FAQs

Obesity has many complications such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and triglycerides, shortness of breath, pain, and arthritis. But there are also other complications associated with obesity, which are diseases of the digestive system because of their significant impact on food absorption.

It is the system that starts from the mouth and ends at the anus, and it is responsible for the process of digesting foods and analyzing them into minerals, vitamins, and a group of natural elements that benefit the body, and help to carry out its function and tasks so that a person can practice his daily activities and life normally.

It is also known as a duodenal ulcer, which is due to the secretion of large amounts of digestive acid, as a result of eating unhealthy fast food. 

Therefore, it is necessary to follow up with a gastroenterologist to find out the appropriate treatment with adherence to healthy meals, stay away from foods that contain a lot of spices, and stop smoking to preserve the gastric mucosa.

It is one of the most common diseases of the digestive system, even for people who do not suffer from obesity, and it may have genetic reasons with some people, but it is expected to occur more frequently with obese patients. Its known symptoms are bloating, stomach pain, gases, diarrhea or constipation, and in some cases, blood in the stool which turns its color dark. Therefore, foods that contain gluten should be avoided to protect the colon from infections.

It is also one of the common problems of the digestive system, such as irritable bowel syndrome, and its known symptoms are a feeling of burning in the lower part of the chest, stomach bloating, and nausea. All these symptoms are due to the backup leak of the gastric acid to the esophagus.

It occurs due to weight gain resulting from lack of movement and due to lack of drinking water, so you should drink about 1-2 liters of water per day to maintain the body's humidity and protect it from dehydration. Also, Dr. Heikal Mahmoud recommends exercising continuously to reduce the incidence of constipation and eating 25-30 grams of dietary fiber daily, knowing that constipation does not cause weight gain but abdominal bloating.

70% of obese patients suffer from fatty liver, due to a large accumulation of fat on the liver, and this leads to an imbalance in the activity of liver tissue, which may lead to cirrhosis or liver failure over time. This disease is also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver, where the weights of obese patients exceed their ideal weight by about 10-40%.

Some obese patients often wonder about bariatric surgeries, especially Gastric Sleeve surgery, due to its impressive results of losing 60% of the excess body weight in a short period. So it is considered an ideal and guaranteed solution for every obese patient who failed to lose excess weight in different ways. Diets and sports are important, of course, and must be adhered to, but they are not a satisfactory way of losing weight. So many accepted bariatric surgeries to reach their ideal weight.

The most important questions to be answered are whether the expansion of the stomach can happen again after Gastric Sleeve? and does this cause gaining weight again? And what are the factors that may cause the stomach to expand again? All these points will be answered below.

Gastric Sleeve is to cut the stomach longitudinally, so that about 80% of the size of the stomach is removed, including the removal of the part responsible for secreting the hunger hormone. Thus, the capacity of the stomach is greatly reduced, which reduces the patient’s ability to eat large quantities of food, and the result is burning body fat and rapid weight loss. Gastric Sleeve helps to lose approximately 60% of body weight in about a year, provided that the patient follows the instructions dictated by the doctor. But what is gastric expansion?

Gastric expansion is the increase in the size of the stomach again. The stomach consists of stretchable tissues that can be enlarged in the event of an increase in the quantities of food. Gastric expansion occurs in only a few cases, as a result of several factors, the most important of which are:

1- Failure to comply with the doctor's instructions.

2- Failure to adhere to the specific diet approved by the specialized nutritionist.

3- Excessive eating is the main cause of stomach expansion.

4- Eating prohibited foods such as fast food and soft drinks, which contain high levels of fat and calories.

5- Laziness, lethargy, lack of movement, and lack of walking and sports.

6- Not drinking enough water daily, as water is an essential element in the body and is involved in most vital processes in the human body.

7- Excessive intake of sugars and sweets, as many obese patients who have undergone the Gastric Sleeve prefer to eat sugars over other foods because they are easily digested, but this may cause weight gain again.

1- Adherence to the specified diet in the specified quantities.

2- Drinking fluids in large quantities, especially in the first three weeks after the surgery.

3- If the patient is unable to reduce the amount of food, the solution is to resort to Redo surgery, where the main cause of weight gain is discovered and bariatric surgery is performed to correct the problem.

Obesity is a potentially life-threatening disease due to its serious complications that extend to different organs in the body. One of the main causes of obesity is excessive eating, especially food that contains high levels of fat and sugar, and following some wrong habits, such as eating without fixed meals schedules or eating while watching TV. All these factors cause an increase in body weight and over time the person becomes obese.

Most obese patients resort to diets to lose weight, and despite their strong commitment to the types and small quantities of food, they cannot get rid of obesity. Losing several kilograms is not considered a solution to the problem. 

1- High blood pressure and heart attacks.

2- Type 2 diabetes.

3- Inflammation and roughness of joints, especially the knee joint and back vertebrae, as a result of the increased load on them.

4- Weak sexual ability for men and delayed pregnancy for women, as a result of its impact on the body’s hormones.

5- Depression.

6- Breathing difficulties as a result of fat pressure on the lungs and diaphragm.

All these complications are eliminated after bariatric surgery, but are there any conditions that must be followed?

1- Following the instructions carefully regarding food intake or movement.

2- Adherence to the prescribed diet, which mostly depends on liquids.

3- Taking the medications and vitamins prescribed by the doctor.

4- Doing exercise daily.

5- Drink plenty of water.

It is necessary to follow up the levels of vitamins in the body after bariatric surgeries, to compensate for what was lost due to the surgery. The Gastric Bypass results in reduced body absorption of nutrients and vitamins, as well as for Gastric Sleeve, where a large portion of the stomach is removed, thus digestive enzymes decrease, and their ability to digest and absorb food decreases, which reduces the chance of obtaining important nutrients.

1- It plays an important role in the body’s metabolic processes.

2- It helps stimulate brain activity.

3- It controls the appetite.

4- It helps in burning fats and sugars.

5- It maintains the freshness of the skin.

6- It prevents hair loss after bariatric surgery.

7- It improves the functions of glands such as the adrenal glands and the thyroid gland.

8- It helps the body to consume energy.

If the patient does not take vitamins after the surgery, the body metabolic processes are affected, and the decrease in nutrition and vitamins affects skin health and also causes hair loss, a decrease in muscle mass, osteoporosis, and anemia.

1- Multivitamins.

2- Calcium is an essential element that the body does not produce but must be obtained from food, and after bariatric surgeries, the amount of calcium available in the body decreases.

3- Iron is administered daily to avoid anemia or hair loss. It is preferable to take iron tablets with a time difference of about two hours from taking calcium tablets. It is also preferable to avoid drinking tea after taking iron tablets as it prevents its absorption in the body. It is also preferable to take vitamin C, which facilitates iron absorption.

4- Vitamin B12 is needed to strengthen immunity and boost energy levels in the body.

The immune system is one of the most important systems in the human body. The immune system can build a strong and healthy body, or produce a weak body that is easy to be infected.

So you can figure out what body immunity will be like after bariatric surgery, you must first be aware of how the immune system works before the surgery and how obesity affects it.

God created the immune system in the human body to protect it, not to harm it, which is a logical and natural matter, but this differs in the presence of obesity and excess weight. The complications of obesity are not limited to the digestive system, heart, blood vessels, and liver only, but it damages the immune system also.

White blood cells are the important line of defense against any infection. In obese patients, the immune system loses its ability to produce enough white blood cells to protect the human body against any bacterial, viral, or fungal infection; So WBCs count decreases due to obesity and the accumulated fat in different parts of the body.

The accumulated fats in the body act like endocrine glands and secrete the cytokine that stimulates a permanent state of inflammation in the body, which exhausts the immune system in various attempts to treat this condition, making it weak and unable to protect the body.

In the presence of obesity, the blood cholesterol level increases, causing narrowing of the blood vessels, which hinders their function of carrying a sufficient amount of blood loaded with white blood cells to the body organs as protection against any possible infection.

Complications of obesity, such as heart disease, blood vessels diseases, and type 2 diabetes, can weaken the immune system and thus develop various types of infections.

The lifestyle of an obese patient, including lack of movement and poor choice of healthy foods, exposes him to gain more weight and makes his immune system weak and unable to do its role efficiently.

Some people are afraid of undergoing bariatric surgery, because of the wrong information they might hear about bariatric surgery and its effect on a person’s immunity. But we are going to correct all these incorrect concepts now.

There are multiple bariatric surgeries such as J shape Gastric Sleeve, Gastric Bypass surgery, Sasi surgery, and other innovative bariatric surgeries, carried out by Dr. Heikal Mahmoud the consultant of obesity and endoscopy. The aim is to get rid of excess weight, thus eliminating the complications that weaken the entire body.

After the surgery, the body gets rid of chronic diseases and accumulated fats that negatively affect the patient's life and cause his immune system to weaken. In addition, the lifestyle after bariatric surgery helps to strengthen immunity, since the diet after the bariatric surgery is a balanced diet full of all important nutrients such as proteins, vegetables, and fruits.

Many patients are confused because of their obesity, not every obese patient is eating foods and sweets excessively, some of them are moderate in eating foods, yet they still suffer from obesity and being overweight.

Some people miss that one of the causes of obesity is genetics or genetic predisposition. In this article, we will answer one of the most important questions about obesity: "What is the relationship between genetic predisposition and obesity?".

We must first be aware that there are several genetic factors and not just one factor in the  incidence of excessive obesity, as there are approximately 400 genes responsible for obesity; such as:

1- The most important of them is the FTO gene or Fat Mass and Obesity Associated Gene. 43% of the world's population suffers from this gene, which is considered a high percentage. It is possible to notice the presence of the gene by some symptoms, such as:

- The person is unable to control the amount of food he eats.

- The person can not control the feeling of hunger, so he experiences it for abnormal frequent times during the day, making it closer to a constant feeling of hunger.

- The person is unable to lose excess weight, despite following diets and exercising.

- The feeling of fullness is rare.

- The person is inactive and unable to move and exercise regularly.

2. The second most frequently involved gene in the development of obesity is the POMC or Pro-Biomelanocortin gene; Its job is to send signals to the brain to feel hungry or full. When this gene is missing, the problem occurs, as the brain is unable to distinguish between the two feelings, causing a constant feeling of hunger.

3- The third gene is MC4R or Melanocortin 4, which is responsible for regulating food intake and maintaining a balanced rate of energy in the body; Its deficiency causes obesity at an early age, and most obese patients, in this case, are children.

Through the examples that we have discussed now, we can see the extent of genetic overlap with the issue of the impossibility of maintaining an ideal weight and the incidence of obesity.

Yes! With genetic predisposition, obesity can be a genetic disease for some patients, especially children whose parents are obese as well.

Yes! There is an effective treatment for genetic obesity, which is the various bariatric surgeries, by the best bariatric surgeon in Egypt, Dr. Heikal Mahmoud.

Bariatric surgeries provide an opportunity for the patient to lose weight healthily and safely and turn into a new person who can control his food quantities, his appetite and decreasing his feeling of hunger. These surgeries help the patient to reach his ideal weight and start a new life without obesity and its complications.

Many suffer from obesity without knowing the real reasons behind their weight gain, especially if they do not eat large amounts of food or depend on fast food meals. Despite trying to adhere to different diet regimes and some exercise, they are surprised by the stability of their weight, so their frustration increases. One of the unclear and indirect reasons behind weight gain is vitamin D deficiency in the body. In this article, we will learn more about vitamin D and its impact on weight.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin known as calciferol. It is found in many foods and can be supplied in the form of medications to be taken in certain doses, whether injections, tablets, chewable tablets, and sometimes liquid, which is determined with a nutritionist, especially if you suffer from a deficiency in its blood ratio. You can also get it through your exposure to sunlight.

In 2014, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study that was conducted on 218 women suffering from obesity and vitamin "D" deficiency. They consumed vitamin D supplements with a commitment to reduce calories in food and to exercise. Over time, they lost a lot of excess weight with increasing vitamin D blood level, as it helps reduce the formation of new fat cells, thus reducing the accumulation of fat in the body.

If an obese patient fails to lose weight naturally, especially if he suffers from a deficiency in vitamin D, he can resort to bariatric surgeries to lose weight faster without any side effects. The patient must adhere to the nutritionist's advice and take the prescribed vitamins, including vitamin D, to help in maintaining the burning rate in the body and avoid gaining weight again.

1- Improvement of lung and cardiovascular function.

2- Regulation of the level of insulin for diabetics patients.

3- Protection against cancer, as it helps to reduce any changes in genes.

4- Strengthen the nervous and the immune system.

5- Maintenance of bone and dental health.

6- Increase the proportion of the serotonin hormone, which controls both mood and appetite.

1- Recurrent infections due to immunodeficiency.

2- Constant fatigue and exhaustion.

3- Slow wound healing.

4- Depression and pessimism.

5- Hair loss, especially for women.

Of course, vitamin D deficiency is not an essential thing for obese patients. There are other causes of obesity, such as thyroid dysfunction.

The patient should not take nutritional supplements without consulting or referring to a nutritionist, because excessive intake of vitamin D is dangerous, as it causes a high level of calcium in the blood, known as hypercalcemia, and symptoms such as:

1- Loss of appetite.

2- Weight loss.

3- Excessive thirst.

4- Fatigue and exhaustion.

5- Frequent urination.

6- Ringing in the ears.

7- Hypertension.

1- Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna.

2- Shrimp.

3- Mushrooms.

4- Milk.

5- Eggs.

6- Butter.

7- Yogurt.

8- Orange juice.

9- Oats.

10- Soy products.

Obesity means a significant fat accumulation in the body under the skin and in the blood, which causes a negative impact of these fats on health. 

- Fat accumulation around the muscles throughout the body weakens muscle strength, especially the vital organs that need strength for use in daily life. Thus, the muscles of the arms and legs weaken, and the strength of the obese patient decreases.

 

- Fat accumulation around the body’s organs causes a lack of efficiency in organs such as the stomach and the colon, which increases the symptoms of poor digestion and pain in the colon. Fat also accumulates on the heart muscle, which is the most dangerous of all, as the heart muscle is the main organ of human life that pumps blood to the whole body. And if this muscle weakens, then all the organs will weaken.

- Fat accumulation in the blood causes narrowing of the arteries and veins, which leads to the risk of blood clots.

- Fat accumulation in the chest area causes a load and a burden on the respiratory system, so the patient cannot breathe easily, especially during sleep times, which increases insomnia.

- Fat accumulation around the pancreas weakens it and reduces its functional performance, and thereby reduces the secretion of insulin, which is responsible for burning blood sugar. Thus, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases.

- Fat accumulation cause hypertension and high blood glucose level, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, high risk of cancer, and persistent joint and bone pain.

Consequently, the patient feels lethargic and unable to move due to the burden of accumulated fat. All of the above points lead to depression with a lack of self-confidence and subsequent isolation from friends. So, excessive obesity causes the patient's life to stop completely and can lead to death.

The accumulated fat is harmful to human health, as it hinders the obese patient from following a normal daily life and his life may stop permanently. Worldwide, obesity has been identified as the second leading cause of death, so if you want to live your life freely and enjoy it, you should get rid of excessive weight.

So all these problems can be avoided or eliminated easily through undergoing bariatric surgery. With the development of science and technology, we can find the emergence of many techniques for bariatric surgeries, which play a major role in getting rid of those accumulated fats.

Your life will start after performing the appropriate bariatric surgery with Dr. Heikal Mahmoud because you will start moving again and regaining your activity and vitality. Thus, you will be able to go through all the adventures that you have been dreaming of and experience all the activities that obesity prevented you from doing it. Most important of all, your health will return to its normal state and you will feel self-confident again.

Bariatric surgery is one of the easiest surgeries aiming to eliminate excess weight, but it is a surgery that needs important steps for its success and to get rid of the accumulated fat and to reach the dream of the ideal weight, and these steps include:

Thanks to advanced technology and social media, everyone has been able to search for whatever they want to access. The research may involve everything, including surgeons, comments of patients who have gone through various bariatric surgeries with these doctors, and even their images before and after the surgery. So the researcher can reach a skilled doctor with high efficiency and long experience, who has many positive feedbacks from his patients, as Dr. Heikal Mahmoud the best consultant of obesity and endoscopy in Egypt.

That is because the surgeon is the main factor in choosing the appropriate surgery for the obese patient, proceeding with the surgery, and following up with the patient before and after the surgery in everything related to the patient's health and psychological life through his medical team.

Here we find the second step that depends entirely on the patient to follow the doctor's instructions before and after the surgery. Among those instructions are:

- Quitting smoking before the surgery for at least 12 weeks.

- Following the diet agreed upon with the doctor according to each period after the surgery. As the stomach has to be rehabilitated after surgery to eat. The patient starts drinking the nutritious fluids he needs for a period of five to seven days. And then solid food is gradually introduced, but in specific quantities according to the capacity of the new stomach size to avoid vomiting or nausea.

- Keep drinking at least 3 liters of water per day.

The expected result of getting rid of excessive obesity varies from one body to another. But by following the instructions of drinking water and following the diet after bariatric surgery, it is possible to get rid of a lot of accumulated fat in a very short time.

There is no possibility of bariatric surgery failure as long as the patient follows up with his doctor and follows all agreed instructions.