| One of the problems with many forms of weight loss | | | | In the majority of cases the problem can be |
| surgery, and in particular absorptive forms of surgery | | | | reversed by the administration of B1, although the |
| such as the Roux-en-Y and vertical sleeve | | | | illness can often only be cured completely if it is |
| gastrectomy with duodenal switch, is that gastric | | | | caught in its early stages and, if left, patients may |
| bypass surgery not only reduces the number of | | | | suffer ongoing difficulties for many years. |
| calories which the body can absorb from the food | | | | It should be stressed that Wernicke encephalopathy |
| eaten, but also prevents the take-up of the | | | | is not a common condition and that only a very small |
| necessary level of vitamins and minerals. For this | | | | percentage of the many thousands of people who |
| reason, anybody undergoing bariatric surgery must | | | | are currently undergoing gastric bypass surgery each |
| take vitamin and mineral supplements for the | | | | year are likely to suffer from it. It is nonetheless only |
| remainder of their life. | | | | one of the many complications which can arise after |
| Just how important this is was demonstrated by the | | | | weight loss surgery and, having put yourself through |
| recent publication of a study showing that a number | | | | the trauma of surgery, it would seem silly to |
| of patients who had failed to take the supplements | | | | succumb to complications simply because you couldn't |
| prescribed following surgery developed a condition | | | | be bothered to take your daily vitamin and mineral |
| known as Wernicke encephalopathy. This is a serious, | | | | supplements. |
| though entirely preventable, brain illness brought on | | | | One final point. One relatively common side effect of |
| by a deficiency of thiamine, a B complex vitamin. | | | | gastric bypass surgery is vomiting which means that, |
| For weight loss surgery patients who fail to take | | | | even when you do take your vitamin and mineral |
| post-operative supplements, and in particular for | | | | supplements, they may not be doing their job if they |
| women under the age of 55, the illness normally | | | | are being vomited straight up again. In these |
| appears within one to three months of surgery, | | | | circumstances it is possible to develop Wernicke |
| although it can appear many months post-operatively, | | | | encephalopathy in spite of taking your supplements. |
| and is characterized by vomiting, a lack of | | | | Accordingly, if you find yourself vomiting and this is |
| coordination, confusion and involuntary eye | | | | accompanied by other symptoms such as a lack of |
| movements, which can lead to limited vision. If | | | | coordination, confusion and visual difficulties then you |
| untreated, the condition can prove fatal. | | | | should seek medical advice without delay. |