How to lose weight?
The journey matters.
Weight loss is challenging. It can be a daily grind that requires a conscious decision at least three times a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner for your entire life.
You have to be constantly alert because of your stomach’s “stretch.” We feel full when our stomach feels tight and this is a subconscious signal to the brain.
Feeling “full” is the cornerstone of durable weight loss management and weight loss surgery is a part of this strategy. By reducing the volume of your stomach then your stomach requires less food to stretch and feel tight.
Operations such as the sleeve gastrectomy and the gastric bypass target this feedback signal. The combination of good eating habits, healthy living and surgery then deliver an improved quality of life.
What to expect?
Researching bariatric surgery, with it’s considerable benefits and potential drawbacks, is key. Jonathan has a public appointment at Sir Charles Gairdner for complex bariatric surgeries. The below video is part of the information package given to public bariatric patients and it is a useful starting point for learning about bariatric surgery in Western Australia.
Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy
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The Original Stomach Volume
Your stomach has an enormous capacity for food and liquid. We feel full when the stomach is stretched to its limits. Many people feel that sensation where you “can’t take another bite.” Every person has a different limit of feeling full depending on how your brain interprets “stretch” signals from the stomach. At your first clinic appointment, Jonathan will discuss with you about whether this operation is the optimal procedure for your health profile.
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Reducing the stomach volume
The “sleeve gastrectomy” is an operation that reduces the capacity of your stomach by approximately 80%. This is usually what people mean by a “stomach stapling” procedure. The stomach’s volume is reduced and the vast majority of people now feel full with a much smaller portion of food.
This operation is typically undertaken at Hollywood Private Hospital with a 2-3 day stay in hospital.
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The completed sleeve gastrectomy
Once your stomach is smaller then it is easier to keep the weight off. This is because your brain feels “full” much quicker. When mixed with a healthier lifestyle and improving mobility, your quality of life can be improved significantly.
Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass
The gastric bypass operation is the next step up from a sleeve gastrectomy. The stomach’s capacity is reduced further and the internal “plumbing” of the small bowel is rearranged.
The rearrangement of the small bowel can further alter how you absorb nutrients and send different signals to your liver and other organs.
Jonathan will discuss with you about your specific benefits and risks of this operation at your clinic appointment.
Other Procedures and Revisional Bariatric Surgery
Jonathan’s public role at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital encompasses complex oesophago-gastric and bariatric referrals from around the state. You may be referred by another surgeon or doctor after a disappointing outcome from an operation, or if you have troublesome side effects such as malnourishment, pain, reflux, or more worryingly, internal hernias or leakages. This drawing shows a patient who was referred to me after her stomach after bariatric surgery was pulled into her chest, giving her intractable reflux. She was converted to a gastric bypass and her symptoms completely resolved.
All of these problems can be quite complex, taking a toll on your daily life, work and overall health. A structured and methodical approach to your overall health and nutritive state is critical to recovery and quality of life. Jonathan will discuss with you in detail about how we can achieve this.