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Surgical Weight Loss: Options, Benefits and Risks

While regular exercise and a healthy diet is recognized as the ideal way to maintain a normal weight, there are some individuals for whom weight loss surgery or bariatric surgery is the only option remaining. People who are morbidly obese and have tried and failed to lose weight using conventional methods are turning to surgical weight loss as a solution. Bariatric surgery is recommended only for people with severe obesity; that is, with a body mass index above 40. Weight loss surgery is also offered to people with BMI between 35 and 40 if they also suffer from obesity-related health problems such as diabetes or sleep apnea.

Surgical Weight Loss Options

When diet, exercise or weight loss medications are not enough to reach and maintain a healthy weight, people who suffer from severe obesity can resort to a number of surgical options for weight loss:

* Gastric Bypass. A gastric bypass allows you to lose weight in two ways: first, by limiting the amount of food ingested and second, by reducing the amount of nutrients you absorb from your food. This is done by creating a smaller stomach pouch which is attached to the lower part of the small intestine. The smaller stomach holds less food so you feel full sooner. Also, fewer calories are absorbed because the food bypasses a portion of the stomach and small intestine.

* Lap Banding. This surgical weight loss procedure uses an adjustable band inserted in the stomach to give a feeling of fullness and limit the amount of food consumed. The lap band can be tailor-made for the patient. It is also adjustable after surgery so that you can eat more or less food as needed.

* Gastric sleeve. This type of stomach reduction surgery is one of the newer options for surgical weight loss. It makes the stomach smaller by removing up to 85% of the stomach, leaving only a narrow, banana-shaped tube. With a smaller stomach, you will feel full even with less food. This weight loss surgical procedure is safer compared to gastric bypass because it does not rearrange the digestive anatomy. It may also be safer than lap banding since no foreign objects are introduced into the digestive system.

Benefits

* Quick and effective weight loss. Most patients start to lose weight immediately following surgery. In general, patients lose weight rapidly within 6 months to one year. Weight loss often continues until two years after the surgical procedure., and few patients regain it.

* Improved health conditions. A number of studies found that weight loss surgery can return blood sugar levels to normal in patients with type 2 diabetes. There is also an improvement in obesity-related health conditions such as sleep apnea and high blood pressure.

* Psychosocial adjustment. As patients reach a more normal weight, their self-esteem and self-image also improve and they are better able to function in society.

Risks

* Side effects. Patients may experience vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, flatulence, and dizziness.

* Nutritional deficiencies. Surgical weight loss may be accompanied by nutritional deficiencies including anemia and osteoporosis.

* Complications. After weight loss surgery, some patients may suffer from complications such as abdominal hernias, infections, gallstones, or breakdown of the staple line used to make the stomach smaller.

* Lifestyle changes. Bariatric surgery often requires permanent lifestyle changes for significant and lasting weight loss.


Surgical Weight Loss: Options, Benefits and Risks

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Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery

There are several options for weight loss or bariatric surgery and one of them is gastric sleeve weight loss surgery. This type of surgery is often recommended for patients with a BMI higher than 40. Patients who are extremely obese can undergo vertical sleeve gastrectomy, as it is also called, to allow them to reach a safer weight, after which they can have another bariatric surgery such as gastric bypass. A gastric sleeve operation is done laparoscopically or using small incisions, removing up to 85% of the stomach to reduce food intake.

How it Works

Using small incisions, the bariatric surgeon removes two-thirds or up to 85% of the patient’s stomach, so that the remaining stomach is in the shape of a tube or banana. Staples can be used to create a smaller stomach, which typically has a capacity of about 200 ml. With a smaller stomach, the patient can take in only small quantities of food.

Who is a Good Candidate for Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery?

Although the procedure is relatively new, gastric sleeve surgery is now one of the recommended weight loss procedures for patients with BMI higher than 40. The procedure can also be offered to individuals with BMI between 35 and 39 who have obesity-related health disorders such as diabetes and high blood pressure. It can also be offered to those who find it difficult or impossible to make the follow-up visits required by a procedure like gastric banding, which leaves a foreign object in the patient’s digestive system.

How Effective is Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

Most patients who have gastric sleeve surgery experience a weight loss of 50% to 80% of their body weight within 6 months to one year after surgery. Within two years, patients can lose an average of 60% of excess weight. One of the benefits of this bariatric procedure is that patients experience an improvement in blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Patients with diabetes and sleep apnea also show an improvement in their condition.

Comparison of Gastric Sleeve and Other Weight Loss Procedures

Unlike gastric bypass procedure, gastric sleeve surgery allows normal food digestion and absorption of nutrients, yet weight loss is about the same as that experienced by gastric bypass patients. In addition, the procedure is not as risky as a gastric bypass.

Gastric sleeve patients are also able to lose weight more quickly than those who have gastric band surgery. Being a relatively new procedure, however, there is limited data on long-term weight loss with gastric sleeve surgery compared to other procedures like gastric bypass.

Successful Weight Loss

People who have gastric sleeve surgery must make certain lifestyle changes in order to continue supporting weight loss. It’s true that the procedure creates a smaller stomach and forces you to eat less, but you will still have to exercise and eat a sensible diet in order to remain healthy and continue losing excess weight. Eating larger amounts of food can gradually stretch the stomach and make it bigger, thereby negating the effects of the weight loss procedure. Patients must commit to a healthy lifestyle and good eating habits.


Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery

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Weight Loss Surgery Success Stories

Weight loss surgery is one of the biggest life decisions anyone could make. Opting to have weight loss surgery is a crucial decision that cannot be taken lightly. Before arriving at a decision, people want to know all they can about the surgical procedure, what to expect, risks and benefits, and how it can possibly change their lives. The personal experiences of other patients who have undergone the weight loss surgery are just as important as scientific publications, if not more so. This is the reason why people want to read weight loss surgery success stories.

Importance Of  Weight Loss Surgery Success Stories

Reading success stories after weight loss surgery can provide inspiration to people who suffer from obesity. It tells them that there is hope yet, and they too can achieve a normal and healthy weight. Personal success stories told by real people can help allay any fears and doubts an individual may have about a surgical procedure. Weight loss surgery success stories are often accompanied by “before” and “after” photos that provide concrete evidence of what they can hope to accomplish with bariatric weight loss surgery.

While sharing your success story can inspire others, it can also benefit you. Your weight loss success can give you the confidence you need to face other challenges.

Weight Loss Surgery Success Stories of Real People

Lynda’s Story

Weight Loss Surgery Success Stories

Weight Loss Surgery

Lynda had been morbidly obese for most of her life. Standing only 5 feet tall, she weighed 305 pounds and had a BMI of 57. She felt constantly tired and depressed, and found it difficult to move about. Finally, she decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery in order to lose weight and improve her health. After her weight loss surgery, she was able to lose 72 lbs in just three months. One year after her weight loss surgery, she had lost a total of 154 pounds and her BMI had dropped to 31. Lynda now has more energy and her blood pressure is normal. She exercises regularly and does aerobics and weight training to maintain a healthy weight.

Robert’s Story

Grossly overweight and burdened with diabetes and high cholesterol, Robert finally realized that his only hope to achieve a healthy weight was to undergo bariatric surgery. He opted for duodenal switch surgery. Two years after the bariatric surgery, Robert had lost a total of 210 lbs. He is now physically active and is healthier than before.

Colleen’s Story

At age 50 and weighing 323 pounds, Colleen knew that she had to do something drastic to start losing weight permanently, otherwise she would die early. For many years she had been dieting and struggling with her weight problems. Because diet and exercise did not work for her, Colleen finally opted for weight loss surgery. The LAP-Band procedure helped her lose a total of 140 pounds. She now has more energy and exercises regularly by walking 6 miles a day to keep the weight off.

Weight Loss Surgery Realistic Expectations

Reading weight loss surgery success stories may give people unrealistic expectations about bariatric surgery. It’s important for people to keep in mind that they may not be able to lose as much weight in the same amount of time as someone else. Neither can weight loss after bariatric surgery guarantee that you will stop feeling depressed, unattractive or inferior, if you have been feeling that way before weight loss. Counseling can be beneficial for some people who have negative feelings about themselves.


Weight Loss Surgery Success Stories

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