Is Gastric Sleeve Surgery Safe: Answered

READ TIME: 5 mins.

Doesn’t it seem like there’s always bigger risks involved when something is really worth it? When talking about your health, you might be wondering if gastric sleeve surgery is safe and the best ways to determine if the operation is right for you.

Gastric sleeve surgery is a big deal, and if you’ve been going back and forth on whether to go through with it or not, that’s completely normal. However, just because something might seem scary doesn’t mean it’s bad. With the right information and knowledge, you’ll be able to make a well thought out decision if this surgery is the best step for your weight loss journey.

With any surgery, there are always risks involved. But before we go into any risks associated with gastric sleeve surgery, let’s first explore what exactly gastric sleeve surgery is.   

Gastric sleeve surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, is a type of weight loss surgery where a surgeon removes a part of your stomach and creates a narrow tube or “sleeve” out of the rest. Your new stomach is much smaller than the original, allowing you to eat less, feel full sooner, and feel less hungry

A benefit that patients like about the sleeve gastrectomy is that there is no foreign body part implanted. Compared with gastric bypass surgery, there is no complex intestinal rearrangement.

Many patients also notice that after a reasonable amount of recovery time, they’re able to eat a wide variety of food comfortably. Unlike the adjustable gastric band or gastric bypass, gastric sleeve surgery is a permanent procedure and cannot be reversed.

Now that we’ve given you a little more background on the surgery itself, we want to answer some common questions of your fears about the procedure, as well as the best ways to alleviate some risks you could potentially face with gastric sleeve surgery.

Answering Your Questions: How Safe Is Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

Like we mentioned earlier, there’s always going to be risks associated with surgery, no matter what the operation is.

One of the best ways to alleviate the stress you might be feeling when it comes to a more significant surgery like this is to learn as much as you can beforehand. The more you know about the procedure before it happens, the more confident you’ll be in knowing you made the right choice.

We recently published an article you might find interesting, Top 5 Most Common Gastric Sleeve Recovery Issues.

Go to Mexico For Vacation, Not Surgery

We know you’ve heard or read stories online of people going to Mexico to have different types of plastic surgeries, unfortunately resulting in incredibly botched faces or horrible infections. Well, gastric sleeve surgery is no different.

Even though the costs of surgery can be steep, it’s really never a good idea to have the surgery performed by a doctor in Mexico who says they can do it for cheaper. The medical standards and guidelines in Mexico are often much different than they are in the U.S., and when it comes to your body, cheaper doesn’t mean better.

There’s been an overwhelmingly high number of lawsuits that have to do with medical malpractice from patients receiving weight loss surgeries from doctors in Mexico.

Even if you successfully win a lawsuit though, does that guarantee you’ll get your health back? How will you ever be able to live a healthy life again if the surgery you received caused permanent, long-term side effects?

Remember, any, and everything you put into your body has a direct effect on you, as well as the types of surgeries performed on your body. Don’t put yourself in a risky situation if you don’t have to.

Read Real Experiences, From Real People

There’s a new restaurant in town and the website for it is looking pretty appealing. It seems to have a great menu, a stage for live music, and it’s even dog-friendly. How can you be so sure though, that the place doesn’t have horrible customer service or that the kitchen didn’t pass its latest health inspection?

In a situation like this, the best place for you to turn is by reading reviews. You might check out their customer reviews on Yelp, or if the restaurant is credible, they may even include a “customer testimonial” page on their website. You then have the opportunity to hear from real people about their personal dining experience at that restaurant.

The same thing goes for learning about gastric sleeve surgery and how safe it is. As helpful as your doctor might be at explaining to you the risks involved, they probably haven’t been through the procedure themselves. It becomes challenging to truly feel confident in the surgery if the only reviews you hear about it are from your doctor.

There are so many online forums of patients in your same shoes who had a sleeve gastrectomy and are sharing their stories, to bring you comfort like they once needed. You’ll gain more assurance and peace of mind as you hear from people who have gone through exactly what you might be scared of.

The other great thing about reading patient reviews is that you can learn any struggles or setbacks patients might have experienced, which could be things your doctor hasn’t shared with you. Wouldn't you rather know the truth than being left in the dark?

Speaking of patient reviews, one of the best ways to find a trustworthy and experienced doctor is to read reviews from their patients on their practice’s website. Finding reputable doctors sometimes feels like trying to find a needle in a haystack. But, learning from what other patients report about a specific doctor is an essential step in seeking the best care for your body.

Trying Before You Error

A great way that determines how well you’ll do if deciding to get the gastric sleeve surgery is by having an endoscopy procedure performed.

WebMD explains what an endoscopy is and we think you’d find value in learning about. “Endoscopy is a nonsurgical procedure used to examine a person's digestive tract. Using an endoscope, a flexible tube with a light and camera attached to it, your doctor can view pictures of your digestive tract…” “During an upper endoscopy, an endoscope is easily passed through the mouth and throat and into the esophagus, allowing the doctor to view the esophagus, stomach, and upper part of the small intestine.”

Many weight loss practices, such as Blossom Bariatrics, perform an endoscopy before they perform any weight loss surgery on a patient. This allows them to take a better look at the patient and might be able to detect any health concerns that could lead to risks during or after surgery.

The Takeaway of Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Of course, the conversations you and your doctor have together before your gastric sleeve surgery are of most importance so that you both are comfortable with the procedure, and aware of any risks you might face.

Discussing that you may have multiple health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, or sleep apnea, is an excellent way for you and your doctor to remain on the same page. All of these questions and answers should be considered before surgery, although the surgery itself often corrects many of these.

BariBoss is here to provide you with the knowledge and information to ensure that any weight loss procedure you’re considering is the best fit for you. Everyone is on their own individual, weight loss journey, and it’s critical to seek the best guidance for your specific needs. If you’re interested in learning more about weight loss surgery, weight loss coaching, or any of the services we offer, reach out to us here. Let us help you become your own BariBoss.