Seven gruesome side effects reveal the dark side of bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgery once seemed a like sure way out for many overweight people. However, the side effects of bariatric surgery are too extreme to ignore. Still, the mainstream media is doing an impressively lame job covering them.

Bariatric surgery is an invasive procedure that reduces how much food your stomach can hold and is usually restricted to a subset of the obese population.

Many who desire the surgery do not qualify for it. After reading this list of side effects, you might begin to believe that no one should qualify.

Here are seven side effects associated with bariatric surgery that are rarely mentioned in mainstream media

1.  Increased incontinence after bariatric surgery

Al Roker ended up pooping his pants at the White House. Many other bariatric surgery patients report this issue, in addition to problems controlling the urinary tract. Up to 55% of women and 31% of men suffer worsened incontinence after bariatric surgery.

2. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

It may seem obvious to some that messing with the digestive tract leads to digestive problems, but many are willing to take the risk. Taking big bites, eating too quickly, not chewing food well enough and eating dry foods results in bouts of nausea or vomiting.

On the other hand, continuing to eat unhealthy foods laden with sugar and grease causes diarrhea.

3. Malnutrition

Proper nutrient absorption requires the entire digestive tract. When you bypass essential elements, you run the risk of malnutrition. Serious malnutrition. JAMA is known to report deaths that are a direct result of bariatric surgery.

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4. Stomach issues

With the stomach now smaller than it has ever been, the limited space bears a terrible burden. Ulcers form in the small pocket connected to the small intestine because the acidic stomach secretions are now highly concentrated in one place.

This site can also begin narrowing, requiring further surgery. Dehydration starts to set in since the stomach can no longer hold high quantities of water.

5. Noninsulinoma pancreatogenous hypoglycemia syndrome (NIPHS)

This hard-to-pronounce illness is simply blood sugar that falls very low. Though this might sound tempting for those with extremely elevated blood sugar, keep in mind that this causes seizures and confusion. If it becomes  problematic, it can be life-threatening and require additional medical procedures to treat. Of course, there is no guarantee that those procedures will work.

6. Suicide

Sudden, dramatic changes never come without some kind of mental duress. While the weight may be off, that doesn’t mean the emotional state is magically happier. After reviewing almost 17,000 weight-loss operations, researchers found suicide rates to be five times higher in those patients than in the general populace.

7.  Substance abuse

Tied to this extreme mental shift is substance abuse. Many that undergo bariatric surgery still maintain the emotional addiction to food they’ve always had. However, unable to enjoy what once helped them cope with emotions, they may turn to illicit substances. One survey found an increase in substance abuse of 50% merely two years after the operation.

With all of these symptoms and side effects, it’s no wonder hospitals performing these procedures don’t publicize them more. Yet, even if they were put in bold on a bariatric surgery home page, it may just be that the pull of extreme weight loss made easier is just too strong for some people.

Yet the reality remains that sudden physical changes are detrimental to both physical and mental health. Instead of slowly adapting to gradual progress, the body is shocked, unable to actually cope with what has happened.

In the end, it seems, diet and exercise are the only two healthy ways to lose weight.