Trouble Losing Weight: Consider an Low cost Gastric Sleeve Surgery Option

Many people struggle with weight loss. Many of these people have serious conditions related to their excess weight, which can be life-threatening and often fatal. One option for people suffering from these conditions is weight loss surgery. However, it can be incredibly expensive, reaching prices of $35,000 in the United States. There is another option, though, that can save your life at an affordable price.

Gastric sleeve surgery may be right for you if you have a BMI of over 30 (and usually less than 45). The average patient to receive this type of surgery is 42. The surgery can be performed on patients with many health conditions. However, your doctor will let you know if the surgery is not safe for you.

A Surgery Performed By Camera

The low cost gastric sleeve surgery includes only a few small incisions. This surgery is performed laparoscopically, which means the surgeon will insert a small camera into the abdomen in order to guide the surgery. This reduces the need for any large incisions or openings in the abdomen. During the procedure, a large section of the stomach is removed (around 80%), leaving only what is essentially a vertical sleeve, about the size and length of a banana. This sleeve holds significantly less food, allowing the patient to feel full more quickly, eat less often, and avoid serious hunger pains. However, digestion will continue normally and there is no reduced calorie absorption, which can help avoid malnutrition. The surgery requires a 2 to 3-day hospital stay and about a week of recovery time before returning to everyday activities. You should allow two weeks for a full recovery.

Comparing Costs

The average cost of the gastric sleeve surgery is around $15,000 in the United States. For this reason, many people are opting for a different option. They are having their surgeries performed in Mexico. The cost of this procedure in Mexico is about $6,000 dollars. You will need to include travel, which can cost about $50 to $75 dollars a night for hotel stay and $500 dollars for a round trip plane ticket. Essentially, the total cost of the trip, including the surgery, can easily be under $7,000. This affordable gastric sleeve surgery is a great option for people without insurance, on a tight budget, or just hoping to save a little money, while still receiving the life altering surgery they desire.

The Postoperative Improvements

After the surgery, you should expect to implement a diet and lifestyle change. You will need to see a dietician regularly and most doctors will suggest that you also make an appointment with a personal fitness trainer. However, with proper care, patients who receive the gastric sleeve surgery can easily lose more than 70% of their excess body fat within 5 years. This time can be decreased with proper diet and exercise. The surgery may also cure (or at least improve) conditions related to weight, such as high blood pressure, asthma, heart problems, sluggishness, or sleep apnea. These reasons and more explain why so many people are opting for this affordable gastric sleeve surgery, and who doesn’t want a vacation anyways?