The high rate of symptoms post-gastric bypass
Although most patients report improved well-being after Roux-en-Y bypass (RYGB) surgery, the prevalence of symptoms was high, and nearly one-third of patients were hospitalised. These are the conclusions from a danish study of 2,238 individuals who underwent RYGB. RYGB has been recognised as a very effective treatment for those suffering from severe obesity, however this study aimed to assess the possible medical, surgical and nutritional symptoms that are experienced by the patients, that could impact upon their quality of life. They found that, of the 1,394 people that replied, 68% had been in contact with various health care systems regarding their symptoms, and 29% had been hospitalised.
The common symptoms were abdominal pain, fatigue, anaemia and gallstones, all of which can greatly affect the quality of life that a patient leads. Interestingly, females reported a higher incidence of symptoms, as did those under 35. The study authors were unable to attribute these differences to specific reasons, however they did stress that the development of weight loss procedures with fewer subsequent symptoms should be a high priority amongst those hoping to treat obesity.
