Doha Ghouth Saudi Gazette Obese patients are increasingly turning to quick-fix measures such as gastric bypasses to get slim quick, not knowing that it could lead to health complications later on. For many people who are morbidly obese, surgery is the only way out of the daily hell they experience. There are two types of surgeries commonly performed today: the gastric sleeve and the gastric bypass. “We are talking about people who are severely addicted to food and find it extremely difficult to move,” said Dr. Waleed Bokhari, a surgeon who specializes in treating obese patients and performs about five surgeries a day. Bokhari sees people of different ages and sizes every day and tells them that surgery is even worse than a diet, because they have to permanently base their lifestyle around the procedure. “People think getting the surgery will give them the privilege to eat whatever they want, but that's not true because they will go through not only pain but extensive changes in their diet.” Complications are expected in all cases but it depends on how successful the procedure is and how the patient adapts their lifestyle. Both surgeries limit food ingestion but are carried out differently. Discussing the gastric sleeve surgery, Bokhari said: “Seventy-five percent of the stomach is cut away along the greater curvature and removed from the body in the sleeve.” With the gastric bypass, the stomach is separated into two and stoma is created in the smaller upper pouch, said Bokhari, adding that the lower remaining portion of the stomach is bypassed. The bypass reduces food absorption, while the sleeve controls hunger sensations. However, choosing the right operation is the tricky part. “Both are tricky but are for those who are overweight by 30 kg or more,” said dietitian Amjad Faris. A healthy lifestyle will be forced upon those who go for these surgeries, but with quite a few consequences. “In the bypass foods which are dry, sticky, or fibrous can cause discomfort or blockages, including tough meat, bread, pasta, rice, raw vegetables, nuts, popcorn, and skins of fruits and vegetables, while sweets can cause involuntary passing of feces and carbonated beverages can cause bloating,” said Faris The sleeve procedure does not present that many problems with food as the stomach continues to function normally, but high-calorie and high-fat foods and drinks must be avoided and daily calories limited for weight loss to occur. Food and drink that are high in calories, sugar, fat foods and beverages will ruin weight loss efforts regardless of the procedure. “It is not magic but it helps those who have zero self-control in making them fear for their lives” said Bokhari. On the other hand, Faris believes people can diet if they just try to change their lifestyle. “It's not easy but it is doable because surgeries affect people in the long run by making them deficient in every vitamin category.” Hassan Malik had a bypass only two years ago and believes it is the best decision he ever made. “It was risky and I had a long three months recovery period but it was worth it. I experienced protein and iron deficiencies and it scared me because I felt ill for a while but I feel great now.” According to Malik, he is on a diet for a lifetime. “I can maintain a healthy lifestyle now, while before such a life felt light years away.” According to Faris, people who are obese look at the large number of kilos they have to lose and give up instantly. “It is not easy when they think it through but what they don't know is that with time it becomes easier.” Patients are normally unhappy and depressed at the beginning of the recovery period but after around six months they feel refreshed, even though many have complications after the surgery and need another procedure done. Rakan Taibah experienced a leakage in his abdomen three weeks after a gastric sleeve procedure and is still suffering a year later. “I lost 40 percent of my weight but I have other problems to worry about. I feel like I fixed one problem and ruined everything else.” Taibah wishes he did not have the surgery because he has been to hospital for three procedures to try and fix the problem. “Now I wish I could turn back time and stick to a diet instead of going through this torture every day.”
