I have personal experience with the surgery. My aunt recently had the gastric bypass, and lost over 200 pounds. The surgery has to be safe, since doctors all over the world agree to perform it. Is it the best idea? Of course it isn’t. Diet and exercise is always a better solution. The surgery results vary from person to person. Whatever an individual puts into the surgery, will affect the end result. If someone were to get the surgery not only to be skinny, but to be healthy and live a longer life, they will see excellent results. If motivation is paired with compliance, support meetings, diet and exercise, they are going to maintain those results and probably look better than they ever have. I have witnessed experiences from both sides of the spectrum. My co-worker had the surgery, did everything she was supposed to do and she now looks amazing. She complied with everything the doctor said. She joined a gym, ate correctly, and took the proper vitamins. Although she didn’t have an excessive amount of skin, she did have some skin removed, but her health is great and she feels better than ever. She now exercises almost everyday. Instead of using the surgery as an easy way out, she put energy into changing her entire lifestyle. Another friend of mine had the same procedure and she is having problems with her blood and iron today. The only reason she is having problems is because after the surgery, she did not keep herself up. She didn’t exercise, eat right, and worst of all she still consumed alcohol after strict direction from physicians not to. She is in and out of the hospital and now has developed what many call dumping syndrome. Dumping syndrome causes everything she eats to digest quickly and go right through her. She is skinny, weak, and frail. She has frequent trips to the doctor, and her self esteem is lower than before do to excessive drooping skin. Overall the surgery is what you make of it. Mental preparedness can play a huge factor in the results. You must prepare yourself for a lifestyle change. Successful surgeries do not only depend on the doctor, but also on the compliance of the patient. The gastric bypass is guaranteed to be safe and effective or else it would not be legal. All the surgery really does is cut your stomach down to less than half its size. It us up to the individual to redesign their lifestyle, eat healthy, and exercise, in order to see the maximum results. Gastric bypass, should not be looked at as an alternative to losing weight, it should be an aide in obtaining a healthy lifestyle. Yes, I believe the gastric bypass is absolutely safe, but it is up to the individual to comply.
