Weight Lost Surgery and the benefits of Exercising

If you’re thinking about it, talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks, and whether it’s a good idea for you.

After weight loss surgery, success is a long-term project. But if you can stick with a healthy diet and exercise, experts say you will enjoy satisfying results. By most estimates, 80% or more patients do well after surgery, says Dr. Ariel Ortiz Lagardere, FACS, Chief Surgeon at Obesity Control Center, An International Center of Excellence at Tijuana, BC Mexico. “They have lost the weight they wanted to lose and have kept it off.” Life quality is vastly improved after bariatric surgery.

Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery can help you shed a lot of pounds.

That weight loss often leads to other health benefits. Improvements in general health are common. Obesity-related medical conditions usually improve or even go away after weight loss surgery, including:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Severe arthritis
  • Obstructive sleep apnea
  • High blood pressure

After weight loss surgery, most people, about 95%, say their life quality improved. Some studies also suggest people live longer after weight loss surgery, compared to equally obese people who don’t get surgery.

Risks of Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery carries real risks. Statistically 10% of people have complications afterward.

Usually problems are only unpleasant or inconvenient. Some might cause pain and discomfort or require additional surgeries, including:

  • Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
  • Wound infections
  • Abdominal hernias

Serious complications can happen, too. Those are rare, they happen 3% of the time. Some can be life-threatening:

  • Blood clot to the lungs (pulmonary embolism)
  • Leaks in the new surgical gut connections
  • Bleeding ulcers
  • Heart attacks

Even after successful weight loss surgery, other problems are common:

  • Gallstones, often requiring gallbladder removal
  • Vitamin deficiencies or malnutrition, from poor absorption of nutrients
  • Sagging skin, requiring body contouring surgery.

The risk is higher in people over age 60, with diabetes, smokers and those with cardiovascular diseases. Having weight loss surgery at a center with experienced surgeons reduces these risks.


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OCC’s epidemiologist is closely monitoring the COVID-19 status and is actively issuing updates as they are available. The Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization are the most trusted sources online.  While the CDC has announced new mask protocols for vaccinated individuals, there will be no changes for our office protocols for patients, guests, and staff members as the announcement does not apply to hospitals or medical facilities. Masks are still a requirement for all patients, guests and staff at our facility.

As we reinitiate weight loss surgery, we are constantly adapting and installing new and updated safety measures.

Weight loss surgery is medically necessary.

Bariatric Surgery and the clash of two pandemics.   

Major metabolic and bariatric surgery Societies and colleges globally are now calling for the safe resumption of bariatric and metabolic surgery before the COVID-19 pandemic is declared over. 

The sooner bariatric surgery can be safely performed, the quicker obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases can be reduced or resolved as they are not only chronic they are also progressive.  Obesity is also linked to more than 40 diseases including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and at least 13 different types of cancer.

A recent statement from the ASMBS says “Before COVID-19 began, it was clear that patients with obesity were ‘safer through surgery.’ In the era of COVID-19, ‘safer through surgery’ for patients with obesity may prove to be even more important than before.” Obesity and Metabolic syndrome have been identified as an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes including death among COVID-19 patients.

See here for full COVID-19 update. 

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