7 Myths about Weight Loss Surgeries

Obesity is more than a weight-related condition. It can affect different parts of the body, causing many life-threatening complications and decreasing the quality of life and life expectancy. Generally, an imbalance in the intake and consumption of calories could lead to obesity. In other words, it happens when the amount of calories burned is much less than the amount received. This condition may be caused by an eating disorder giving rise to overeating.

However, in many cases, metabolic changes give rise to a complex medical condition that makes losing weight nearly impossible. In such cases, mere exercise and diet don’t help much with losing weight. So to reduce the risk of many complications, weight loss surgery is advised not just as a cosmetic solution leading to a smaller size, but to save lives from many life-threatening complications and diseases simply caused by obesity. While many people suffer from obesity and are qualified for some type of bariatric surgery, only a small fraction go for the procedure.

This may have come from some widely prevalent misconceptions about such surgeries. First of all, many people feel guilty about being obese, simply blaming themselves for not having control over their eating habits. They think they should feel responsible for being obese, so must lose weight on their own. However, what they don’t consider is that, as mentioned above, this is not always the case. The imbalance may be a metabolic disorder where eating less and exercising more don’t bring about so much of a change. Still, when someone’s health is threatened by obesity, losing an enormous amount of weight in a short time is a must and this can’t be achieved by diet and exercise only. But the myths and misconceptions don’t stop there. Let’s go through some of the common myths about weight loss surgeries and see why they’re wrong..

1. Bariatric Surgery is Very Dangerous

While any surgery, especially those involving anesthesia, comes with risks, bariatric surgeries are among the safest ones. In fact, the risk of bariatric surgeries is even less than many commonplace surgeries such as gallbladder removals. Still,

when you compare the pros and cons of undergoing a weight loss surgery you will see the benefits far outweigh the probable downsides. Losing weight dramatically decreases the risk of life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Moreover, a 90% decrease in premature deaths in obese people undergoing bariatric surgery was reported by studies which is not something you can’t ignore.

2. The Lost Weight Will Be Back Soon

If this myth were true, the whole surgery thing would be nonsense, a total waste of time and money. Then why would doctors highly recommend bariatric surgery to extremely obese people?

The truth is that most of the weight loss happens in the first year, normally within 8 to 12 months following the surgery when patients lose 50 to 100 pounds, regardless of their eating habits. However, the hormonal effects of the surgery will subside over time. So, if you adopt a couch-potato lifestyle and stick to unhealthy overeating habits, the weight loss stops and much of it is likely to be regained. About 30% of the people undergoing the surgery regain a great deal of the weight they’ve lost in the first five years. Yet, according to studies in this field, 70% keep the weight off even 10 years after the surgery which confirms the long-term effects of weight loss surgery in the majority of patients, particularly compared to those losing weight without surgical solutions.

Also Read: Start Your Day Right: A Healthy Breakfast and Effective Diet for Weight Loss and Fitness

3. Weight Loss Surgery Is the Permanent Cure for Obesity

Again, not true. Weight loss surgery is a wonderful and motivational fighting chance that provides a great start for you by making a change in your digestive system helping you to shed tens of pounds in a short time, which is almost impossible otherwise. Yet, staying on the right track largely depends on your choices. Obesity is mainly the result of bad eating habits. If you start overeating after bariatric surgery, you are quite likely to face obesity again. In addition, it can be even more dangerous to your health as it could impose more risks on the altered organ.  “Dumping syndrome” is one of the complications that may happen after the surgery in case too much food enters the intestine in a very short time, which can cause vomiting and dizziness.

Therefore, if you want to help yourself and enjoy the benefits of this surgery as much as possible, you also need to make a change in your lifestyle by eating healthier, doing regular exercise, and getting enough sleep.

4. Weight Loss Surgery Is for Lazy People

Certainly not. As we mentioned above, in many cases, obesity is a complex disease involving metabolic disorders which can not be simply controlled by mere diet and exercise. And yet, in any case, weight loss surgery is a turning point for changing your habits. Changing a lifestyle is not something a lazy person can afford. So, if people commit to these new changes, it means that they’re determined to start a healthier life which definitely doesn’t seem lazy to me.

Also Read: Do I Need Weight Loss Surgery? Which One Is The Best For Me?

5. Weight Loss Surgery Is the Last Resort

On the contrary to this misconception, moving bariatric surgery up the line is really beneficial. The sooner you do it, the better results you achieve. While having a BMI over 30 makes you qualify for such surgeries, a BMI over 40 means you should seriously consider having it. According to an expert panel at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it is almost impossible for extremely obese people to have long-term weight loss without undergoing bariatric surgery. Therefore, delaying the surgery and keeping it away as the last resort will only give your obesity more time to keep growing, give rise to other diseases such as diabetes and vascular diseases, and sabotage your quality of life. In fact, many people who went under the knife expressed that they wished they’d done it sooner. Moreover, weight loss surgeries’ outcome is more dramatic in people with lower BMI.

6. You Should Give up on Having Children if You Undergo Bariatric Surgery

Let me first remind you that one of the complications caused by obesity is fertility disorder. Weight loss significantly increases the fertility rate and also testosterone level in men. Therefore, if weight loss is recommended as a solution to obesity-driven infertility issues, it would be quite irrational to have to say goodbye to the dream of having a child after having weight loss surgery. However, you’ll be advised to avoid getting pregnant in the first two years after the surgery, when the whole purpose of the operation is to increase weight loss, exactly the opposite of what is intended during pregnancy. Many people face a weight loss plateau after 2 years. Then would be a good time if you wish to get pregnant.

However, consulting your doctor will help you to follow the safest plan and timing which is best for you considering your special situation.

7. Weight Loss Surgeries Leave Big Scars

That might have been partly true in the past. However, great technological advancements have brought about modern techniques that come with minimal scars and blood loss and also need a very short recovery time afterward.

Pin-hole surgery, also known as laparoscopic surgery, has now replaced open surgery which used to leave big scars and were more painful. So, if you’re a weight loss surgery candidate, scars shouldn’t be an issue of concern to you.

Last Word

So that was all about the seven myths misleading many bariatric surgery candidates. Now that you’ve learned all about them you can make a better-informed decision about your options. We may have mentioned it numerous times, yet for the last time: Weight loss surgery is a great solution for people who want and need to lose a substantial amount of weight. But, in order to keep that weight off for the rest of your life and reap the benefits of its long-term effects, you must make healthier choices and commit to a healthier lifestyle.