Common gastric bypass surgery side effects that you should know about before surgery
Many American adults suffer from obesity, resulting in more than 200,000 metabolic and bariatric surgeries each year. Some patients who are looking for a quick-fix solution to their weight problem don’t always take the time to fully understand the bariatric surgery risks before committing to the procedure, but the problems that could arise may surprise you. Gastric bypass surgery entails sealing off most of the stomach, while leaving a small functional pocket at the top. A portion of the small intestine is bypassed during digestion, which means the body absorbs fewer calories. Because the procedure changes the way your digestive system functions, gastric bypass side effects are almost inevitable.
1) Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is one of the more serious gastric bypass side effects. People who suffer from hypoglycemia have too much insulin and not enough glucose in the bloodstream, resulting in an imbalance that can cause serious medical issues. The remedy for hypoglycemia often includes eating proteins and slow-acting carbohydrates to produce more blood glucose, but this can cause problems in gastric bypass patients who are limited in the amount of food they can eat at any given time. Hypoglycemia can have swift and severe complications, including extreme sweating, seizures, excessive hunger, dizziness, confusion, shaking, elevated heart rate, and even blackouts. An adjustment in eating patterns and medication can often control the problem, but some severe cases have required complete or partial removal of the pancreas to limit the amount of insulin it produces.
2) Dumping Syndrome
The medical community believes that one of the common gastric bypass surgery side effects, hypoglycemia, might be caused by a condition known as dumping syndrome. Since gastric bypass surgery limits the size of the functional stomach, excess amounts of undigested food can spill over and be dumped directly into the small intestine. Many patients will feel the effects immediately after eating, while symptoms may not show up in others for up to three hours after a meal. This is one of the more common gastric bypass side effects, and it can also result in extreme nausea, diarrhea, or painful abdominal cramps.
3) Gallstones
More than one third of previously obese bariatric surgery patients experience gallstones, one of the painful gastric bypass side effects. Gallstones often occur during substantial or rapid weight loss when clumps of cholesterol and other substances form small masses in the gallbladder. Obese adults are more prone to gallstones because they often produce a higher level of cholesterol than the body can dissolve, or because their gallbladders do not function adequately to begin with. The National Institute of Diabetes and Kidney Disease reports that people who lose more than three pounds each week have a greater risk of developing gallstones. While some gallstones do not cause symptoms and do not need treatment, severe symptoms might require a complete cholecystectomy, or removal of the gallbladder.
4) Incontinence
Fecal incontinence is one of the least-discussed gastric bypass side effects, but it can be one of the most emotionally devastating. Popular weatherman and gastric bypass patient Al Roker had an embarrassing public episode while at the White House, and it has helped to make some of the more common gastric bypass surgery side effects more public. This particular symptom often occurs as the result of dumping syndrome. It may also be caused by the surgery simply exposing an underlying weakened continence issue that the patient did not know existed. In fact, a study conducted in 2010 shows that more than half of all women and almost one third of all men who had minor incontinence issues before the surgery suffered from more severe symptoms after the procedure. While fecal incontinence may not cause serious medical issues, it can often curtail the patient’s social life and emotional well-being.
5) Nutritional Deficiencies
A gastric bypass limits the amounts of calories the body absorbs, which also limits the amounts of nutrients absorbed. In addition, gastric bypass patients must limit the amount of food they eat. If they do not pack their small meals with nutrient-dense foods, malnutrition can easily occur. Any nutritional deficiency can easily result in severe medical conditions, including anemia, metabolic bone disease, or osteoporosis. In order to reduce or eliminate the risk of these types of common gastric bypass surgery side effects, patients should eat meals that are packed with nutritional foods and also discuss the possibility of additional vitamins and supplements to ensure they are getting adequate nutrition on a daily basis. It is important for gastric bypass patients to follow a strict diet with small meals that are packed with nutritional foods to avoid any serious long-term complications from nutritional deficiencies.
Other Complications
In addition to the gastric bypass side effects already mentioned, there are a host of other things that can go wrong. Some, including infection, are commonly associated with any type of bariatric surgery, but others are more specific to the gastric bypass operation. Abdominal hernias are a somewhat common side effect of the surgery. Not only can these be extremely painful, but they almost always require additional surgery to repair them. Each additional surgery heightens the risk of typical complications, including infection and internal scar tissue that can compromise the intestines. Some gastric bypass patients, particularly those who don’t follow a strict diet, may find they are suffering from a stretched stomach outlet. This occurs when the small stomach pouch created during surgery becomes too stretched, resulting in it returning to its normal size. While this may not carry serious medical consequences, it can result in the patient experiencing weight gain and losing all of the benefits of the surgery in the first place. This always requires another surgery to fix the problem to ensure that the patient does not become obese again, which carries its own set of medical and health issues.
My doctor did a cat scan on me and results came back I have a liquid substance in my pouch from gastric bypass 21 years ago
My doctor is concerned. What can happen?
Michelle do you have a sort of burning type of pain when you cough, sneeze or move wrong? Its been 16 years since my surgery as well. TY in advance.. Robbin from Pa.
Michelle, I have just been diagnosed with the liquid pouch. My doctors are baffled. What ended up happening with you, if I may ask?
Ok I had gastic bypass 15 year a go I have gained back almost. 50 lb what are my
options. Still dont eat a lot at one time but hungry all the time
I had gastric sleeve I have gained back almost. 50 lb what are my
options. Still dont eat a lot at one time but hungry all the time
I bring up clear bike when I eat and have stomach pain I restrict to non gluten. Read no dairy and no red meat. Peanut butter on a piece of toast I can eat and not swell up and puke o have gained weight. Feel tired all time have severe constipation or with laxatives dirreaha. What do o do. I feel overwhelmed. Told by internist just irritable bowel but I can hardly eat without pain. I stop as soon as I feel full
I am considering having gastric by pass surgery. My aunt had it 15 years ago and has had no issues what so ever. I am nervous now, reading all of these comments. My hope is to get off insulin and blood pressure meds and to possibly get well enough to get off disability and go back to work. I have grandchildren that I want to run and play with without getting so tired and sick. Most people I have talked to do not regret doing it and highly recommend it. Others say do not do it. I am working closely with my doctor to do everything I need to so I can prepare for it.
I had my surgery about 5 yrs ago and I am now off all blood pressure meds and insulin. My a1c showed I no longer have diabetes.
I am not sorry I had it. Just have to watch my diet and get enough protein.
Good luck, the benefits out weight the bad.
did you bring this up with your DR? you may have a small ulcer.
Had gastric bypass 3 1/2 months ago. Now for the last 4 days I have been miserable. Lump in my throat & nauseous stomach. Gagging but nothing comes up. Sip on broth but have to go lay down everything makes me feel really sick. Have not been able to eat much since surgery so I am very cautious. Small bites. Very concerned
My name is Petula Clyde. I had gastric sleeve surgery 10 years ago and I gained 33lb . everytime I turn around I am eating (help
I am having the same issue I had robotic gastric bypass surgery on April 3rd 2019, I did fine until about a month ago I have been in the hospital twice in the past two weeks. I can’t eat without throwing everything up and my blood pressure was to high now on low blood pressure medicine and it is fine when sitting but as soon as I stand up it drops 30 points and I get sweaty, tired and feel like I am going to pass out. I had a test in the hospital where they took xrays and I had to drink terrible stuff and they watched how my food and drinks go down my esophagus. They found that my upper esophagus is now narrower than my bottom esophagus and isn’t working with my bottom esophagus due to the gastric bypass. They are going to go down and try to stretch my upper esophagus and try to stretch my pouch to see if I can finally eat and do something without feeling like I am going to pass out. You need to see a Gastronoligist maybe you are having issues with your esophagus.
i had gastric bypass 3 years ago and now im having unexplained seizures my drs think it could be caused by the bypass
I recently had the gastric bypass (6 wks ago) and I am now suppose to be reintroducing regular food back into my diet. However, EVERYTHING I try to eat seems to make me sick to my stomach, I sit in minor pain, gagging trying to keep it down. I am unable to eat any protein drinks/shakes, I have tried vegan, plant based, whey and egg white based. Even small gulps of water will upset my stomach. I have had an upper GI to ensure there were no issues, and everything is flowing fine. Has anyone else had this issue and if so, what helped. Please looking for any answers.
My gastric bypass was in 2008, and has caused a lot of issues. I’ve had over a dozen surgeries since that. I go through cyclical vomiting syndrome, when almost nothing stays down, and it can last for months on end. My advice is to stay hydrated, and taking a drink with me everywhere. Sometimes I spend the majority of days with my head in a bowl, but a little of each sip gets through), take your supplements, and listen to your body. Some things have temporary unpleasantness (“temporary” is relative–with coffee, it took several months before I was able to tolerate it without getting sick, but now it’s not usually a problem). The good news is that most of it will pass, like developing a tolerance. Try to avoid triggers, and pick your battles. I had a doctor who suggested 1) as close to no-carb as possible, 2) no raw veggies, 3) no sweeteners–regular or artificial, 4) high protein. This worked well for me, but was not only unsustainable long-term (I was able to keep to it for about 6 weeks; I find animal meat unpalatable and fake meats out of my budget), but also caused reactive hypoglycemia to massively overreact when I went slightly off-track, and that resulted in my first low-glucose seizure. It can also throw off your electrolyte balance. So use care, transition slowly, and perhaps have a doctor/nutritionist oversee any changes. No one diet works for everyone. Don’t give up, and don’t let anyone make you feel bad for your results. This is a difficult lifestyle change and no one knows exactly how it’s going to go ahead of time. If a doctor isn’t listening or isn’t a good fit for your situation, keep trying until you find one who is. Your well-being is worth it, and someone out there has the knowledge to help. Keep asking for it.
Planning to undergo gastric sleeve. But I am in love with carbs. I am not sure if I can give up completely post surgety
Do the bypass, trust me u will learn to hate any greasy, fried foods… Because if you try to eat u get sick… So your brain jumps in. I’m struggling with carbs, but found that if you do the protein and buy protein snacks, it curbs that craving for the most part. I do yogurt that I’d 15mg protein, 1 cup offrozen blueberries so I get my protein and sweetness. I ordered bariatric chips that are protein and baked for those days I just need something salty or crunchy
My daughter in law had the gastric sleeve done about 1 yr ago and have had nothing but problems since then. She had vomiting for 8 months and hard to get anything to go down along with severe pain. Then about 1 1/2 years later and several trips to the hospital and a few surgeries including a hernia surgery she had to have a gastric bypass surgery done immediately. A couple of days later she started having seizures and was paralyzed on her left side and can not walk or move her left foot or leg. She can use her left arm and hand some. What could cause this to have happen to her?
The reason for the gastric sleeve surgery in the first place was to loose wt so she could be put on a double lung transplant list. She is 34 years old, mother of three.