Written By: Emma Squillace
If you’re interested in losing weight with bariatric surgery, you’ve likely heard of a procedure called “the sleeve”. It’s currently the most popular bariatric surgery in the US. You also may have heard of the vertical sleeve gastrectomy or gastric sleeve. Those names refer to the same operation. Several public figures have lost substantial weight with the sleeve, and we often have patients asking about it. You may be wondering: “how does the sleeve procedure help with weight loss?” Here is the answer:
Smaller stomach
When the sleeve is performed, about 80-85% of your stomach is taken our by our expert team. The remaining stomach is shaped like a hotdog or banana. This means when you eat, just a small amount of food will fill up your stomach, making a big difference in how quickly you feel full. This is also what makes the sleeve an irreversible operation. Once that portion of the stomach is removed from your body, it cannot be reattached. You may hear about some patients who have a degree of stretching of their stomach after the sleeve surgery. This is a possibility, but you can limit the amount your stomach stretches by continuing to eat small meals. Our team not only performs the operation, but makes sure you have the education and support to succeed with your weight loss.
Feel full longer
In addition to this smaller stomach helping you feel full with small portions, many patients report that after the sleeve surgery, they go longer between meals before they’re hungry again. When you combine smaller meals with eating less frequently, you get weight loss. One important consideration is that because you’ll be eating less, it’s even more important to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need. This is why our team includes experts who can help you with food choices and to understand what vitamins and supplements you’ll need to take to maintain health as you lose weight.
Hormone change
There’s a hormone called ghrelin that’s sometimes referred to as ‘the hunger hormone’. Have you ever noticed you feel hungry after seeing a commercial for food, or looking at some appetizing food pictures in a magazine? That’s not your imagination. That’s your body producing ghrelin – which makes you feel hungry. Ghrelin is believed to be mostly made in the part of the stomach that is removed when the sleeve surgery is performed. So with less ghrelin, it’s thought that patients also lose weight because they just don’t feel hungry the way they used to. The majority of sleeve patients report feeling noticeably less hungry after their surgery.
If you’re wondering if the gastric sleeve can help you lose weight, the best way to find out is to talk to our experts. This procedure is widely performed because it is a safe and effective way to lose weight. The bariatric team at West Medical can help you understand the benefits and risks of the sleeve surgery, and help you decide if this is the option for you. Patients who have the sleeve not only lose weight, but often see success in improving their obesity-related health conditions like Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. You can speak to our supportive team by calling 855-690-0565.