The gastric bypass surgery is an absolutely serious, life-changing treatment. If you’re considering going through with a gastric bypass procedure, you need to know all the facts. Here are just a few of the most commonly asked questions people have about this weight loss surgery.

How Does a Gastric Bypass Work? – Before a patient undergoes the procedure, food enters the stomach and passes into the intestine. After a patient undergoes the surgery, the patient has a smaller stomach pouch, which reduces the amount of food he or she is capable of eating. The food they do eat is then redirected so that it bypasses most of the stomach, and the first section of the small intestine. Since food flows right into the middle section of the small intestine, the amount of calories that can be absorbed is limited.

Is the Gastric Bypass Effective? – To put it bluntly, yes. It is. It’s more effective than a gastric band, and a gastric sleeve, which are both other forms of bariatric surgery. About 84% of diabetes cases are resolved following this procedure, and about 75% of hypertension cases are as well. Studies show that after about three years, most patients who’d undergone the procedure had lost about 70% of their former body weight.

Am I Eligible For a Gastric Bypass? – This is a major surgery, and is not to be taken lightly. You may be obese, and still not qualify for it, because of the risks it can pose. When undergoing the extensive screen process to see if you qualify, medical professionals look to see if your efforts for weight loss with diet and exercise have been unsuccessful, if your MBI is 40 or above, and/or if your BMI is above 35 and you have serious weight-related health issues, such as high blood pressure).

If you have any other questions about this bariatric surgery, feel free to share in the comments.