Archive for July, 2008
Bariatric Surgery Risks
What are some of the bariatric surgery risks? They range from annoying to life-threatening.
Fortunately, serious weight loss surgery complications are pretty rare; still, you need to know about them — before deciding on having bariatric surgery!
Serious Bariatric Surgery Risks
These can include the biggie (death) through infection. With the improvements to surgery, the death rate is now less than 1%, so it’s unlikely you’ll run across this complication. Nevertheless, weight loss surgery is a major medical procedure, and not to be undertaken lightly.
What are some other complications to bariatric surgery? They include:
- Pneumonia
- Thrombosis
- Infection; local or systemic
- Bleeding, possibly requiring additional surgery
Other Possible Complications
Some other complications may be just annoying or rather serious. And they can also vary depending on the type of surgery performed. Some possible complications arising from weight loss surgery include the following:
- Hernias
- Vitamin and mineral deficiency
- Dumping
- Ulcers
Now not all surgeries carry the same risks. For example, in adjustable lap band surgery, there’s a chance that the band will erode the stomach exterior, or that the saline port will flip. However, it is extremely rare for a lap band patient to experience dumping (common in gastric bypass and occasionally in duodenal switch patients).
Acid reflux and diarrhea are relatively common side effects, although they can normally be well-controlled by following the eating plan to a T.
If you want to know more about bariatric surgery risks, take a look at the page on the Obesity Help website (an excellent resource).
The best single thing you can do before deciding on whether or not to have bariatric surgery is to do your homework; look at the benefits, risks and what you can expect 5 or 10 years from now. Then you’re in a better position to decide if it’s right for you
Tags: Is There Sugar in Your Salt?
I just read something in The Diet Solutions Program that kind of woke me up. It seemed incredible, so I ran to the cabinet to check it for myself.
Sure enough, my salt has sugar in it — it’s there, right on the label!
Now I try to keep salt out of our diets as much as I can. I don’t use salt when cooking, try not to use any at the table except when absolutely necessary (I’ve become fond of Mrs. Dash). But to learn that what salt I do take in also has sugar was a little difficult for me to bear.
Well, the book recommends using organic sea salt, and I was a wee bit on the skeptical side until I did go and read the ingredients on my table salt. And while I may not be 100% convinced that organic sea salt is OK for the body while your average grocery-store table salt is poison….let’s just say that I am a whole lot more open now to that argument.
At any rate, I went online to check out the recommended organic sea salt (Celtic Sea Salt) and there’s a store near me that carries it. While it’s not what I would call cheap (nothing organic is), given how long 8 ounces of salt lasts me, I don’t consider it too bad. And I need to pick up some things at the health food store anyway.
Since I’ve been stalled on my weight loss far too long, I’ve decided to try this Diet Solutions Program. I’ll be writing up a review, so you can see the pros and the cons. But for right now, it looks to be a great way to get my weight loss moving again. I’m tired of seeing the same number on my scale!