Carbs After Gastric Sleeve Surgery: What Patients Should Know

Our weight loss surgeons have helped so many obese and morbidly obese patients achieve a trimmer and slimmer frame thanks to advanced weight loss surgery options. Their skills as bariatric surgeons have brought countless patients to Tijuana from across the border for gastric sleeve surgery and other surgical weight loss procedures.

After undergoing bariatric surgery, a patient’s diet will change. Let’s consider what kinds of carbs a patient can have after weight loss surgery.

Can I still have carbs after weight loss surgery?

Yes you can.

But just because you can doesn’t mean you should indiscriminately have carbs with every meal, or any kinds of carbs. It’s important that you consider what kinds of carbs your are consuming since some carbs will be better for you than others.

Not All Carbs Are Created Equal

Both complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates will cause a number of issues when it comes to your stomach after a gastric sleeve.

For one, complex carbohydrates (grains and starches) absorb water while they sit in your stomach, expanding in the process and potentially causes serious discomfort. Simple carbohydrates (sugars) will increase the chances of dumping syndrome, which can be quite uncomfortable.

And yet even though carbs aren’t great for you after weight loss surgery, your body does need them.

Healthy Carbs Are Ideal

Fruits and vegetables are a good source of carbohydrates. These are the healthy carbs that you should be consuming rather than complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables will not cause you as much abdominal distress as complex and simple carbs. They also contain numerous vitamins and minerals that are crucial for good overall health and wellness.

In addition, fruits and vegetables are a versatile addition to your diet, able to be consumed raw or cooked. They’re a fine source of fiber as well.

Avoid Unhealthy Carbs

As you are consuming healthy carbs to meet your body’s daily needs, it’s a good idea in general for you to avoid unhealthy simple carbohydrates as much as possible. That means staying away from candy and junkfood that is just plain bad for you.

Your Diet Will Mostly Be High in Protein

After undergoing bariatric surgery of any kind, your primary concern will be consuming a healthy and protein-rich diet. In the early stages after surgery, the protein will help with faster healing that is free from complications. After full recovery, the protein you consume will help with protein synthesis and prevent protein breakdown in the body. In other words, a protein-rich diet will help your body function properly as you are losing weight.

Discuss These Matters with a Skilled Bariatric Surgeon

The challenges that weight loss surgery patients face after surgery are real, but they are also worthwhile. In order to discuss all of these issues in more detail and get a realistic understanding about the pros and cons of weight loss surgery, it’s important to meet with a bariatric surgeon for a consultation. We’ll be more than happy to answer your questions and help you lose weight and eat right after surgery.

Learn More About Weight Loss Surgery

If you are interested in weight loss surgery and would like to learn more about your surgical options, be sure to contact our weight loss surgery center today.

Celiac Disease Before and After Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Tijuana Bariatrics attracts patients from across the border because of its record of safety and affordability. Our network of bariatric surgeons achieve excellent results, helping patients lose weight quickly and safely through gastric sleeve surgery and other bariatric procedures.

A number of patients interested in bariatric surgery have questions about gluten allergies and celiac disease. Let’s cover these matters in brief right now.

Understanding Gluten

Before we discuss celiac disease and gluten intolerance, we should provide a quick word about gluten and examples foods that contain gluten.

Gluten is a type of protein that is found in wheat as well as grains such as barley and rye. Gluten is what gives bread its chewy texture and lends elasticity to dough.

About Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a type of autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive tract. When a person with celiac disease eats foods with gluten in them, it results in damage to the lining of the small intestine. This can result in serious digestive problems, skin rashes, anemia, cramps and body pains, ulcers, and changes to your menstrual cycle.

It’s estimated that 1 out of 100 people worldwide suffers from celiac disease.

People with celiac disease will want to avoid the following foods to prevent pain and discomfort:

  • Wheat of all kinds
  • Couscous
  • Matzo
  • Semolina
  • Durum
  • Farina
  • Faro
  • Spelt

Your doctor will be able to provide you with a more comprehensive list of foods to avoid.

Is celiac disease the same as gluten intolerance/allergies?

Celiac disease and gluten allergies are not the same thing. The former is an autoimmune disorder, while the latter refers to a heightened sensitivity to gluten products, which can cause a variety of mild to severe symptoms.

In fact, the whole notion of gluten intolerance remains up for debate, meaning that some people may not be suffering from an actual gluten intolerance but buying into a gluten-free food and marketing fad. Celiac disease, however, is a real condition and is scientifically proven to exist.

Can I undergo gastric sleeve surgery if I suffer from celiac disease?

Yes.

Many people who suffer from celiac and are morbidly obese do undergo gastric sleeve in order to lose weight and improve their health. It is safe and effective. The revised diet after undergoing bariatric surgery is typically gluten-free, meaning that patients with celiac disease will still be able to eat balanced diets.

Can bariatric surgery cause celiac disease or gluten intolerance?

In some cases, bariatric surgery patients have developed a gluten intolerance or even acquired celiac disease after the procedure. The exact mechanism for the condition has yet to be identified, though some suggest that it may be due to the shock to the system from undergoing surgery.

However, a procedure such as gastric sleeve surgery involves less revision to the digestive tract and intestine. In addition, should gluten intolerance develop, patients who’ve undergone bariatric surgery should not notice a severe impact on their post-surgery diet habits.

Is gastric sleeve right for me?

In order to get answers to this and other questions, it’s important that you visit our practice for a consultation. This will allow you to ask questions and get the answers you need to make a confident decision about weight loss surgery.

Learn More About Weight Loss Surgery

For more information about the advantages of gastric sleeve and other surgical weight loss options, be sure to contact our bariatric surgery center today.

What Pain Medications Are Safe to Use After Gastric Sleeve?

Our bariatric surgeons have established themselves as leaders in the field based in Tijuana. Countless patients from San Diego and Southern California have visited his practice just over the border, knowing that they can undergo advanced weight loss surgeries such as gastric sleeve at a reduced cost but not with reduced quality in care.

One of the major reasons that our surgeons are so trusted is their commitment to patient education and wellness. With that in mind, we’d like to consider the issue of pain and pain relief after weight loss surgery, with a focus on the types of pain medications that bariatric surgery patients are allowed to take.

Pain and Discomfort Are Common After Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery of all kinds puts your body through many changes that should not be taken for granted. Even a low-maintenance and less complex surgical procedure like gastric sleeve surgery will result in post-surgical discomfort of some form.

After early monitoring in the medical center to ensure the patient is free from complications, patients will be able to leave to recover at home. Pain relievers can be taken to help alleviate the soreness and discomfort, but certain kinds of medications should simply not be taken.

Avoid Taking Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

As we noted in a previous blog post, bariatric surgery patients should avoid taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This includes:

  • Aspirin (e.g., Bayer, Excedrin)
  • Ibuprofen (e.g., Advil, Nuprin, Motrin)
  • Naproxen (e.g., Aleve)

This also includes prescription NSAIDs, such as the following:

  • Lodine
  • Vimovo
  • Relafen
  • Daypro
  • Voltaren
  • Indocin

The issue with NSAIDs is that these kinds of drugs affect the stomach’s ability to create mucous that protects the stomach’s lining from gastric fluid. Exposure to gastric fluid means an increased risk of stomach bleeding, ulcers, and even a perforation in the stomach lining. Following surgery, any increased risk of perforation to the healing stomach pouch means increased chances of a major medical complication.

Approved Pain Relief: Opioids

Opiod drugs such as hydrocodone (e.g., Vicodin), oxycodone (e.g., OxyContin, Percocet), morphine (e.g., Kadian, Avinza), and codeine can also be taken. These medications need to be prescribed and used with caution, however, since they can prove addictive. We take great care when it comes to prescribing these kinds of pain relievers.

Approved Pain Relief: Acetaminophen (Paracetamol)

Acetaminophen-based pain relievers such as Tylenol and various prescription drugs are also approved for use by bariatric surgery patients. It’s not uncommon for acetaminophen drugs to be combined with opioids to relieve discomfort.

How long will the pain after weight loss surgery last?

Pain after weight loss surgery will typically last for a few weeks, though patients will notice significant reduction in pain after the first week to two weeks. It’s important that patients get a lot of rest and avoid all strenuous physical activities based on their surgeon’s post-operative instructions.

Follow All Recommendations Made By Your Bariatric Surgeon

As you recovery, there will be various recommendations for your diet and activity level. These will help with the healing process and allow you to transition into your new life after the surgery has been performed. Follow these instructions to the letter, and always feel free to contact our team about your recovery process if you have any concerns.

Learn More About Gastric Sleeve Surgery

For more information about gastric sleeve and how it can help you achieve a slimmer frame and healthier overall lifestyle, be sure to contact our bariatric surgery center today.

The Link Between Obesity and Hypertension

Numerous patients have placed their trust in our bariatric specialists. They are leading weight loss surgeons in Tijuana who attract a diverse patients base from across the border. We offers some of the most state-of-the-art weight loss procedures at our practice, including gastric sleeve surgery (sleeve gastrectomy).

Losing weight means more than just looking slimmer. It also means getting much healthier. With that in mind, let’s consider how weight loss surgery can help address issues with hypertension.

What is hypertension?

Hypertension is another way of saying high blood pressure. In essence, this means that it requires more force/effort from your heart to pump your blood through your arteries. Over a long period of time, hypertension can result in a number of serious health problems.

There are actually two kinds of hypertension. Primary hyper tension has no direct cause and tends to develop naturally as part of the aging process. The other kind of hypertension is known as secondary hypertension and it is linked to various health problems, including thyroid problems, sleep apnea, and substance abuse.

How is hypertension linked to obesity and morbid obesity?

When a person is obese or morbidly obese, his or her body will require more blood to circulate in order to supply the body with the proper amount of nutrients and oxygen. In other words, your heart has to work much harder as a result of increased body mass, which results in high blood pressure.

Health Issues Caused by Hypertension

There are many adverse health conditions related to high blood pressure. These include:

  • Heart disease
  • Heart attack
  • Heart failure
  • Stroke
  • Loss of vision
  • Damage to the kidneys
  • Angina
  • Erectile dysfunction

How Bariatric Surgery Helps Address Hypertension

Bariatric surgery allows patients to lose weight in a quick and healthy manner. By shedding excessive amounts of weight, patients can improve their heart health and reduce their blood pressure in the process. This improvement in weight and blood pressure has a number of benefits for the entire body, meaning that general wellness can be greatly improved thanks to shedding that excessive weight.

How effective is bariatric surgery with regard to treating hypertension?

As we noted previously on our blog, bariatric surgery is quite effective in treating hypertension.

Patients will lose a great deal of body mass in the first year of surgery, which means a significant improvement in heart health. In addition, patients will adopt a new diet that is much healthier, which means long-term improvements in general wellness.

It’s this combination of weight loss, a healthier diet, and more physical activity that leads to a significant improvement in blood pressure. Weight loss surgery can literally add years to your life.

Which weight loss surgery option is right for me?

There are different options to consider for surgical weight loss. We feel that gastric sleeve (sleeve gatrectomy) is among the safest and most effective options, though gastric banding and gastric bypass surgery can also achieve great results for patients. During your consultation, we can go over the risks and benefits of all surgical options so you can make an informed decision about these matters.

Learn More About Your Weight Loss Surgery Options

For more information about how weight loss surgery can help you lose body mass and achieve better health and wellness, be sure to contact our bariatric surgery center today.

Obesity and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: Is There a Link?

While based in Tijuana, the safety and quality of our weight loss surgery results have drawn numerous patients from across the border in order to help improve their health and wellness.

Undergoing bariatric procedures such as gastric sleeve surgery can alleviate and prevent serious health problems. With that in mind, let’s look at Hodgkin’s lymphoma and whether or not obesity is a risk factor.

What Is Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?

Also known as Hodgkin’s disease, Hodgkin’s lymphoma is type of cancer that affect a person’s lymphatic system. The lymph nodes are located throughout the body and are an important part of your immune system.

When affected by Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the cells in a patient’s lymphatic system undergo abnormal growth, negatively affecting your body’s ability to fight infections.

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, another condition that affect the health of the lymphatic system, is a more common condition than Hodgkin’s disease.

Signs and Symptoms of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Common signs and symptoms of Hodgkin’s lymphoma include the following:

  • Swelling around the neck, groin, and armpits (where lymph nodes are located)
  • Recurring and/or persistent fatigue
  • Night sweats
  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Major weight loss
  • Lack of appetite
  • Greater sensitivity to alcohol
  • Pain in the lymph nodes when drinking alcohol

Is Obesity a Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Risk Factor?

While there is some back and forth among doctors and scientists about this, there have been a few studies that have found obesity to be a contributing factor to Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Obesity actually increases risks for a number of different cancers.

This is why achieving and maintaining a reasonable weight is important.

Additional Risk Factors for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Other risk factors of Hodgkin’s lymphoma include:

  • A family history of the condition
  • Gender (men more likely to experience condition)
  • Weakened immune system
  • Age (usually diagnosed between 15 and 30, then after 55)

Is Weight Loss Surgery Helpful in Reducing Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Risk?

Weight loss surgery helps patients achieve a more ideal weight in a safe and rapid manner, and as such, it is often a great way of preventing cancer and other serious health problems that may be associated with increased body mass.

If any of the risk factors for Hodgkin’s lymphoma are present and you also experience issues with hypertension and diabetes, bariatric surgery is a good option to consider to improve your overall health and wellness.

Which Bariatric Surgery Procedure Is Right for Me?

There are three common kinds of bariatric surgery procedures that are popular: gastric sleeve surgery, gastric bypass surgery, and gastric banding surgery. We feel that gastric sleeve tends to be the best option for patients since it maximizes the advantages of the other surgeries while also minimizing their disadvantages.

That said, each patient is different, and we will be more than happy to go over all of your surgery options in greater detail during your visit to the practice.

Learn More About Weight Loss Surgery

If you would like more information about bariatric surgery and how it can help you achieve better health and wellness, be sure to contact an experienced weight loss surgery doctor today. Our bariatric specialists will work with you and help you understand the risks and benefits of any surgery that you undergo.

Understanding the Link Between Obesity and Depression

When patients meet with the doctors at our Tijuana weight loss surgery practice, we always stress the many different benefits of bariatric surgery. Undergoing effective weight loss procedures such as gastric sleeve surgery can contribute to good physical health while also improving mental health and overall outlook on life.

It’s with this in mind that we’d like to consider the ways that depression and obesity are linked, and how undergoing bariatric surgery may be a way to help address both issues.

Depression and Obesity May Be Intertwined

A number of studies have found that people who suffer from depression are also struggling with obesity and a high body mass. Given the current numbers about depression and obesity in the United States, it’s maybe no surprise that there’s some crossover.

It’s estimated that 1 in 10 people in America suffer from depression; it’s also estimated that there are roughly 70 million obese people in the United States. To some extent this is a matter of correlation rather than causation, but it’s important to take these matters seriously.

How Obesity May Cause or Contribute to Depression

According to some research, people who are obese or morbidly obese are roughly 25 percent more likely to suffer from a mood disorder such as depression. Given how obesity can lead to issues with self-esteem and self-images as well as contributing to sensations of isolation, it’s no surprise that obesity can result in a more severe case of depression.

How Depression May Cause or Contribute to Obesity

Teenagers who suffer from depression have exhibited a tendency to become overweight or obese over time. This may be linked to poor food choices, low levels of exercise and physical activity, substance abuse, or self-destructive behaviors. Sometimes people overeat as a way of coping with depression, which is also a link that is worth considering in such matters.

Can weight loss surgery help treat both obesity and depression?

Undergoing weight loss surgery can certainly help help patients lose excessive weight, improve self-image, enhance general health, and potentially enhance overall feelings of psychological wellness. There are multiple positives from different angles when it comes to bariatric surgery, which is why it’s worth considering treatment if you are obese or morbidly obese.

Note: Adjusting to Life After Weight Loss Surgery Can Be a Challenge

Even though weight loss surgery can be quite beneficial to patients, it can also result in a number of hurdles in adjusting to your new lifestyle. A number of patients who struggled with depression prior to surgery will still struggle with depression afterward. That said, counseling and discussion of your issues with a therapist, loved ones, and your support network can help you through these difficult times.

Learn More About Your Weight Loss Surgery Options

If you would like to learn more about bariatric surgery and how it can help you achieve better overall health and wellness, be sure to contact our bariatric surgery center today. Our weight loss experts look forward to your visit and helping you address all of these matters to the best of his ability.

Can Obesity Cause Sleep Disorders: Body Mass and Total Wellness

Tijuana Bariatrics treats many patients from across the border. This state-of-the-art weight loss surgery practice is a leader in Mexico. We offer all of the most advanced and effective weight loss procedures available, including gastric sleeve surgery, which shrinks the size of the stomach and reduces appetite.

People undergo bariatric surgery to address more than just their overall weight. Bariatric surgery can also be performed to treat health problems associated with obesity, such as sleep disorders. Let’s go over this matter in more detail right now.

Obesity Affect More Than Just Your Body Mass

As a condition, obesity has many more effects on your wellness beyond just your body mass. It has also been linked to a number of health conditions, either causing them directly or making them worse as a result of increased body mass.

There are three sleep disorders that are most commonly linked to an increased body mass: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), insomnia, and restless leg syndrome. Let’s consider each of them in a bit more detail.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Obstructive sleep apnea is often associated with snoring, but the condition involves more than just a loud snore. Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person’s breathing during sleep is interrupted frequently. Each interruption in sleep is known as an apnea, and it can last a few seconds to a few minutes, occurring multiple times during the night. This can lead to fatigue, headaches, and other issues during the day while awake.

As a person experiences higher body mass, the more likely he or she is to suffer from sleep apnea. In some cases the obstructive sleep apnea is so severe that even sleeping on your side will not necessarily alleviate the condition.

Insomnia

It’s unclear if insomnia can cause obesity or if obesity contributes to insomnia (or both), yet there is a link between insomnia and obesity. Studies have found that people who get six hours of sleep or less have a 33 percent chance of suffering from obesity, while people who get around seven or eight hours of sleep a night have a 22 percent chance of obesity.

Restless Leg Syndrome

Roughly 12 million Americans suffer from restless leg syndrome, a condition that results in itching, pulling, gnawing, and other strange sensations in the limbs during rest. This makes a restful, full night’s sleep very difficult to achieve. Studies have found that people who had a high body mass (in the obese and morbid obesity range) are 40 percent more likely to suffer from restless leg syndrome.

How effective is bariatric surgery at treating these issues?

Bariatric surgery is an excellent option for losing weight safely and effectively. People who undergo weight loss surgery procedures of different kinds will be able to lose weight and achieve excellent health and wellness. In general, sleep disorders and other health problems are less common or less severe following bariatric surgery.

Learn More About Your Weight Loss Surgery Options

For more information about how weight loss surgery can improve your overall health and wellness, be sure to contact our bariatric surgery center today. The entire weight loss team at the practice will help you lose weight and get a full night of restful sleep.

Tijuana Bariatrics Now Offering Plastic Surgery and Nutritional Counseling

Tijuana Bariatrics, one of the world’s top destinations both for medical tourism and weight loss surgery, has announced that it is now offering plastic surgery and nutritional counseling. The practice has added two plastic surgeons and one nutritionist, all three of whom bring extensive training, skill, and experience to the Tijuana Bariatrics team.

Plastic surgery through Tijuana Bariatrics is available in both Tijuana and Monterrey, Mexico, at hospitals held to the same high standards as U.S. hospitals. Both cities are popular tourist destinations, with Tijuana conveniently located within mere miles of San Diego, California, and Monterrey being one of Mexico’s most affluent and picturesque locales. Patients will have access to a comprehensive range of both surgical and non-surgical procedures at both locations, including breast augmentation, breast lift, face lift, post-bariatric body contouring, abdominoplasty, liposuction, and BOTOX® Cosmetic injections. Further, hair transplantation and laser procedures will be available at the Monterrey location

Patients from the United States can arrange to have their surgeries performed at one of the two locations by reaching out to Tijuana Bariatric’s care coordinator. The coordinator provides patients with instructions on how to take and provide the practice with photos of areas of their bodies with which they are concerned, answers any questions they might have about surgery, and assists them with scheduling issues.

One of the greatest advantages of having plastic surgery performed through Tijuana Bariatrics is that patients can expect treatment of the highest standard in state-of-the-art surgical facilities, but at a more affordable price than in the United States.

In terms of its core practice area, bariatric surgery, Tijuana Bariatrics has also broadened its scope of services by adding nutritional counseling. The nutritionist establishes a rapport with bariatric patients even before their surgery, chatting with them and gathering their contact information. She visits them in the hospital immediately after their surgery, and always meets with them after their discharge from the hospital when they are back at the hotel, whether individually or in groups.

Nutritional counseling can play a vital role in ensuring the long-term success of bariatric surgery, which requires that patients commit to healthy eating and lifestyle habits for the rest of their lives after their operations. The Tijuana Bariatrics nutritionist specializes in bariatric surgery patients and is able to provide them with individually tailored post-operative plans based on their unique needs and goals. She will monitor them closely during their healing phase, devoting an hour or so a week to communicating with them via live online chat. After their recovery, patients are encouraged to contact her through Facebook, chat, or email whenever they have questions or require guidance as they adapt to their new eating behaviors.

Further information about Tijuana Bariatrics and its plastic surgery and nutritional counseling services can be obtained by visiting http://www.tijuanabariatrics.com or by contacting the practice at:

San Diego Office
(800) 308-3607
info@tijuanabariatrics.com

Gastric Sleeve vs. Gastric Banding Surgery: Is One Better Than the Other?

Because of their reputation for high-quality bariatric surgery results, our doctors have attracted countless patients to our Tijuana weight loss surgery center. We have achieved incredible results thanks to gastric sleeve surgery (sleeve gastrectomy), though there are many other surgical options out there as well.

We’d like to use this post to consider how the gastric sleeve stacks up against another popular option for surgical weight loss: the gastric band procedure.

About Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Gastric sleeve surgery is a bariatric procedure that involves the permanent resizing of the patient’s stomach. By reducing stomach size, a patient’s appetite is reduced, as is the amount of food that a patient can consume in a single sitting.

How Effective Is Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

Gastric sleeve surgery is highly effective at promoting safe and rapid weight loss. The surgery is low maintenance and not as invasive as other kinds of bariatric procedures such as the gastric bypass. Patients who undergo gastric sleeve are routinely satisfied by the results.

About Gastric Banding Surgery

Gastric banding surgery is a bariatric procedure that also involves the shrinking of stomach size, though it does this using a silicone band. The band is wrapped around a portion of the stomach to reduce its size. This means that patients will experience reduced appetite and will consume fewer calories with each meal.

How Effective Is Gastric Banding Surgery?

Like gastric sleeve, gastric banding surgery is highly effective at promoting rapid and safe weight loss. The procedure is less invasive than even gastric sleeve surgery, and patients are able to have the band adjusted as needed, which is not an option for other kinds of weight loss surgery procedures.

Advantages of Gastric Sleeve Over Gastric Band

The primary advantage of gastric sleeve surgery over gastric banding is that it is low maintenance and less likely to require additional adjustments, which come at an additional cost. There is just the first surgery and that’s that, without any need for additional follow-ups for re-adjustment or alteration.

Advantages of Gastric Band Over Gastric Sleeve

The primary advantage of gastric banding over other weight loss surgery procedures is that it is completely reversible. If a patient experiences any kind of complication related to their gastric banding, it can be addressed in a secondary or revision surgery. Similarly, if it’s shown that gastric banding is a poor option for weight loss, a patient can then undergo a different procedure as needed.

Helping You Make the Best Decisions About Bariatric Surgery

While we feel that the gastric sleeve procedure is superior to many other kinds of bariatric surgery, we acknowledge that each patient has different needs, and that one procedure may be better than the other for certain patients.

During the consultation process, we will take great care in determining the best option for you and your needs, answering all of your questions and addressing your concerns as well.

Contact the Team at Tijuana Bariatrics

If you would like to learn more about your bariatric surgery options and which might be ideal for you and your needs, be sure to schedule a consultation with a weight loss surgery specialist today. Our team looks forward to your visit and helping you achieve a healthier weight.

Gastric Sleeve vs. Mini Gastric Bypass Surgery: Which Is Better for Me?

Tijuana Bariatrics has treated numerous patients across the border in search of bariatric surgery. Offering gastric sleeve surgery (sleeve gastrectomy) as well as other state-of-the-art weight loss procedures, we can tailor a bariatric treatment plan to meet your needs.

More and more patients have been asking about the mini gastric bypass and how that compares to traditional Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and the gastric sleeve. Let’s look a this right now.

What Is the Mini Gastric Bypass?

A mini gastric bypass is a less invasive variation on the traditional gastric bypass procedure. Like the traditional Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the surgery involves the creating of a smaller stomach pouch as well as bypassing a part of the intestine.

Mini gastric bypass is less invasive, less complications, and more streamlined than the full gastric bypass surgery, but still works on similar principles of reducing the stomach size and restricting the absorption of calories as well.

How Does Mini Gastric Bypass Compare to the Traditional Gastric Bypass?

Mini gastric bypass surgery takes less time to perform than traditional gastric bypass surgery. In addition, the surgery is less complicated, there is less rearrangement and rerouting of the intestines, and the mini version of the procedure yields similar results.

While the benefits are many, some patients are considered better candidates for the traditional gastric bypass, so be sure to keep that in mind.

About Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Gastric sleeve surgery is much simpler than the traditional and mini versions of the gastric bypass. The surgery involves creating a much smaller stomach pouch. This restricts the amount of food a patient can eat, and limits the caloric consumption of every meal, leading to weight loss.

Advantages of Gastric Sleeve Surgery Over Mini Gastric Bypass

The gastric sleeve surgery is less complicated than either of the gastric bypass options we noted above. With less surgical alterations to the digestive tract, this means reduced risk of serious complications after surgery has been performed. In addition, the procedure can be revised to a different bariatric procedure if necessary with relative ease.

Advantages of Mini Gastric Bypass Over Gastric Sleeve Surgery

Mini gastric bypass surgery may be more ideal for certain patients who would benefit from a combination of restrictive and malabsorptive weight loss procedures. Since the procedure is less complicated than the traditional gastric bypass but achieve similar results, it’s an ideal option for patients who feel a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is more aligned with their needs.

Which Weight Loss Surgery Option Is Right for Me?

As you might imagine, answering this question over the internet is difficult, if not impossible. Each patient is different, and his or her goals need to be considered individually. That’s why contacting our team and discussing surgeries in more detail is ideal. We will be sure to address any and all concerns that you may have about either procedure as well as the other weight loss surgery procedures we offer.

Contact Tijuana Bariatrics

If you would like more information about gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and mini gastric bypass surgery as well as other procedures offered at our bariatric practice, be sure to contact our weight loss surgery center today. Our bariatric specialists can answer any questions that you may have about your options for safe and rapid surgical weight loss.