Weight Loss, Hair Loss, Memory Loss?
Yesterday, I blogged about extreme weight loss methods causing hair loss.
Today, a new study in Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology, claims that weight loss surgery may cause memory loss, mental confusion, uncoordinated movement, and uncontrollable eye movements.
Patients may also experience weakness, tingling or numbness, seizures, or hearing loss.
These problems occur most often in people who have frequent vomiting after surgery. It usually happens 1 to 3 months after surgery, but can take as long as 2 years to develop.
The cause is believed to be a vitamin B1 (also know as thiamine) deficiency which results in Wernicke’s encephalopathy.
It’s a condition that’s most often seen in malnourished alcoholics.
For treatment, patients are given vitamin B1 by injection or through an IV. Of the 32 people studied, 13 made a full recovery. The condition must be treated promptly for best results.
No one knows how many weight loss surgery patients develop Wernicke’s encephalopathy.
But some doctors believe that patients should be monitored after surgery for thiamine deficiencies or perhaps given thiamine preventively.
In my opinion, this is just one more reason to lose weight gradually and safely without eliminating any food groups.
Technorati Tags: diet, dieting, lose weight, weight loss, weight loss surgery, Wernicke’s encephalopathy, vitamin B1, thiamine
March 13th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
I thought seriously about having weight loss surgery last summer… then I got scared… it’s surgery and what if it didn’t work or there were complications… I didn’t know people were having these kinds of problems… even though I asked my doctor what kind of problems could happen, he never told me about this… I’m happy I didn’t have the surgery now.
March 13th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Unless it’s a medical necessity, I think surgery’s too risky even without this latest problem.
March 13th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
It makes me wonder what the long-term effects of surgery are. I know some people need it for medical reasons, but maybe too many people see surgery as an easy way out of dieting and exercise.
March 13th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
I’ve read that a lot of kids are having surgery now. That’s what makes this really scary.
October 17th, 2007 at 12:35 am
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