Health, Weight Loss Surgery
Do I need to stop smoking when I have gastric sleeve surgery?
If you’re a smoker considering bariatric surgery, one of the things your weight loss surgeon will ask you to do is to try and quit before the operation. But do you need to quit smoking permanently?
Overview
Obesity interferes with daily functions and increases the risk of numerous health problems, including heart disease and diabetes. Weight loss can significantly improve a person’s mental and physical well-being, but shedding extra pounds is not easy. One of the solutions for morbid obesity is Weight Loss Surgery in addition to lifestyle changes. Gastric Sleeve Surgery is one of the more common methods of weight loss surgery.
What is Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
Gastric sleeve surgery is one of several types of Bariatric surgery options. Bariatric surgery involves removing or reducing the size of your stomach which typically leads to rapid weight loss. Medical professionals usually call it vertical sleeve gastrectomy.
In the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, the stomach is divided along its vertical length in order to create a slender pouch. The excess stomach is removed. The purpose is to limit the amount of food ingested at any given time (restrictive operation), without altering the normal absorption of the vitamins and minerals.
Learn more about Gastric Sleeve Surgery here.
Should you stop smoking if you are having Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
Smoking is linked with a wide range of serious health problems, including numerous types of cancer. Many obese individuals are already at a higher risk for certain cancers and other health-related conditions that are also linked with smoking, including esophageal cancer, stroke, and heart disease. Additionally, smoking can lead to many post-operative complications, slowing the healing process and reducing the chances for weight loss success. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to quit smoking before considering any bariatric procedure.
Quitting is hard, but not impossible. Give yourself the best chance to lead the healthy, happy life you aspire to.
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