Bariatric Surgery for Weight Loss Price Comparison

In this article you will read about:

• Types of Bariatric Surgery
• Who Can Have Weight Loss Surgery?
• Who Cant Have Bariatric Surgery?
• Bariatric Surgery Aftercare
• What are the Risks of Weight Loss Surgery?
• How Much Weight Loss Surgery Costs?

What is Bariatric Surgery?

Bariatric surgery is an operation meant to help obese people lose weight by surgically changing the digestive system. Some surgeries change your stomach capacity, by making it smaller, you will eat less food and feel full sooner, others also change your small intestine responsible for absorbing nutrients and calories. Bariatric surgery may help you lose weight in cases of severe obesity when other methods are not giving the expected results, such as lifestyle and diet changes. Also, it can help patients who suffer from severe illnesses due to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes.

Does Bariatric Surgery Always Work? 

Statistics show that patients who undergo bariatric operations lose, on average, around 15 to 30 percent of their starting weight. But, the surgery is not a full guarantee that you will lose weight or that you will not regain it back. Some bariatric patients may not lose as much as they expected. Bariatric surgery does not cancel the need to have a healthy and active lifestyle. After the procedure, you should always be very careful with what you eat and maintain an active lifestyle. 

Bariatric Surgery Eligibility

A right candidate for weight-loss surgery must have a body mass index(BMI) of 35-40 and higher and have health issues resulting from excess weight such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or sleep apnea. Also, the bariatric patient should have tried non-surgical weight loss solutions such as diet and exercise that did not show the expected results. 

The patient is not suitable for bariatric surgery if:

• The surgery may lead to risks that are too high and put the person's life in danger.
• There is evidence of drug or alcohol abuse.
• The person has mental or psychiatric disorders that are untreated or not manageable.
• The patient does not understand, accept, or commit to the aftercare and changes followed by the procedure. 
• The patients had not tried any other weight loss measure before. 
• The patient has a reversible or treatable health issue that is causing severe obesity.

Types of Bariatric Surgery 

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass 

Gastric bypass, also known as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, represents a type of weight loss surgery. The doctor surgically creates a small pouch from the stomach and connects the newly created pouch directly to the small intestine. The stomach and intestine are changed in a way that the eaten food will travel to the small pouch of the stomach and then directly into the small intestine, therefore, bypassing most of your stomach and the first section of your small intestine.

Gastric bypass is done when diet and exercise do not give you results or if you have serious health problems due to obesity.

Sleeve Gastrectomy 

With gastric sleeve operation, the doctor will surgically reduce the size of your stomach to about 15% of its original size. The result is a sleeve-like structure. This surgery is irreversible, even though there can be some small loosening of the stomach in time.

Read more on Gastric Sleeve Benefits And Bariatric Surgery Comparison

Duodenal Jejunal Bypass with Sleeve Gastrectomy 

The duodenal jejunal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy, also known as DJB-S, is a type of bariatric surgery in which 80 % of the stomach is removed, and a portion of the small intestine is rerouted.

This surgery results in restriction of the stomach at the same time, significantly reducing the absorption of nutrients.

Duodenal Switch

In a biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch,(the duodenum is the first part of the small intestine (5-7 m), firstly, a vertical sleeve gastrectomy will be performed. After 12-18 months after this procedure, the biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch is made where the remaining part of the stomach is connected to the lower portion of the small intestine resulting in very low absorption of calories and nutrients. 

This surgery is risky and can lead to long-term health issues because your body can't absorb food and nutrients well. People with this surgery have to take vitamin and mineral supplements for the rest of their lives, and long-term follow-ups with the doctor are essential.

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding 

This procedure is the most non-invasive but the most non-promising bariatric procedure. It is done by surgically placing a silicone elastic ring around the top part of the stomach. To access the ring, the surgeon will do tubing connected to a port placed beneath the skin of the abdomen. The ring is then filled with saline solution(salty water) until it is tight enough around the opening from the upper stomach to the lower stomach. Tightening the ring reduces hunger, and you will feel full faster and eat less food.  

After surgery, patients have to do monthly hospital visits to check results and do possible adjustments of the ring. After the first year, the need for adjustments decreases. This procedure is reversible, even though it's meant to be a lifelong solution. 

Every bariatric procedure has a different technique and is suited for different types of patients. To get the best results, you should consult with a qualified surgeon and, depending on your case, decide which suits you best.

Learn from Brittany's Bariatric Surgery Journey.

Bariatric Surgery Aftercare

Immediately after bariatric surgery, your diet will be restricted to only liquids for a period, as your stomach and intestines heal. Your health care provider will give you strict, clear diet guides you have to follow. From liquids, you will slowly transition to pureed foods, then soft foods, and, step by step, introduce firmer foods, depending on how you heal and what your body can tolerate. Also, you will have strict limits on how much you can consume, and most likely, you will be prescribed supplements of vitamins and minerals.

Hospital check-ups in the first months of healing are frequent and require different tests and bloodwork to monitor your health and progress.

 

To get a full picture read Ultimate Guide For Bariatric Surgery Abroad

In the first three to six months after bariatric surgery, you may experience certain symptoms and body changes, including:

• Body pains
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Feeling cold
• Dry, flaky skin
• Hair thinning and hair loss
• Mood swings

Bariatric Surgery Results

Weight-loss surgery can give you long-term results, depending on which surgery you have and the lifestyle you have after. It is possible to lose up to 60% and even more of your excess body weight in two years after surgery. 

For example, the average monthly weight loss after a gastric sleeve is approximately 8-12 pounds or 4-6 kg. Also, due to weight loss after the bariatric operation, you may see health improvement with conditions as:

• High cholesterol
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Type 2 diabetes
• Fertility issues
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure

Bariatric Surgery Risks

Risks that can occur after bariatric surgery are:

• Infection
• Adverse reactions to anesthesia
• Excessive bleeding
• Blood clots
• Leaks in your gastrointestinal system
• Lung or breathing problems
• Longer-Term Risks and Complications of Bariatric Surgery 
• Gallstones
• Hernias
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Bowel obstruction
• Dumping syndrome, causing diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
• Ulcers
• Vomiting
• Malnutrition
• Stomach perforation
• Rarely, complications of bariatrics surgery can be deadly.

For more on this topic Identifying And Managing Complications: Post-Sleeve Gastrectomy Care

How to Prepare for Bariatric Surgery

If you are eligible for a bariatric operation, your surgeon will give you instructions, and you will get different tests and bloodwork. Also, you have to give your doctors a list of all medicines, minerals, vitamins, and herbal or dietary supplements you take. You can have limitations on drinking, eating and medications you are able to have.

If you take blood-thinning medications, consult your doctor as these affect clotting and bleeding, and changes in your medication may be needed. If you have diabetes, also consult your doctor regarding your insulin doses and other medication.

You will also be asked to quit any tobacco usage and start to be physically active. You have to consider having someone to help and assist you at home after the surgery.

How Much Does Bariatric Surgery Cost?

• Latvia -  on average the cost of bariatric surgery is 5,500$
• USA - on average the cost of bariatric surgery is 23,000$, and the average cost of a lap band is 14,500$
• UK - bariatric surgery prices range from 4,500$ - 16,000$
• Spain -  bariatric surgery prices range from 12,000$ -16,000$
• Portugal - bariatric surgery prices range from 16,000 - 18,500 $
• Germany - on average the cost of bariatric surgery is 8,000$
• Turkey - on average the cost of bariatric surgery is 6,000$
• Cyprus - on average the cost of bariatric surgery is 5,000$
• India - on average the cost of bariatric surgery is 4,000$
• Mexico - on average the cost of bariatric surgery is $5,750 (prices range from $3,500 to $8,000)

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