Too fat to breathe? Gastric bypass surgery to lose weight and survive

Losing weight can not only get rid of excess fat, but also keep you away from metabolic diseases! A cement worker who lives in Taichung City is only 154 cm tall but weighs 120 kg. At the doctor's suggestion, he underwent laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. Six months after the surgery, his weight dropped significantly, from 120 kg to 60 kg. His annoying sleep apnea problem was also cured without medication.

Morbid obesity may cause complications such as cardiac hypertrophy and hypertension.

Li Minxian, director of the bariatric surgery department of the China Medical University Hospital, said that morbid obesity caused many complications for the patient. Not only will you get out of breath after walking a few steps, but it can also cause problems such as heart enlargement and high blood pressure. Most importantly, as his weight increased, his snoring problem became increasingly serious, and he even developed sleep apnea, which led to poor sleep quality, daytime lethargy and sleepiness. Once, he even fell asleep while riding a bicycle and waiting for a traffic light, and almost caused a car accident.

Being overweight brings many dangers! Acute cardiopulmonary failure is easy to occur

Dr. Liang Xinjie from the Department of Thoracic Surgery said that due to the influence of severe sleep apnea, the patient also went to the Department of Thoracic Surgery for treatment and immediately started a series of related treatments. But last year, he suffered from sudden acute cardiopulmonary failure and was admitted to the intensive care unit for emergency intubation.

Although he was finally discharged from the hospital safely, he still had to wear an oxygen mask after returning home to alleviate the crisis of airway obstruction caused by excessive weight. In other words, if the weight is not reduced, similar conditions may occur again at any time. Only weight control can truly cure the problem.

After the operation, the patient's weight decreased day by day. Within half a year, he lost half of his original weight, losing 60 kilograms; the annoying complications of metabolic diseases also said goodbye. (Photo provided by Li Minxian, Director of the Department of Bariatric Surgery at the China Medical University Hospital)

Is it difficult for morbidly obese patients to lose weight? Gastric bypass surgery to assist

However, Dr. Li Minxian, director of the Department of Bariatric Surgery, also said that for this morbidly obese patient, if he wants to reduce his BMI to the standard value and alleviate the above complications, exercise and diet alone will not be enough. Therefore, at a meeting of the bariatric surgery and thoracic surgery teams, it was recommended that he undergo gastric bypass surgery to control his weight.

The patient also underwent laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery in September last year and was discharged safely after four days of hospitalization and observation. Apart from a slight pain from the wound, there was no other discomfort. The postoperative response was also quite good. The patient's weight decreased day by day. Within half a year, he lost half of his original weight, losing 60 kilograms; the annoying concurrent metabolic diseases also said goodbye.

Most importantly, the sleep apnea that had troubled the patient for a long time was cured without medication. He can sleep well every night and is no longer tired, absent-minded, or sleepy during the day, so he can continue to work.

【Doctor's Tips】:

Dr. Li Minxian, director of the Department of Bariatric Surgery, emphasized that when one's weight exceeds the ideal weight by 45 kg, or the BMI is greater than or equal to 35, and there are already complications caused by obesity; or when the BMI exceeds 40 and has become harmful to health, it can be called "morbid obesity."

Patients with morbid obesity are advised to undergo laparoscopic weight loss surgery to improve the effects of the disease, in addition to moderate exercise and diet control, which is another new treatment option.

Once a person becomes morbidly obese, it is not just a simple problem of being overweight. The metabolic diseases that accompany it, including diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea, cannot be ignored and may even lead to death in severe cases. Patients with morbid obesity are advised to undergo laparoscopic weight loss surgery to improve the effects of the disease, in addition to moderate exercise and diet control, which is also a new treatment option.