Gastric sleeve surgeries help reduce severe obesity. Such level of obesity might make a person impossible to reduce through exercise and diet. It is only normal to wonder what gastric sleeve results after 1 month can be since you are considering taking the risk of going through this procedure.
Want to know what does it entail and why are so many people opting for it? How effective will the results be? We’ll answer all of them here.
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What is gastric sleeve surgery?
Gastric sleeve surgery, commonly known as gastrectomy, is an advanced bariatric surgery that causes weight loss. Medical professionals prefer to use the term vertical sleeve gastrectomy. It is a minimally invasive treatment, and surgeons mostly use a laparoscope to complete it.
How to prepare yourself for the surgery?
If you pass the health screening, it indicates that you qualify for gastrectomy. The next step is to switch to a liquid diet for two weeks. This aims to lose at least some fat from the abdomen naturally.
Your doctor will also advise you to refrain from eating for 12 hours before the operation. Obeying this is crucial as your stomach must be empty during the surgery. Having food in the stomach at the time of surgery can have dangerous implications.
On the date of the surgery, reach the hospital in advance and make yourself comfortable. Sleep well the night before to keep stress at bay. You should also ask a family member to accompany you to the treatment centre.
How does the surgery take place?
First, the surgeon will make multiple small incisions into the patient’s abdomen. After that, he will insert a long and thin tube through the holes. This tube has a tiny camera and various instruments attached to it.
The surgery will cut away almost 80% of your stomach, and that’s how it decreases in size. Lastly, the surgeon will staple together the edges of the remaining portion of your stomach.
Unlike other weight loss surgeries, gastrectomy is simple and short. The entire procedure should not take more than two hours. Doctors use general anesthesia to put the patient into deep sleep.
What will happen after the surgery?
When the surgery is over, you will have a stomach shaped like a banana. It will be 25% of the actual size of your stomach.
If there aren’t any complications, you can be back home 2-3 days after the procedure. Staying in the hospital for 48 hours is essential as the doctor would like to keep you under observation. Once you return home, the small incisions don’t take much time to heal.
Your diet will consist only of non-carbonated and sugar-free liquids for at least seven days. You may experience temporary changes like dry skin, coldness, mood changes, body aches, exhaustion, and hair loss.
Is gastrectomy worth it?
Losing weight will better your quality of life and make you agile and energetic. Besides performing daily activities effortlessly, your chances of getting affected by various ailments will also be reduced.
Such obesity-related diseases include high BP, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnea, cancer, infertility, and type 2 diabetes. So, if you tend to gain fat, weight management should top your priority list.
If nothing seems to work, gastric sleeve operation can come to your rescue. It helps you lose weight in the following ways:
- Your stomach will become smaller and you will feel full after taking in fewer calories
- The surgery will remove the ghrelin-producing part of your stomach
Ghrelin is a hormone that makes us hungry. So, if it’s not there, there is no chance of feeling hungry now and then. The American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery asserts that you can lose a minimum of 50% of fat.
But will the gastric sleeve results after 1 month be this excellent? Scroll down to learn about it in detail.
How common is gastrectomy?
Sleeve gastrectomy is among the most widely performed surgeries in the US to induce weight loss. More than 50% of bariatric surgeries that take place in America every year are gastric sleeve surgeries. The total number of sleeve gastrectomy performed per year is 380,000 worldwide.
Gastric sleeve results after 1 month
Excess fat takes 18-24 months to leave your body after gastric sleeve surgery. Some people who maintain their diet strictly lose nearly 70% of excess weight in the first year. If you think you will be slim within a month, that won’t happen. You should wait at least 90 days to notice visible results.
For long-term slimness, you should continue being mindful of your consumption. Working out at the gym will make it easier for you to stay fit. Your food habits, sleep quality, and physical activity level will also play a role in this.
You may check gastric sleeve photos on the internet before and after 3 months to understand how much your body can change.
Before and after stats will offer you a reasonable representation of results. But it will not explain accuracy as it depends from one patient to another.
Are you a good candidate for gastrectomy?
Now that you know about the gastric sleeve results after 1 month, will it benefit you?
Before saying yes to any type of bariatric surgery, you must be eligible for it. You must meet specific criteria to ensure the treatment works for you.
Doctors suggest gastrectomy to people when weight-loss medications and dietary changes fail to show dramatic results.
They check various factors like the BMI (body mass index) and other obesity-related conditions. For instance, if your BMI score is 40+, you qualify for gastric sleeve surgery.
You should also be mentally and physically prepared for the surgery. You must know the recovery process in detail and meet dieticians, surgeons, and psychologists to make an informed decision.
So, if you consider gastric sleeve surgery, you must discuss it with your doctor. Your healthcare provider will determine if the procedure will be safe for you.
Complications and risks
With almost every surgical procedure, there can be some side effects. Gastric sleeve is one of the safest procedures with few risks involved. However, patients have observed the following complications after the operation:
Hemorrhage
If there is internal bleeding, it is a matter of concern, and you should seek immediate medical assistance. Bleeding from the site of the surgery should also not be neglected.
Pulmonary embolism
In rare cases, clotted blood ends up traveling to the lungs, thus leading to pulmonary embolism.
Pneumonia
Pain after the surgery may cause a patient to take shallow breaths. This can lead to pneumonia or lung infections.
DVT (deep vein thrombosis)
Blood clots may form in your vein during recovery. This generally happens in the leg vein, termed deep vein thrombosis.
Irregular heartbeat
Did you know that surgery may also trigger irregular heartbeat? Atrial fibrillation, although not that common, can cause discomfort.
Have a look at some other side effects specific to this operation:
Stenosis
When part of the gastric sleeve closes, there can be an obstruction in the person’s stomach.
Heartburn
If you often complain of heartburn, reshaping the stomach might worsen it. Some people who never had heartburn problems reported suffering from it post-gastrectomy. Over-the-counter medicines can treat this effectively.
Gastric leaks
Sometimes, stomach fluids leak through the suture line when the surgeon sews your stomach back together.
Vitamin deficiencies
Studies have proved that the section of the stomach removed during the surgery is partly responsible for absorbing essential vitamins. Hence, taking vitamin supplements will be necessary.
Other concerns
A recurring concern is that when you lose significant body mass, there will be excess skin. This happens with most people as much weight loss occurs over a brief period. If this bothers you, you can get the loose skin surgically removed. But note that your body can take up to 18 months to stabilize after gastrectomy.
Hence, you should be patient if you have a skin removal procedure in mind. Until then, you can rely on simple techniques to tighten loose skin. For example, firming cream and oils work well.
Lastly, unlike several other surgeries, the outcome of gastric sleeve operation is irreversible. If you do not like the gastric sleeve results after 1 month, you can’t do anything about it. Your stomach will not go back to the way it used to be.
Will your diet change after a gastric sleeve operation?
If your gastric sleeve results after 1 month are unsatisfactory, you may be doing something wrong. It is crucial to remember that making changes to your diet is mandatory if you want to get back in shape quickly. The first thing that you need to do is make healthier food choices.
Weight gain is inevitable if you:
- Keep eating unhealthy and processed food
- Don’t move around
- Eat a lot
Hence, if you don’t stick to the diet provided by your nutritionist, you will start putting on weight again. So, before booking an appointment with a surgeon, ask yourself if you are ready.
Will you be able to change your lifestyle per your doctor’s suggestions? If you can commit to that, ensure you look attractive and regain your confidence.
What to eat before and after the surgery?
Before the gastric sleeve surgery, you should promise to eat healthy for the rest of your life. The dietary changes that most surgeons suggest usually include the following standard guidelines:
- When two weeks are left for the procedure, it’ll be better to eliminate sugar from your daily diet
- Increase the protein intake and lower the consumption of carbohydrates
- Ingesting clear liquids is the best option two days before the operation and the first week after it
- There must not be any presence of caffeine in the drinks you take
- Once the surgery is successful, you can have clear liquids and pureed food
When can you relish solid foods again?
To return to your regular diet, you must wait almost a month. However, your appetite won’t be the same anymore, so controlling your hunger pangs won’t be challenging.
After a month, your doctor will signal you to eat simple, homemade meals.
Some people suffer from nutritional deficiencies as their diet suddenly becomes limited. So, even if you have smaller meals, they must be rich in nutrients.
Taking multivitamins and calcium supplements will be wise to give your body all vital nutrients. Some people also require B-12 shots every month as deemed suitable by their surgeons.
Some other points to keep in mind are:
- Wait for 30 minutes after finishing your meal, and then drink water.
- Stop drinking water while you eat to avoid overfilling the new stomach
- Don’t be careless about taking your supplements
- Chew your food thoroughly before swallowing
The bottom line
Gastric sleeve surgery is an excellent option if you’ve struggled to fit into your old clothes. As it will decrease the size of your stomach, you will naturally feel less hungry.
Regarding the gastric sleeve results after 1 month, you should not have unrealistic expectations. Keep exercising and eat a balanced diet as at least 50% of your excess fat will disappear if you follow these.
Healthy eating is an art when everyone starts complimenting you, enjoy the journey and stay fit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How much weight can you lose in the first month after gastric sleeve?
In the first 30 days after gastric sleeve, most patients can lose around 15% of excess fat. However, the weight loss timeline differs from one person to another.
2. Is it normal to gain weight 1 month after gastric sleeve?
No, gaining weight one month after gastrectomy is not a common occurrence. Some people may stop losing weight 6 months after the surgery if they have the habit of overeating.