Study Finds Heightened Suicide Risk after Bariatric Surgery
A new study recently reported in the American Journal of Medicine shows that patients who have bariatric surgery in order to lose weight are more at risk for suicide than the general population, according to FoxNews.com.
Bariatric surgery alters the digestive tract to limit food intake, as well as nutrient absorption, in order to help obese people lose weight. Bariatric surgery can help reverse high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes as well. However, there are some major physical risks from the surgery, such as infection, bowel obstruction, gallstones, kidney problems and more.
This new study shows that besides the physical dangers of the surgery, there may be also be emotional complications that can result from the surgery as well. The study followed over 16,000 people who had bariatric surgery between 1995 and 2004. Of those people, 31 had committed suicide by the end of 2006, which is a substantially higher percentage than the general population in the same period of time.
The reasons for the increased risk are unclear. The study did not conclude that the surgery itself leads to suicides. One theory for the study’s results is that some bariatric surgery patients already have mental health problems before the surgery. Bariatric surgery patients have a mental health evaluation, but can still receive the surgery even if they have a history of mental problems. Another theory is that patients may be depressed if they haven’t lost as much weight as desired, but more study of these theories is needed.
Over 200,000 Americans have bariatric surgery each year. Many of them are not aware of the possible physical or emotional complications that can result from the surgery. If you have had severe complications from a bariatric surgery, help is available. Contact the Missouri injury attorneys at Page Law today at 314-322-8515.
