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Gastric Bypass Surgery

Fort Worth is a city full of “cowboys and culture,” but it’s also known for some of the most tantalizing food in the U.S. From chili cook-offs to Tex-Mex-style feasts, many meals may cause weight increases that could contribute to obesity. Obesity means you’re not just overweight; you’re increasing your risk of potentially life-threatening weight-related health issues. Of course food is only one factor linked with the development of obesity. Genetics and other lifestyle habits also play a role, and most people can attribute their condition to several causes.

Almost 35 percent of Texas’ population was considered obese in 2019. Texas ranked as having the 10th highest obesity rate in the nation, and health groups predict that more than half of the state’s residents will soon face obesity. If you’re looking for weight-loss solutions, gastric bypass surgery may be a viable option. Dr. Hossein Bagshahi, our board-certified weight loss surgeon, can help you determine if this or another bariatric procedure is right for you.

What Is Gastric Bypass Surgery?

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Gastric bypass surgery, also known as Roux-en-Y, is a weight loss procedure designed to reduce the size of your stomach and restrict calorie absorption. During surgery, a surgeon divides your stomach into two portions and creates an egg-sized gastric pouch. Your small intestine is also separated into two parts, allowing your surgeon to connect the lower part of your small intestine directly to the newly-created gastric pouch. By doing this, food travels directly from your esophagus to the small stomach pouch and on to the small intestine, bypassing most of the stomach as well as the duodenum (the first portion of the small intestine where nutrients, minerals, and vitamins are absorbed). In this way, this technique excludes the majority of the stomach and re-routes part of the lower intestine to yield significant weight loss. Although there are several types of bariatric surgery, this procedure has been performed for several decades and is traditionally considered the “gold-standard” in weight loss surgery.

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Gastric bypass surgery isn’t for patients who are looking to shed a few pounds; it’s geared towards those who need to dramatically decrease their body mass index (BMI) and who are suffering from obesity-related health concerns.

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What Are the Pros and Cons of Gastric Bypass?

Pros

While this bariatric method offers numerous benefits for the right candidate, it’s not appropriate for everyone. Some of the advantages of gastric bypass surgery include:

  • Produces significant long-term weight loss for most patients
  • Restricts the amount of food that can be consumed
  • Decreases the sensation of hunger for better appetite control
  • Produces favorable changes in gut hormones that reduce appetite, enhance satiety, and improve diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, hyperlipidemia, and joint pain, among other conditions
Cons

It’s also important to recognize certain drawbacks that could affect your progress or results, including:

  • Technically a more complex operation than adjustable gastric banding (AGB) or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), and has a higher rate of early and late complications compared with sleeve gastrectomy
  • Can lead to long-term vitamin/mineral deficiencies, particularly deficits in vitamin B12, iron, calcium, and folate
  • Requires adherence to dietary recommendations, life-long vitamin/mineral supplementation, and follow-up compliance
  • More strict restrictions related to medications, such as extended-release formulations of your medications, use of NSAIDs, and oral steroids

A detailed review of surgery, post-op requirements, and review of risks and benefits will be covered during your consultation.

Is Gastric Bypass Right for You?

Gastric bypass surgery is one of the most effective weight loss options available today. For patients who struggle with being overweight or who have tried dozens of alternatives and failed, gastric bypass surgery is often a solution that works to achieve significant weight loss and improved overall health. That said, not everyone is a good candidate for this surgery.

There are certain medical, physical, and even emotional criteria that should be considered if you’re thinking of gastric bypass surgery. In general, good candidates for gastric bypass surgery should know the procedure will involve:

A Commitment to Losing Weight with Lifestyle Changes

One common misconception about gastric bypass surgery is that a patient will lose weight and keep it off no matter what. The reality of gastric bypass surgery is a little different. If you aren’t fully committed to the idea of losing weight for one reason or another, even with gastric bypass surgery, you could gain weight in the future if you do not commit to proper eating habits and routine physical activity.

The way that gastric bypass surgery works is by stapling the top part of the stomach and creating a small gastric pouch (the size of a walnut or egg) and excluding the remainder of the stomach. Next, the small intestine is disconnected and reconnected to the gastric pouch. This allows restriction from the small stomach pouch. and a small amount of malabsorption of fats and protein, by bypassing a portion of the small intestine before food encounters the bile stream from the liver and digestive enzymes from the pancreas. One of the biggest factors that leads to weight loss, satiety, and improved insulin metabolism is the gut physiology and hormonal changes a gastric bypass causes in the body.

Reasonable Health to Tolerate Anesthesia and Surgery

Obesity by itself is a very unhealthy state, as such patients are typically designated as an ASA 3 classification for anesthesia. Historically, operations on obese patients were avoided due to risk of anesthesia and surgery itself. However, improvements in anesthetic gases and techniques, combined with peri-operative monitoring and decreased trauma from laparoscopic surgery, have dramatically decreased the risk of surgery in the obese population.

A typical pre-operative work-up can include a cardiac evaluation and clearance, a sleep study, labs, nutrition education, psychological assessment, and evaluation of gastrointestinal symptoms, if required.

Potential Coverage By Medical Insurance

If you are a good candidate for gastric bypass surgery, your medical insurance company may cover the cost based on your physician’s professional recommendation. If you are considering gastric bypass surgery, review your medical policy or speak to an insurance representative to make sure it would be covered. Be advised that most bariatric surgeons do not accept Medicaid. you can call our office to discuss your medical insurance policy and perform an “insurance verification” of benefits to see if your plan will cover the cost of surgery.

Consideration of Other Weight Loss Methods First

Gastric bypass surgery is a serious surgery that you should only consider if all else has failed. Before resorting to any weight loss surgery, speak to your bariatric physician to find out if there are other noninvasive weight loss options available to you. Chances are, your doctor will be able to suggest at least one that you might not have tried yet.

If you suffer from being overweight, gastric bypass surgery may be a viable option, but considering the factors that make a good candidate first is a wise move. For more information about gastric bypass surgery cost, contact us today.

Key Gastric Bypass Terms to Know

While considered one of the most effective and frequently performed bariatric treatments available, gastric bypass is a complex surgery that may seem daunting or overwhelming to patients unfamiliar with the procedure. You can be confident that Dr. Hossein Bagshahi will answer all of your questions and thoroughly explain the gastric bypass procedure in person. In the meantime, we encourage all patients to review the following terms to obtain a stronger understanding of process involved with gastric bypass surgery: 

  • Roux-en-Y: Also referred to as “RYGB,” Roux-en-Y is the medical name for the gastric bypass procedure. Gastric bypass surgery is the most commonly performed weight loss procedure in the country. 
  • Laparoscopic: A minimally invasive technique that uses a lighted telescope with a tiny camera at the end (laparoscope) to perform your procedure with shorter incisions and less invasiveness than open surgery.
  • Duodenum: The first portion of the small intestine, which is connected to the stomach. The lower intestine is re-routed during the Roux-en-Y procedure, allowing food to bypass the duodenum — where absorption of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals takes place. 
  • Sleeve gastrectomy: Commonly known as gastric sleeve surgery, a sleeve gastrectomy is an alternative to gastric bypass surgery that decreases the size of the stomach by creating a tube-like sleeve, thereby restricting the amount of food consumed.
  • BMI: Short for “body mass index,” your BMI measures your body fat percentage based on your height and weight. This value can help you determine whether you would benefit from bariatric treatment, and/or identify the best weight loss procedure to achieve your goals. 

Patient education is paramount in determining the best procedure for your health, lifestyle, and weight loss goals. Familiarizing yourself with the terminology commonly associated with gastric bypass surgery can help you gain more insight into the procedure, ultimately increasing the likelihood of your satisfaction after treatment. 

Gastric Bypass vs. Gastric Sleeve Surgery

The gastric bypass and gastric sleeve procedures are two of the most frequently performed bariatric surgeries to facilitate weight loss. While similar in some ways, these techniques differ in how they change the gastrointestinal anatomy. Generally speaking, gastric bypass surgery creates a smaller stomach pouch and reroutes food to the small intestine. Not only does this limit the amount of food that can be consumed, but it also restricts calorie absorption and reduces your appetite so you feel satisfied sooner. In contrast, gastric sleeve surgery simply creates a vertical, tube-like sleeve in the stomach, removing the remainder of the stomach in order to restrict the amount of food consumed. Food does not bypass the small intestine in a sleeve gastrectomy, meaning there is a lesser risk of nutrient deficiencies.

A consultation with Dr. Bagshahi is necessary to determine the most beneficial weight loss procedure for your goals, medical needs, and BMI. Gastric bypass surgery is generally a more invasive operation than a gastric sleeve procedure; therefore, it’s usually reserved for patients who have a BMI over 40, or who have a BMI of 35 or more and struggle with obesity-related health conditions. In certain cases, Dr. Bagshahi may recommend the duodenal switch procedure, which reduces the size of the stomach while also rerouting food to bypass most of the small intestine.

What Should I Expect During the Gastric Bypass Procedure?

Gastric bypass surgeries are performed in a hospital under general anesthesia, which means you’ll be unconscious during the procedure. While some operations are performed using traditional large incisions in your abdomen, Dr. Bagshahi typically performs the procedure laparoscopically, which is much less invasive and offers a quicker healing time.

Laparoscopic techniques have dramatically decreased complications related to open surgery and lead to shorter recovery time and length of time required to return to work. After gastric bypass surgery, you will be up and walking as soon as anesthesia wears off the same evening. You will stay in the hospital overnight for monitoring during your recovery and typically be discharged the day after surgery, once you can tolerate oral liquids, walk, have well-controlled pain and nausea, and experience no issues related to surgery. Most patients return to work in four to seven days depending on their activity levels and job requirements, some patients may need more time before returning to work.

What Happens During Gastric Bypass Recovery?

Following surgery and discharge from the hospital, you will follow a recovery diet plan that includes two weeks of liquids, two weeks of pureed food, then slowly introduce soft foods and eventually solid food. You will receive a post-surgery guide booklet to outline the diet recovery plan, types of protein supplements, meal examples, and detailed multivitamin regimen required for long-term success. You will slowly increase your physical activity and exercise levels, and you will work on developing a lifelong habit of exercise and increased physical activity for physical and mental health as well as to keep the weight off long term.

How Long Do Gastric Bypass Results Last?

Gastric bypass surgery can produce some of the most long-term results of all the weight loss options available, provided that patients closely follow their new dietary and exercise regimens. The success of the gastric bypass procedure relies on a lifetime commitment to living a healthier lifestyle. Our team at Bagshahi Bariatric and General Surgery provides a strong continuum of care for patients who have undergone weight loss surgery to help support them on their individual journeys and reduce the risk of “weight loss recidivism” (weight regain). A few factors may compromise gastric bypass results, including complications after surgery and the failure to follow dietary and activity recommendations. In these rare cases, gastric bypass revision may be recommended to achieve the desired weight loss. Dr. Bagshahi evaluates each patient on a case-by-case basis to determine whether revision bariatric surgery may help improve results.

Are There Any Gastric Bypass Side Effects?

Obesity can cause a number of health-related issues, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and heart disease. While gastric bypass surgery can provide long-term weight loss, like any surgical procedure, risks are involved. Gastric bypass surgery changes the way your body handles food, so it’s vital that you incorporate healthy lifestyle changes to ensure your body gets all its required nutrients. In some cases, patients may experience certain effects as a result of the procedure, particularly if they eat beyond the capacity of the stomach pouch, indulge in foods that are not recommended, or otherwise disregard the optimal diet. Aside form risks immediately related to surgery such as bleeding, infection, leaks, (otherwise covered in your surgical consent at the time of pre-op) these effects can include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Dumping syndrome (mainly caused by high sugar or high fat foods, things that a bypass patient is instructed to avoid)
  • Development of gallstones
  • Nutritional deficiencies (follow multivitamin and dietary instructions and maintain long term follow up to avoid these, or treat them if they arise)
  • Bowel obstruction (intense abdominal pain after gastric bypass should not be ignored as this could be related to an internal hernia, which can be life-threatening)

Our goal is to provide proper pre-op education in your decision to find the procedure that suits you, prepare you to have surgery, and develop a long-term relationship that establishes continued long-term aftercare. This is designed to ensure you are losing weight in a healthy, effective manner and to address any “alarm symptoms” that may arise post-op.

Is There a Gastric Bypass Diet to Follow?

You should be aware that there is no magic bullet when it comes to bariatric surgery. You will undergo a nutrition assessment and pre-op nutrition education, which will outline the pre-op diet, post-op recovery diet, multivitamin and supplement regimen, and proper eating habits to develop after recovery from surgery.

Pre-Op Gastric Bypass Diet

You will receive a post-surgery guide booklet to outline pre-op and post op diet plan. Prior to surgery we review eating behaviors, habits, teach mindful eating, work on avoiding poor food choices, and reduce calorie intake in general. Dr. Bagshahi encourages patients to start taking a multivitamin, a probiotic, and fiber supplements, as these are important factors in the gut microbiome and are related to healthy metabolism, bowel habits, and overall improved GI health.

In the weeks before surgery, you will go on a liquid diet to decrease the liver size and intra-abdominal fat, which will create more space to work during surgery and also help manage eating behavior immediately after surgery. This makes it possible to avoid diet-related complications with staple lines as the stomach and bowel is healing.

Post-Op Gastric Bypass Diet

In general, your diet will be limited by stomach-size restriction and malabsorption, and your body will gradually adapt to the changes. With a smaller stomach, you simply cannot take in as much food as you did previously, and with malabsorption of macro and micronutrients, absorption will be different between the various procedures. So, it’s important to prioritize your nutritional requirements and follow dietary and supplement recommendations to achieve successful healthy weight loss.

Protein

Your skin, bones, muscles, and vital organs all depend on protein, and you should first of all ensure that you take in an adequate supply. In the immediate days and weeks after gastric bypass surgery, this may need to be in predominantly liquid form, using protein supplements outlined in your surgery guide booklet.

Carbohydrates

Long term It’s also important to maintain an adequate intake of complex carbohydrates. Avoid refined and simple carbohydrates with a high glycemic index. Complex carbohydrates will minimize spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, preventing the craving for sugary snacks and refined carbohydrates, which can easily derail your efforts to maintain your new healthy weight. Unrefined carbohydrates and vegetables are also a great source of essential vitamins and minerals.

The amount of these solid foods your body can absorb will increase over time, but in the early days you need to focus on liquid and soft foods and a high protein diet. You should always take in plenty of water and other fluids, but this intake should be spread throughout the day.

The ideal gastric bypass surgery diet is not very different from the best diet for anyone. Surgery is used as a tool to help control appetite through volume restriction and appetite suppression. These approaches can achieve significant weight loss, and they can help patients work on developing a healthy lifestyle by choosing more nutritious foods and developing healthy activity levels through increased mobility at a lower weight.

How Much Does Gastric Bypass Cost?

The price of gastric bypass surgery may be covered by your medical insurance. We can provide insurance verification, if needed; simply contact our office. Please note most bariatrics surgeons do not accept Medicare. Price should not be the only determinant of where you receive surgery and who performs the procedure, as this could have unintended and serious consequences. It’s important to consider your safety, the quality and training of a potential bariatric surgeon, and facility accreditation when choosing a weight loss surgeon and practice. We cannot discuss other patients’ treatment plans and costs; however, we will review the price of your program with you in full during your initial consultation. Everyone deserves access to good health, and we will work with you to find weight loss financing and other payment options to best suit your needs.

Are There Any Gastric Bypass Alternatives?

Gastric bypass surgery is one of the most successful and heavily researched weight loss procedures, but it is not the only treatment option available to help you begin living a healthier quality of life. If you have a BMI over 50, duodenal switch can also be an effective procedure to help you achieve and maintain long-term weight loss results. This technique is completed in two stages, both of which take place during the same operation: first, part of the stomach is removed to restrict the amount of food intake possible. After reducing the stomach size, the small intestine is re-routed so that a large segment of bowel is excluded from contact with food, thereby limiting calorie absorption. As a result of this two-part procedure, duodenal switch surgery often achieves greater weight loss than the gastric bypass method. It is often the recommended bariatric treatment for patients who have diabetes or high blood cholesterol.

Another potential weight loss option is an endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, which may be suitable for patients who have a BMI of 30 to 35. This non-surgical procedure narrows and shortens the length of the stomach, reducing the overall stomach volume and allowing patients to feel full for longer periods of time. An endoscopic sleeve gastrectomy essentially suppresses the appetite and—when combined with an effective dietary and exercise program—can lead to a 20 to 25 percent decrease in your total weight over 18 months. It’s important to note that this procedure should not be seen as a “substitute” for gastric bypass and may not be the best long-term solution for certain patients. In any case, Dr. Bagshahi is committed to learning your weight loss goals and recommending the appropriate bariatric techniques based on a thorough review of your medical history.

Can Gastric Bypass Surgery Be Performed With Minimal Invasiveness?

Yes, Dr. Bagshahi makes it a priority to incorporate many types of surgery into his Dallas practice to ensure patients have access to a wide array of treatment options. Gastric bypass surgery can be performed with laparoscopic, endoscopic, traditional, or robotic-assisted techniques depending on your unique needs and goals. If Dr. Bagshahi determines that your gastric bypass surgery can be completed using a laparoscopic, endoscopic, or robotic approach, the procedure is considered minimally invasive. These techniques do not require long incisions and often utilize innovative surgical instruments — such as a laparoscope, endoscope, or robotic surgeon-controlled arms — to achieve more precision during the procedure. Best of all, a minimally invasive gastric bypass procedure does not require as much recovery time when compared to traditional open surgery.

That said, minimally invasive weight loss surgery may not be the most successful approach for all patients. For this reason, it’s important to consult with a board-certified bariatric surgeon to develop the best surgical plan for your individual needs. Dr. Bagshahi can review your health and previous medical history to determine whether your weight loss treatment may be completed with minimally invasive techniques.

What Is Gastric Bypass Revision?

For a number of reasons, gastric bypass revision surgery may be recommended if your initial procedure didn’t achieve the results you expected, or if there were medical complications during your recovery. While we will always utilize conservative treatments to address issues before recommending another procedure, revision bariatric surgery may be an appropriate solution for patients who have experienced gastric bypass failure. In assessing whether your results could be improved by gastric bypass revision, Dr. Bagshahi will evaluate the size of your pouch or stoma as well as your esophagus. An endoscopy will be performed and our team will try to identify the reason for your gastric bypass failure. Based on their evaluation, four possible revision techniques can be performed to improve your results: sclerotherapy, LAP-BAND® surgery, roux limb lengthening, or a duodenal switch conversion. Our team will review all of these options with you in person to determine the best course of action. Some of the most common reasons why patients may have regained their weight—or may have not lost enough weight in the first place—include metabolic issues, medical complications, or poor food consumption.

Choosing a Bariatric Surgeon

Taking the steps to live a healthier lifestyle can be a huge decision that seems intimidating for some patients. That said, the process may be much smoother than expected with the help of a compassionate and experienced weight loss surgeon. You deserve the highest degree of care and support during your weight loss journey, which is why it’s important to select a bariatric surgeon who:

  • Has completed an extensive breadth of bariatric surgery training: Seeking out surgeons who are board certified, fellowship trained, or belonging to professional organizations like the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery can help you narrow down your options for a qualified weight loss provider.
  • Is well-known for his/her results and patient success stories: Be sure to read online patient reviews, explore testimonials, and view all available media to both learn about a surgeon’s reputation and to get an idea of what can be expected at a given weight loss practice.
  • Offers a continuum of patient care: While a bariatric procedure can be an essential step towards reclaiming your health, your weight loss journey continues long after you recover from surgery. Therefore, it’s important to select a bariatric surgeon who can provide you with additional resources to support your weight loss goals, such as access to a nutritionist, medical team, plastic surgeon, etc.
  • Provides a wide array of treatment options: No two patients are the same, and selecting a surgeon who offers minimally invasive, endoscopic, and robotic-assisted procedure options on top of the more traditional bariatric surgeries is key to finding the most effective weight loss method for your needs.

After listening to your needs and weight loss goals during a consultation, Dr. Bagshahi can work with you to assess whether the gastric bypass procedure or another treatment option would be most effective in helping you improve your weight and/or health concerns.

Additional Gastric Bypass FAQs

How long is gastric bypass surgery?

When performed laparoscopically, which means the procedure is completed with the assistance of a video scope and tiny surgical instruments, gastric bypass surgery usually takes two to three hours.

When can I return to work after gastric bypass surgery?

How soon you’re able to resume working after your procedure depends on the nature of your work and your own unique rate of healing. Most patients take one to two weeks off from work to allow themselves ample time to recover before returning to their normal routines.

What is the BMI requirement for gastric bypass surgery?

Gastric bypass surgery is generally an effective weight loss option for patients who have a BMI equal to or greater than 40, or individuals who have a BMI of 35 to 40 and contend with severe health complications, such as diabetes, pulmonary hypertension, cardiovascular disease, or uncontrolled GERD, among other potentially serious conditions.

When will I see weight loss after the procedure?

Weight loss typically occurs rapidly during the first few months after gastric bypass surgery, although each person’s rate of progress will depend on their ability to follow the proper dietary guidelines. Many patients lose 5 to 15 pounds per week during the initial 30 days of their recovery. By the six-month mark post-surgery, most gastric bypass patients have lost approximately 50 percent of their excess weight.

Are there any things you can’t do after gastric bypass surgery?

For the first six weeks after your procedure, strenuous activity and lifting anything heavier than 10 pounds are prohibited. You will also be asked to avoid doing anything that requires pushing and pulling motions, such as vacuuming.

Is gastric bypass surgery reversible?

Gastric bypass surgery may be reversible, but returning the gastrointestinal anatomy to its original condition requires a complex procedure that comes with the same (or greater) risks as the primary surgery. If a reversal of gastric bypass surgery is desired, the risks of the procedure will be weighed against the potential benefits to determine if this is the best course of action.

What are good post-gastric bypass recipes?

Our practice offers many delicious and healthy seasonal recipes to help you stay on track with your weight loss journey after your procedure. These meals are high in protein and low in fat to help complement your post-operative diet. We recommend visiting our bariatric surgery blog to stay up-to-date on new recipes and exercise tips, and subscribing to our newsletter for more information.

Can you get pregnant after gastric bypass surgery?

Yes, research suggests that undergoing weight loss surgery before pregnancy can actually lower a woman’s risk of obesity-related medical conditions for herself and her baby, including gestational diabetes, postpartum hemorrhage, and blood pressure issues. If you would like to have children, we recommend consulting your doctor for more information about facilitating a safe and healthy pregnancy after bariatric surgery.

What is the gastric bypass success rate?

The gastric bypass procedure has a high likelihood of success for individuals who are good candidates for surgery, and who consistently follow their post-operative weight loss recommendations.

The best way to determine if this procedure is right for you is to discuss your concerns, goals, and medical needs with a qualified bariatric surgeon. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

The best way to determine if this procedure is right for you is to discuss your concerns, goals, and medical needs with a qualified bariatric surgeon. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation.

Contact Us Today!