procedure bcause they fear for their health. Body Mass Index is often the deciding factor. When it reaches 40 or more they opt for Gastric Sleeve Surgery, a procedure that also involves massive changes in lifestyle.

The gastric sleeve weight loss solution is a welcome help for obese patients who have struggled for years with the extra pounds and diabetes or even heart conditions. While it is no easy procedure, gastric sleeve is a lifesaving procedure for Americans who usually choose to have this type of surgery abroad. The Latin America provides lower costs, making Colombia, Mexico and Costa Rica preferred destinations for them.

But what happens during the gastric sleeve surgery?

Also called Sleeve gastrectomy the procedure involves two-stages: First the sleeve gastrectomy, and then the laparoscopic conversion into a gastric bypass or duodenal switch. A large quantity of excess weight may be lost after the first procedure alone, but if weight loss ceases the second step is performed. In most cases, the bariatric surgeon will perform gastric sleeve surgery by laparoscopy. This means that the incisions will be very small, as opposed to traditional surgery.  The gastric sleeve surgery takes about an hour under total anesthesia.

After surgery, recovery takes from 2-3 days to a week. Gastric sleeve weight loss is slower than gastric bypass. Yet you can expect to lose around 60-70 percent of excess body fat within a year after surgery.

The important factor to consider with gastric sleeve weight loss is the diet. The patient should do massive changes in their diet when trying to lose weight after surgery so learning to love fruits and veggies are a must. 800 calories a day will sound like too little food for some but as you shed pound after pound you get used to eating less.