Obesity is a complicated health condition that comes with dire consequences. It increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes—all these are among the leading causes of death in India. While many initiatives promote lifestyle changes, such as better eating habits, increased physical activity, and more, their effectiveness in fighting obesity is restricted. You have to opt for a more serious approach, such as bariatric surgery.
What is Bariatric Surgery?
Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery is a surgical intervention aimed at promoting weight loss by changing your digestive system. The surgery involves making your stomach smaller, thereby limiting the food you eat. It leads to a feeling of fullness after having a small portion. Bariatric surgery may also alter the small intestine, reducing calorie absorption by the body. The procedures impact your hormones, gastrointestinal bacteria, and other elements, reducing appetite and improving metabolism and insulin utilisation.
Besides helping you lose weight, this procedure also facilitates the mitigation of risks associated with some life-threatening conditions related to increased weight, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, stroke, heart disease, sleep apnoea, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, some cancers, and so on.
How to Prepare for Bariatric Surgery?
It is vital to mention that bariatric surgery alone is not a solution to obesity. You have to combine this approach with other lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise to maintain your weight in the long run. Preparing for this procedure involves some vital steps to ensure the best outcome with minimal risks. Before undergoing the procedure your healthcare team will guide you through the entire preparation process.
You will be given some detailed instructions and dietary guidelines to follow before the surgery. It includes eating specific foods, restricting specific foods, meal timing recommendations, exercising, and more. If you are on medication, you may be advised to discontinue some medications or supplements that may interfere with the procedure or anaesthesia.
Cost of Weight Loss Surgery in Delhi?
The cost of Weight Loss Surgery in Delhi varies significantly based on the type of procedure and the facility, generally ranging from ₹50,000 for endoscopic options like intragastric balloons to ₹7,00,000 for complex surgeries like biliopancreatic diversion. For common procedures, gastric bypass typically costs between ₹3,00,000 to ₹5,50,000, while sleeve gastrectomy ranges from ₹2,50,000 to ₹4,50,000, and adjustable gastric banding falls between ₹2,00,000 to ₹4,00,000. These prices often include the surgery, hospital stay, anaesthesia, and some follow-up care, but it’s important to confirm what is covered in the quoted costs with the hospital or clinic.
Pre-Surgery Diet
Before months of your surgery, the care team will introduce you to the pre-operative nutrition plan. You will be connected with a dietician who will help you understand and adopt new behaviours for eating after the surgery. All these factors will be critical in helping you achieve and maintain the benefits of surgery.
Here are some dietary recommendations that you are expected to follow.
- Quit the habit of filling your stomach too full by eating appropriate portion sizes.
- Consume enough protein to maintain muscle mass. You can aim for 60-70 grams of protein per day.
- Avoid sugary foods and drinks.
- Do not eat processed or fried foods for a few weeks before the surgery.
- Drink at least 60 ounces of water and sugar-free fluid daily.
Before ten days of your surgery, you will be instructed to swap your food for a high-protein liquid diet. These guidelines are crucial for shrinking your liver and may allow the surgeon to easily access your stomach during the procedure. You will be able to understand the specific preoperative caloric needs to optimise the procedure and reduce the risk of complications.
Lifestyle Changes Before Bariatric Surgery
Besides diet, you need to alter your lifestyle by giving up on destructive habits that may intrude on your journey of weight loss. These unhealthy habits may take a toll on your health in the long run, especially after the surgery. Hence, it is essential to quit them.
- Quit consuming tobacco in any form weeks before the surgery. Smoking or chewing tobacco may lead to an increase in possible complications during surgery. It may interfere with your body’s blood supply and interrupt its natural healing.
- Severely limit or completely eliminate the consumption of alcohol from your lifestyle. Alcohol actively works against weight-loss goals as the empty calories in alcohol contribute to gaining weight after surgery. Too much consumption of alcohol may also lead to other health conditions, such as poisoning and liver issues.
- Limit or stop the consumption of coffee, energy drinks, and caffeine in general. Although drinking caffeine is not as dangerous as other habits, this stimulant has a high sugar content. This combination doesn’t go well with your sensitive stomach after surgery.
Start With a Fitness Routine
One of the most important lifestyle changes that you will be asked to make is to pick up your fitness routine. Diet and exercise are the two pillars of a successful weight loss surgery. Lack of adequate movement or no exercise may increase the risk of health issues, such as type 2 diabetes, blood clots, and so on. You can meet a fitness expert and ask them to train you before the surgery. If you are reluctant to join a gym, you can take up other physical activities, such as walking, jogging, yoga, and more.
Additionally, you will also be given a fitness plan to follow after the surgery to maintain your weight.
Takeaway
Your bariatric surgery will be a success and recovery period will be quick and smooth if you follow the above-listed instructions. All the best.