Gastric sleeve surgery, or sleeve gastrectomy, is a medical weight-loss procedure to treat obesity when your body mass index, or “BMI,” is between 35 and 40, helping to relieve serious, secondary health problems such as diabetes, cardiac disease, high blood pressure or sleep apnea. If you have had little to no success with other weight-loss methods, then gastric-sleeve surgery may be an option.
How Gastric-Sleeve Surgery Works
Sleeve gastrectomy is a minimally invasive procedure that permanently reduces the size of your stomach by 80 to 90 percent, limiting your dietary and caloric intake. The procedure takes less than an hour, performed laparoscopically through several small incisions. Using a small surgical laparoscope affixed with a small camera and light, laparoscopic surgery generally has fewer side effects than traditional open surgery and improves the surgeon’s field of vision and overall accuracy.
What to Do After Gastric-Sleeve Surgery
As with any surgical procedure, the pre-operative process will include detailed instructions from your surgeon about recovery and what you can expect in the few days, weeks, and months after your sleeve-gastrectomy surgery is complete. There will be a number of dietary and lifestyle adjustments that you will have to make in order to maintain lasting, healthy weight loss.
Have a Plan
Even after the procedure, you will have to practice good nutrition and exercise. Working with your medical team to design the diet, nutrition, and exercise plan that is best for your lifestyle and medical needs before surgery will make for a smoother and more successful transition.
Follow Doctor’s Orders
You may feel better sooner than expected, but it is still important to take all of your medication according to the doctor’s prescription and follow the guidelines designed specifically for your recovery.
Prepare Yourself Both Mentally and Emotionally
Even with all of the research and planning in the world, the surgery will require a major lifestyle overhaul and adjustment. Ask for help when you need it.
Establish a Support System
From the gym to grocery shopping buddies, recovery is easier with friends. Don’t go it alone.
Keep Up With the Follow-Up
Ongoing check-ups are essential for keeping your recovery on track and making any necessary adjustments to your recovery plan to ensure that you look and feel your best in the long run.
Sleeve Gastrectomy in Birmingham, AL
After you’ve tried everything else, minimally invasive gastric-sleeve weight-loss surgery may be the right option for you. For more information — and to take advantage of our BMI Priority Pass — contact our office by calling (205) 833-6907 to schedule a consultation today.
