Gastric Bypass Surgery: Everything You Need to Know to Make an Informed Decision

Is gastric bypass surgery for you? A GBS specialist helps you decide

Like every elective surgery, bariatric (weight-loss) surgery—also known as gastric bypass surgery or GBS—comes with its risks. In Gastric Bypass Surgery, a medical doctor answers all of your questions to help you make an informed decision about what is right for you.

Mary McGowan, M.D., consults with hundreds of patients each year who are either considering GBS or have already undergone it. In Gastric Bypass Surgery, Dr. McGowan shares her years of experience answering patients' questions to help shed light on every concern you may have about the procedure.

Gastric Bypass Surgery will help answer and ease your concerns about such vital questions as:

• Am I a candidate?
• Which bariatric procedure is right for me?
• What are the potential complications?
• How long will it take to heal?
• How do I maximize weight loss and maintenance?
• What kinds of foods will I be restricted to?
• How do I develop and maintain an exercise program?
• What type of psychological and physical preparation is necessary before and after the procedure?

Mary P. McGowan, M.D., helped develop the bariatric surgery program at Catholic Medical Center, Manchester, NH. She is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and president of the Northeast Cholesterol Foundation. Dr. McGowan has authored numerous professional articles and has been a medical consultant on NBC's "Today."

Jo McGowan Chopra is a writer who specializes in health topics and is a regular columnist for Commonweal.