Weight loss surgery has a domino effect that improves quality of life.
Weight loss surgery, such as sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass, can be a step toward halting a cycle of obesity and improving quality of life.
Making dietary changes and increasing exercise are traditional methods for weight loss. But for some people who are battling obesity, these solutions aren’t always practical. Mobility challenges brought on by weight gain or other medical conditions can make it difficult to exercise. And restrictive diets can be unrealistic and unsustainable.
In recent years, using GLP-1 agonist medications have been widely prescribed to help with weight loss. “GLP-1 agonists are on every advertisement, and have in some ways destigmatized weight loss tools,” said Dr. Matthew Spann, Medical Director of the Vanderbilt Center for Surgical Weight Loss.
These medications help many patients begin losing weight, Spann said. However, like other treatments, they are not perfect and may not be the right tool for everyone due to side effects. For some people, Spann added, a GLP-1 prescription may not be the only tool they need to achieve a healthy weight and healthy life.
When diet and movement methods aren’t working or have resulted in a yo-yo effect (a cycle of losing weight, then gaining it back), patients may want to talk to their doctors about surgical weight loss options.
“Many times, folks just need a little help, a little pull out of the hole that obesity and other diseases have placed them into,” Spann said. He explained how surgical weight loss can jump-start weight loss and kick lifestyle changes into high gear. Minimally invasive weight loss procedures provide effective tools to help people achieve healthier lives, he said.
Initial weight loss
Surgical weight loss helps patients feel full faster. With a sleeve gastrectomy, about 85% of the stomach is removed. In a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the size of the stomach that gets exposed to food is reduced, and then the first portion of the small intestine is bypassed. In addition, gastric bypass inhibits some calorie absorption. “Patients lose between 20 to 30 pounds in the first month,” Spann said. “That rapid weight loss drastically changes a lot in your body.”
Better ability to move and walk
One of the first things people experience with this rapid weight loss is improved mobility, Spann said. He’s watched patients go from not being able to walk a complete loop on a track pre-surgery, to walking up to a few miles at a time within a month or so after surgery. Increased mobility in turn makes it easier to lose more weight and has many health benefits.
Spann also marvels at the intangible quality-of-life improvements patients start to experience, like being able to play with their kids or grandkids in ways they couldn’t before. “That’s well beyond any kind of marker we can measure with a blood test,” he said.
A change in hunger hormones
In addition to making someone feel full after just a few bites of food, weight loss surgery also has a profound impact on hunger hormones. Spann said he has to caution his patients who have undergone a bariatric procedure to remember to eat, especially when they get busy. “Essentially that’s what sets weight loss surgery apart from a strict diet program, where you’re having to constantly fight those urges and hunger,” he said.
These changes in hunger and fullness can also help disrupt a person’s previous relationship with food. “Food could have been a coping mechanism for certain messages or certain stressors in life,” Spann said. With an increase in mobility, a decrease in hunger and an alteration in eating habits, changes in lifestyle are much more likely.
Whole body health and support
What happens in the operating room is just one part of the surgical weight loss procedure, Spann emphasized.
“What is equally important is what we do over in the clinic,” he said. “We do everything from preparing folks for surgery, helping them identify the things that are going to be hard, coming up with action plans before we get to surgery, and then supporting that success afterward.”
At the Vanderbilt Center for Surgical Weight Loss, patients work with a dietitian as well as mental health professionals. Their care team also communicates directly with their primary care provider or specialist. “Part of being a comprehensive care center is being able to offer all these services in one place and being able to maximize the value to the patient,” Spann said.
Weight loss surgery is one tool that’s part of a holistic plan to achieve long-term weight loss, he said. Surgery can be done in addition to or instead of weight loss medications. Weight loss specialists can help each person decide which tools are the best fit for them to achieve their goals.
Advanced care for weight loss
The Vanderbilt Surgical Weight Loss program offers advanced care to help you lose weight and improve your overall health. If you’ve been unable to reach a healthy weight with nutritional and lifestyle improvements alone, surgery might be a better and safer option for achieving your weight loss goals. The team will work with you to develop a personalized care plan combining surgery, nutrition, exercise and psychological support.
