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Weight Loss Exercise

What is the Cost of Gastric Band?

What is the Cost of Gastric Band? Individuals who are grossly obese (BMI higher than 40) are often advised to have bariatric surgery. While a number of surgical weight loss options are available, gastric banding is fairly common because it’s less invasive than other procedures and can be reversed. Choosing a weight loss procedure should not be based only on cost. Rather, the surgeon and patient should work together to choose a method that is ideal for the patient’s health condition and lifestyle.

If gastric banding is your best option, you need to know about gastric banding cost in order to make the necessary steps to be financially prepared for the treatment.

Adjustable Gastric Band Systems

In the United States, only two gastric band systems have FDA approval. They are the LAP-BAND and the REALIZE Band systems. Gastric band surgery involves implanting a medical device in the stomach to restrict food intake, allowing the patient to lose weight. The band can be adjusted as needed to decrease or increase the amount of food that can be ingested.

Cost of Gastric Band?

What is the Cost of Gastric Band?

Cost of Gastric Band

The prices of the two gastric band systems are comparable, and you can expect to pay anywhere from $12,000 to $25,000 for surgery in the US. The amount covers charges for the medical device, bariatric surgeon’s professional fees, cost of hospital fees, and anesthesiologist’s fees.

Gastric banding requires aftercare or follow-up treatment for the next two to three years and even beyond after the surgery itself. Follow-up treatment is necessary to monitor the patient’s health and response to the treatment. Fills to the gastric band can be provided as well. Depending on the purpose of the visit, patients can pay $35 to $200.

Factors Affecting Gastric Band Cost

It’s difficult to provide a specific amount for the cost of gastric banding surgery because the figure can vary from one patient to another due to a variety of factors. Among the factors that affect gastric banding cost are:

  • The patient’s health
  • Choice of surgeon
  • Medical facility where the surgery is done
  • Services included in the weight loss program
  • Geographic location

Comparison of Bariatric Programs

There are many bariatric surgeons to choose from, and while it’s important to have a competent surgeon at a well-equipped medical facility, patients also want their weight loss treatment to be as affordable as possible. When considering the cost of bariatric surgery, be sure to find out what services are included in the quoted price. The price may cover a complete program with full service that includes pre-operative tests and psychological evaluation as well as the surgery itself and after-surgery care including follow-up visits, band adjustments, diet and nutrition advice, etc.

Other bariatric providers may not be able to provide an adequate level of post-surgery care and support, or they may bill the expenses separately. Take note that many bariatric surgeons do not provide fills or adjustments to individuals who had their bariatric surgery done elsewhere that is an extra cost of Gastric Band surgery.

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Weight Loss Exercise

Step By Step Approach To Setting A Realistic Weight Loss Goal

A lot of people will say “I need to lose weight” but they do not know how much weight they really want to lose or how they are going to go about losing this weight. Having a plan and realistic goals can make a big difference in the success or failure of your weight loss plan. Most people do not know how to create a realistic weight loss goal though.

Weight loss goal setting is the first and most important step to losing weight. There is not a set method for setting weight loss goals, but there are some tips to make these goals more effective. These tips are easy to follow and are highly effective at creating realistic goals that can actually be achieved.

1. Determine how much weight you really want or need to lose in order to be healthy. Your medical professional can help you to determine how much weigh you need to lose. This will be done through a person’s BMI and body fat ratio.

2. Break this large goal into smaller goals. A good average to think of is a pound a week. This is a healthy amount of weight to lose in a short period of time and keep it off.

3. Write down your weight loss goals. This way the goals will be more solid and they can remain fresh in your mind. By writing them down, you can feel more accountable for the weight loss and less likely to cheat on these goals.

4. Write down how you plan to reach your weight loss goals. This can be through diet or exercise, but in general it is more effective to use a combination of exercise and dieting.

5. Focus on and celebrate the small weight loss goals, the 1 pound a week goals. This way you experience the joy success on a regular basis without the frustration of not completing the goals quickly. Be sure to celebrate the big goals with a bigger celebration than the small goals.

6. Review your weight loss goals on a regular basis. You may find that you need to change some of these goals based upon your changing body fat ratio and increased muscle mass. These changes can often indicate that you are further ahead than you think you are.

By taking this step by step approach to setting your weight loss goals and then completing them you have a higher chance for success. This can help you to become healthier and experience more energy. This can also improve your overall self confidence and self esteem as you complete the goals that you have set in front of yourself.

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