Support group for bariatric surgery

WHEN FORMER Mandsaur MLA Pushpa Bharti walked into the hall, State PWD Minister Kailash Vijaywargiya could not recognise her. It?s not new for Bharti now, 15 months after she underwent bariatric surgery for weight reduction.

WHEN FORMER Mandsaur MLA Pushpa Bharti walked into the hall, State PWD Minister Kailash Vijaywargiya could not recognise her. It’s not new for Bharti now, 15 months after she underwent bariatric surgery for weight reduction.

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“I feel as young as 16. I am now able to eat all those goodies that the doctors prevented me from eating for last 20 years,” 47-year-old Bharti recounted with joy at a meeting of a support group formed here for the bariatric surgery in a programme at Vishesh Diagnostic Centre here.

“Not just my health, my other worries too have been cut down. Like for instance, I need less gold for my jewellery,” she added evoking peels of laughter from the audience.

The occasion was formation of a support group of those patients who have reduced substantial weight by way of bariatric surgery. The aim of such support group was to help other obese persons get rid of their anxiety about operation and also to clarify any doubts they might have about post-surgery factors like pain, side-effects etc.

Bariatric surgery — a relatively new concept in India – is a group of surgeries which are performed to induce long term weight loss along with curing most of the related medical problems like diabetes, hypertension and arthritis. Bariatric surgeon from University of Pittsburg (US) Dr Sunil Sharma, who is here to form the support group, introduced the concept in the country in 2004.

“In bariatric surgery, no fat cells from the body are removed. Some internal changes are made in the intestinal system such that the patient starts loosing weight to attain ideal weight in few months,” Indore-born Dr Sharma, who graduated from MGM Medical College, informed.

The patient is able to consume liquids the very next day and can walk within next 2-3 days and go back home. Thereafter, he can resume work in 2-3 weeks time. The cost – which is as exorbitant as Rs 35 lakh in the US – is around Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 lakh in India.

“In fact the substantially less cost in India has contributed to the rise in medical tourism here,” Dr Sharma said even as he counted various positives aspects of the 100 successful cases – there have been no deaths, blood loss is minimum and pain too is minimum.

Like Bharti, there were many other patients who came forward to share their experience after the bariatric surgery. M P Chordia, the first patient in India, was present too. For most of them, it was an emotional occasion to share how the surgery gave them a new lease of life.

An information booklet ‘Obesity and Weight Loss Surgery’ by Dr Sharma was also released on the occasion by Dr K C Sharma and Col Sharma.

Vijaywargiya appreciated the efforts of Dr Sharma and his team comprising Dr Shivhare, Dr Kasat, Dr Nishith Gangrani, Dr Kamlesh Mittal and technician Basant Pawar.

Dr Praveen Agrawal compered the programme while Vishesh Diagnostics public relations officer Kamalesh Pare proposed the vote of thanks.