What Happens to Your Body After Bariatric Surgery

During his decade’s long career as a bariatric surgeon and internal medicine specialist, Dr. Mustafa Ahmed, here at Southern Nevada Bariatrics in Las Vegas, has helped thousands of people achieve and maintain their weight loss.

Our medically supervised weight-loss programs combine healthy eating, exercise, and tools like bariatric surgery to help you experience the emotional rewards and positive physical effects of overcoming the challenges related to excess weight.

Dr. Ahmed explains some of the changes your body undergoes as a result of bariatric surgery and the impact those changes can have on your overall health.

How does bariatric surgery change my body?

Weight-loss surgery, also known as bariatric and metabolic surgery, reduces your stomach size so you feel full faster.

Certain types of bariatric surgery, such as gastric bypass, also alter the way your body metabolizes or breaks down food by bypassing the first portion of the small intestine. 

This limits the number of calories you can absorb and decreases the production of certain hormones that trigger your appetite.

Along with weight loss, bariatric surgery also helps you better manage (and can in some cases resolve) weight-related conditions such as:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Elevated cholesterol
  • Sleep apnea

It also reduces your risk of developing heart disease, certain cancers, and even some chronic pain conditions caused by the strain excess weight places on your muscles and joints.

In the case of type 2 diabetes, many people experience significant drops in their blood sugar levels prior to losing any weight.

Is bariatric surgery safe?

The first weight-loss surgery was performed in the 1950s. Since that time, improvements in medical technology and surgical techniques have made it a safe and successful procedure.

There are always risks involved in surgery. However, weight-loss surgeries these days are minimally invasive which means smaller incisions, decreased recovery time, and fewer potential complications than gallbladder surgery, hip replacement, hysterectomy, and other common procedures.

Dr. Ahmed also carefully evaluates your past medical history, performs a comprehensive physical exam, and typically requests lab tests to help gauge your current health status before recommending weight-loss surgery.

He also takes time to carefully explain the procedure and the possible risks as well as postsurgical expectations regarding your full return to work and other routine activities.

What can I expect after bariatric surgery?

Dr. Ahmed and our team at Southern Nevada Bariatrics provide ongoing support following your surgery and continue to meet with you regularly to discuss and evaluate your diet, weight goals, exercise routine, and other aspects of your overall health.

To maintain a healthy nutritional status following surgery, for instance, you’ll likely take daily vitamin and mineral supplements for the rest of your life and require periodic testing to monitor their effectiveness.

You may also experience problems with excess and sagging skin following a dramatic weight loss. Once you’ve reached your goal weight, you might consider cosmetic surgery to restore skin tone and tightness to your abdomen, thighs, and other affected areas.

Our goal at Southern Nevada Bariatrics is to help you take control of your physical and mental well-being by losing the excess pounds and maintaining a healthy weight for the rest of your life.

Schedule an evaluation with Dr. Ahmed today by calling our office or requesting an appointment online. 

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