Being a MedicAlert member is very worthwhile. If you have any allergies, diabetes, or just simply take any medication - you should have a MedicAlert ID. It is the best way to go. I am very happy with my MedicAlert ID and membership plan.
Medical IDs for Gastric Bypass and Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery
The confidence to live with gastric bypass and bariatric weight loss surgery
Obesity is a serious health issue in the United States. As the number of obese individuals increases year after year, so does the number of weight loss surgeries performed in response to the problem. Bariatric weight loss surgery is any type of surgery performed on an individual’s digestive tract for the purpose of fostering extreme weight loss. Gastric bypass was the most commonly-performed type of bariatric weight loss surgery for decades, according to the National Institutes for Health (NIH), but other procedures, including Gastric Sleeve and Bilopancreatic Diversion are becoming more prevalent.
While the success rate of these kinds of surgeries is high in terms of weight loss — between 65-85% — bariatric surgery for weight loss is generally considered a last step when most other methods of weight loss are unsuccessful. This is because, as with any major surgery, these procedures are not without complications.
Weight loss surgery is very often life-changing for those who undergo a procedure. But, while the changes are primarily positive in terms of health and quality of life, even the most positive outcomes involve lifestyle changes and some risks.
How MedicAlert protects those living with gastric bypass and bariatric weight loss surgery
One thing you shouldn’t worry about is what could happen if there’s a medical emergency. MedicAlert’s protection plans offer benefits that extend beyond the ID, providing safety and peace of mind for people living with gastric bypass and bariatric weight loss surgery, their families and caregivers.
24/7 Emergency Response
Our team provides first responders the information they need to provide fast, accurate care.
Digital Health Profile
All your vital information, all in one place for you and your caregiver.
Emergency Contact Notification
In an emergency, we connect families so that no one is alone in a crisis.
24/7 Emergency Response
Our team provides first responders the information they need to provide fast, accurate care.
Pair a medical ID for gastric bypass and bariatric weight loss surgery with the protection plan that’s right for you.
What is bariatric weight loss surgery?
According to the Mayo Clinic, bariatric surgery is an umbrella term covering a number of different weight loss surgeries that involve making changes to your digestive system. Following is a brief description of the most common types of bariatric weight loss surgery:
Gastric Bypass: Also known as Roux-en-Y, gastric bypass surgery involves closing off a small pouch at the top of your stomach, and rerouting your small intestine to receive nutrients directly from this pouch, bypassing the lower stomach and upper intestine. This decreases both the quantity of food you can eat at once and the amount of calories and nutrients that can be absorbed from that food.
Gastric Sleeve: This surgery, sometimes called a sleeve gastrectomy, removes around 80% of the patient’s stomach. This procedure restricts the amount of food that can be consumed over a short period of time. Additionally, it removes some of the hormone-producing areas of the stomach responsible for producing hormones that can cause high blood pressure and heart disease.
Bilopancreative Diversion: The bilopancreative diversion is a combination of two procedures; it involves creating a gastric sleeve and then rerouting the intestines to bypass the majority of the small intestine, thus providing both restriction and reduction of absorption to promote weight loss.
What are the risks and complications of bariatric weight loss surgery?
Bariatric weight loss surgery is generally recommended only as a last resort when severe obesity threatens an individual’s health, and lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise have not yielded sufficient results. Chronic medical conditions that result from obesity, and which could make someone a candidate for weight loss surgery, include:
Diabetes: A condition in which the pancreas does not properly regulate blood sugar and insulin production. Long term, diabetes can lead to heart disease, chronic kidney disease, nerve damage, and other problems with feet, oral health, vision, hearing, and mental health.
Heart & circulatory conditions: These include coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and other life-shortening circulatory illnesses.
Back and osteo conditions affecting mobility: Osteoarthritis – the breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint, and many other structural impairments, are much more common in those who are clinically or morbidly obese.
At the point when these conditions are present and persistent, the medical risks of bariatric weight loss surgery are deemed to be less of a danger than the risks presented by the extra weight. It is not a decision made lightly, as the potential risks of the surgery can be severe as well, with each surgery carrying differing risks of side effects and severity. Some of these more common side effects of Bariatric Surgery include:
Dumping Syndrome: diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting after eating high sugar foods
Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar that can cause a range of symptoms from shakiness, sweating and headache to palpitations, dizziness, and loss of consciousness
Malnutrition: Incomplete absorption of nutrients can cause a deficiency of several different vitamins and minerals needed to survive. Supplementation is usually required for life after bariatric surgery.
Gallbladder problems: Due to the body’s inability to absorb as many nutrients, more strain is put on the gallbladder, and inflammation is more common as is gallbladder removal post-bariatric surgery
What to engrave on MedicAlert medical IDs for gastric bypass and bariatric weight loss surgery:
MedicAlert offers free custom engraving on all our medical ID products. The engraving on your ID should include the critical medical information that first responders need to know in an accident or emergency.
The best things to engrave on medical IDs for gastric bypass and bariatric weight loss surgery:
- Type of bariatric weight loss surgery you’ve had
- Surgery date
- Medication restrictions – no NSAIDs
- Current, post-surgical prescriptions
- Other health conditions
Sample engraving. Consult our team if you need help engraving your medical ID for gastric bypass and bariatric weight loss surgery.
How do you maintain your health after gastric bypass and bariatric weight loss surgery?
Even when surgery is successful, resulting in significant weight loss and no severe complications, individuals have to make major changes to their eating and drinking habits. In most cases, patients are directed to lose approximately 10% of their total body weight prior to surgery, both to show their ability to comply with the dietary changes that will be necessary, and to lower surgical risks.
While bariatric surgery is a wonderful tool in achieving and maintaining weight loss, it is not a magic cure. After surgery, patients are expected to maintain a low-calorie diet with very few carbohydrates Regular exercise, adequate water intake, avoidance of carbonated beverages and other dietary changes are all part of life after bariatric surgery. In addition, there are often restrictions recommended on the amount of solid food and beverages that can be consumed at the same time, as well as restrictions on certain medications, such as NSAIDs.
Even though successful weight-loss surgery decreases obesity and related health conditions, patients must still acclimate to an altered digestive system as its own new normal condition, as well as the possible issues that can come with those changes. Living with digestive alterations and maintaining weight loss will need to include regular monitoring of crucial vitamin and mineral intake and possible erratic blood sugar reactions. Some people, especially those who live alone, could benefit from having a safety net in case anything goes wrong.
How a medical ID for gastric bypass and bariatric weight loss surgery combined with MedicAlert Membership provides peace of mind
If a person with gastric bypass and bariatric weight loss surgery is in an accident or has another medical emergency, they can have difficulty communicating the details of their condition or other information important to their care. A gastric bypass bracelet or medical ID lets emergency responders and ER doctors know about your surgery. A MedicAlert ID can also help your rescue team get in touch with loved ones and other emergency contacts.
When paired with a MedicAlert protection plan, our medical IDs become even more valuable in emergency and other medical situations. A MedicAlert protection plan can ensure accurate and fast care by providing detailed information about your condition, your full health profile, designated physician information, details about current treatment plans and any other conditions, and other vital information about your care. With a MedicAlert ID and protection plan, you will always have a voice in an emergency.
-
Be your voice: If you can’t communicate well enough to speak for yourself, your ID will speak for you, informing others about your gastric bypass and bariatric weight loss surgery and any medications you are taking.
-
Provide 24/7 emergency protection: Our team will relay all of your critical medical information to first responders in an emergency, no matter where or when it happens.
-
Keep you connected: You should never be alone in an emergency, that’s why MedicAlert will reach out to your emergency contacts when needed if you are unable to do so.
- Enable you to live with confidence: The freedom to live your life with gastric bypass and bariatric weight loss surgery, knowing that MedicAlert is there for you.
DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. The information in this article is presented for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis and treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.