The Scandinavian Approach

Gastric Bypass Method

About The Surgery

The Scandinavian weight loss surgery technique is technically demanding for the surgeon, but less invasive for the patient. The result is that after successful surgery, almost all patients can go home within 24 hours of surgery. Because the joins are sewn by hand, most patients report that they can eat normally by the end of the first week after surgery.

Any weight loss operation is regarded as complex surgery so it takes time to do it well. Partly this relates to BMI and also to other surgery that you may have had before. Average times are between 1 and 2 hours but for very large patients who have had a lot of previous abdominal surgery it can take longer.

If you have weight loss surgery with Professor Peter Lodge at Leeds Nuffield Hospital, you should expect to be admitted to hospital on the day of the operation and discharged home the next day.

How About Recovery?

Following successful laparoscopic surgery, most people are fully recovered within 2 weeks of the operation. You may still have some trouble tolerating specific foods, but you should be back to all of your normal activities. Laparoscopic surgery doesn’t look much on the outside, but you have to remember it’s still a big operation inside so you may experience some aches and pains over the next couple of weeks while everything is healing up.

For most occupations, we would recommend taking 2 weeks off work. If your work involves a lot of heavy lifting, it would be advisable to ask for light duties until 6 weeks after the operation. Driving really comes down to being able to concentrate and able to make an emergency stop. It would be sensible not to drive for a week, but after that it’s up to you.

Are There Any Significant Side Effects?

Following surgery, your stomach capacity will be reduced so you will not be able to eat a very large meal. Most patients don’t find this to be a problem as they feel full more quickly and also feel less hungry between meals. The operation also alters the way you absorb food and it is designed to drive you away from high carbohydrate high fat meals towards meals higher in proteins. If you eat too much sugar or fat in a meal you may feel lightheaded and bloated or you may get some diarrhoea – a condition called dumping. Alcohol absorption is unpredictable and you should never drink and drive. The stomach is an important organ for absorbing vitamins and some minerals, particularly iron and calcium. In weight loss surgery, much of the stomach is taken out of circuit so these things are not well absorbed. For anyone having surgery on the stomach, it is important that you take supplements to compensate for this following surgery. This will all be explained. A vitamin B12 injection is recommended about 4 times each year for anyone undergoing weight loss surgery.

Will My Diabetes Improve?

Weight loss surgery is being currently promoted in many developed countries as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes mellitus, the type of diabetes associated with being overweight. This is because the surgery is so effective in reversing the need for medication. If you have been a diabetic for less than 10 years, successful weight loss surgery will almost certainly reverse the diabetes overnight. If you have been a diabetic for more than 10 years, although the diabetes may not be resolved, there is a very good chance that you will have better sugar control and need less medicines in the future as your weight comes down.

What About My Arthritis?

An immediate benefit of weight loss surgery is an improvement in mobility.  Arthritis is aggravated by being overweight so most patients notice a rapid improvement.

Will My Sleep Apnoea Go Away?

If you have severe obstructive sleep apnoea and use a special breathing mask at night (a CPAP mask) it will be important to keep using this mask until you weight has reduced significantly. Your family doctor will help advise you about this. Mild sleep apnoea disappears rapidly, but it may take several months for more severe sleep apnoea to resolve.

What About My High Blood Pressure?

There is no doubt that being overweight can lead to high blood pressure and that weight loss can improve it. As your weight comes down after successful weight loss surgery, your blood pressure should improve. This is something that your family doctor will want to monitor and help with as it is dangerous to stop blood pressure medications without proper advice.