Gastric Bypass Surgery:
Post-Operative Care with IV Nutrient Therapy and Injection Nutrient Therapy
By Dr. Susan Williamson NMD
With the rise of obesity in the U.S., more patients are turning to gastric
bypass surgery to produce fast and dramatic weight loss. According to the Mayo
Clinic, gastric bypass surgery is the most popular weight loss surgery in the
United States. With gastric bypass surgery, the stomach is made smaller by
reducing it to a thumb-sized pouch (15-30 mL or 1-2 tablespoons in volume),
which considerably restricts the amount of food that can be eaten, as well as
provide less surface area for the absorption of vitamins and minerals from food.
In addition to this, the amount of hydrochloric acid (needed to absorb calcium
and iron) and intrinsic factor (needed to absorb vitamin B12) produced by the
stomach is greatly reduced due to its size, which also contributes to nutrient
deficiencies. In addition to this, the duodenum, a major area of nutrient
absorption within the intestinal tract may be bypassed depending on the type of
procedure performed, further contributing to nutrient deficiencies.
Common symptoms of nutritional deficiencies are:
o fatigue and weakness
o hair loss and/or dry brittle hair
o thin and brittle fingernails
o difficulty thinking/concentrating
o thinning of the skin/dry skin
o softening/weakening of the bones (osteopenia/osteoporosis)
o bone pain and bone deformities
o muscle spasms
o tooth discoloration and increased susceptibility to tooth decay
o bleeding gums
o increased tendency to bruise and bleed
o anemia
o sleep disturbances
o neurological problems
o pins and needles sensations in the body
o permanent nerve damage
o diarrhea
o skin disorders
o sore or swollen tongue
o cracks at the edges of the mouth
o swelling, usually in the legs
o dehydration
o decreased immune system strength, making an individual more
prone to infections
Some nutrient deficiencies, if allowed to progress, can result in serious life
threatening complications, so it is very important for gastric bypass patients to
continue supplementing with nutrients and the best way to do this is via
intravenous administration where the digestive tract is not a factor in the
absorption of nutrients. With IV nutrient therapy, high doses of vitamins and
minerals (much higher than what can be taken orally) can be delivered straight to
the bloodstream where they are readily available to the cells for absorption and
use by the body. People who have had gastric bypass surgery may also benefit
from having specialty testing done at W clinic of Integrative Medicine to detect
their specific nutrient deficiencies so that their particular nutrient deficiencies
can be detected and therefore appropriately treated.
Common deficiencies of the fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E, and K)
are common and these can be supplemented via intramuscular injection.
Patients are at risk for developing anemia secondary to deficiencies of iron,
Vitamin B12, and folate, all of which can be replenished easily via injection or IV.
Calcium is a common nutrient deficiency as well due to the decreased stomach
acid production in the reduced sized stomach. It is unknown whether gastric
bypass patients can absorb the micronutrients selenium, zinc, and chromium,
however these are included in the nutritional IVs as well as vitamin C, B12, B
complex, B6, folate, calcium, magnesium, and electrolytes. Another benefit of the
nutrient IVs is treatment of dehydration, which is another common symptom
many suffer after gastric bypass surgery.
Patients who have nutrient deficiencies usually notice an immediate effect
of feeling better immediately after receiving a nutrient IV. If you or someone you
know has had gastric bypass surgery then please contact W clinic today so that
we may assist you in replenishing your body’s nutrients and help prevent serious
complications from developing and progressing. Taking oral vitamins and
minerals will help some with nutrient deficiencies, however the severe deficiency
that normally results after gastric bypass surgery is best treated with intravenous
nutrients where gut absorption is not a factor and 100% of the nutrients is
absorbed and available to the body.