by: Jay Romano

You may be considering weight loss surgery if you are overweight or obese. For many people, surgical weight reduction is one of the only viable ways to lose a significant amount of weight and enjoy better health. However, it’s important to realize that this is a very serious undertaking. You should definitely spend time researching the topic and, if possible, talking with people who have already had a weight reduction procedure performed. Understanding the benefits and risks involved with weight loss surgery is absolutely vital to making an informed decision. To help you get started, here is a brief guide…

Benefits:

Fast Weight Loss: Obviously this is the biggest benefit of weight loss surgery. Immediately following the surgery most people begin to lose weight quickly. This rapid weight loss usually continues for at least a year and a half, leading to a very significant reduction in body weight. It’s important to note however that many people begin to regain weight within 2 years, especially if they have not made any healthy lifestyle/diet changes!

Improvement of Obesity-Related Health Conditions: For many people, the improvement in their overall health, following weight loss surgery, is just as important as the weight loss itself. And for good reason: people who have suffered from debilitating obesity-related conditions (such as diabetes) for years often experience tremendous improvements within a short period of time.

Risk and Side-Effects:

Death: A small percentage of weight loss surgery patients die during the operation or from complications in the days and weeks following the surgery.

Post-surgery complications: Some patients must have follow-up procedures to correct complications, which can include infections and hernias.

Nutritional deficiencies: Some types of weight loss surgeries reduce the body’s ability to absorb important vitamins and minerals. Many patients must take diet supplements on a daily basis or risk developing anemia, osteoporosis, metabolic bone disease, etc.

Gallstones: More than a third of gastric surgery patients develop gallstones due to the rapid weight loss that occurs in the months following a weight reduction procedure.

Side-effects: Some of the most common side-effects experienced by weight loss surgery patients include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, excessive sweating, increased gas, and dizziness.
As you can see, weight loss surgery carries some huge benefits along with some very significant risks. If you are severely obese, it is definitely an option for reducing your body weight and improving – or even eliminating – many of your obesity-related health conditions. Just understand the risk and be prepared to make some relatively extensive lifestyle changes after the procedure. If you are not severely obese you should definitely consider diet and exercise options before you think about weight loss surgery.

About The Author

Jay Romano is a writer for LesserTummy.com.

Get more up-to-date and useful information about weight loss surgery at http://www.lessertummy.com.

This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Seek the guidance of a licensed physician if you need medical advice.

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Is Bariatric Surgery The Answer To Obesity?

Introduction

Against a background of widespread obesity among all US age-groups, and the relative failure of conventional weight loss methods, doctors are increasingly resorting to gastrointestinal surgery in order to curb the rise of weight-related disease, and associated costs. An estimated 170,000 weight loss surgeries will be performed in 2005, and although the average bariatric surgery patient is a woman in her late 30s who weighs approximately 300 pounds, operations such as vertical banded gastroplasty and roux-en-Y bypass are now being successfully conducted on patients as young as 13 years.

But Does Bariatric Surgery Work?

While the increasing popularity of obesity surgery is a clear reflection of the inability of most obese patients to comply with conventional dietary treatments, the question remains: does this type of surgical treatment offer an effective solution for severe clinical obesity? To understand the issues raised by this question, let us examine the problem of obesity and how surgery attempts to reduce it.

How Widespread is Obesity?

According to current statistics, 61.3 million American adults (30.5 percent) are obese. In addition, an estimated 10-15 percent of children (ages 6?11) and 15 percent of teenagers are overweight and at risk of developing weight-related disorders. Severe obesity is also on the rise. Six million American adults are morbidly obese (BMI 40+), while another 9.6 million have a BMI of 35-40. (Source: US Census 2000; NHANES III data estimates)

How Does Obesity Affect Health?

Excess body fat associated with high body mass index (BMI) carries an increased risk of premature death. Obese patients (BMI 30+) have a 50-100 percent increased risk of death from all causes, compared with individuals of normal weight (BMI 20?25). Morbid obesity (BMI 40+) and super-obesity (BMI 50+) carries a still higher risk of dying younger. Most of the increased risk is due to co-morbid conditions like cardiovascular disease (atherosclerosis, heart attack or stroke). The effects of severe obesity on longevity are dramatic. Obese white males between 20 and 30 years old (BMI > 45) can shorten their life expectancy by 13 years. African-American men of similar age and BMI can lose up to 20 years of life. Obese white females between 20 and 30 years old (BMI > 45) can shorten their life expectancy by 8 years. African-American women of similar age and BMI can lose up to 5 years of life.

Research Into Obesity and Premature Death

A 12-year study of 330,000 obese men and 420,000 obese women, revealed that premature mortality rates for morbidly obese men were twice the normal: 500 percent higher for diabetics and 400 percent higher for those with digestive tract disease. In severely obese women, the mortality was also increased two fold, while in female diabetics the mortality risk increased eight fold and three fold in those with digestive tract disease. Another study of 200 men aged 23-70 years with severe clinical obesity, showed a 1200 percent increase in mortality in the 25-34 year age group and a 600 percent increase in the 35-44 year age group. Average cancer mortality rates are 150-500 percent higher in obese patients.

Other Obesity-Related Diseases

Aside from premature death, obesity is strongly associated with a wide range of health disorders. 80 percent of patients with type 2 diabetes are obese, while almost 70 percent of diagnosed heart disease is obesity-related. Other obesity-related disorders include: high blood pressure, cancer, carpal tunnel syndrome, depression, gallstones, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), insulin resistance, low back pain, obstructive sleep apnea, musculoskeletal complaints and osteoarthritis, respiratory problems, stroke, and vein disorders.

Why is Surgical Treatment is Needed?

As the facts demonstrate, obesity is an independent risk factor for a number of serious diseases. Severe obesity, if left untreated, leads to life-threatening disorders and possible premature death. It is against this background that the viability of bariatric surgery should be assessed. Three key questions are: (1) Does bariatric surgery lead to a significant loss of weight? (2) What are the health benefits of surgery? (3) What are health risks?

Does Bariatric Surgery Lead To A Significant Loss of Weight?

Yes. According to most patient-surveys the health and weight reduction benefits of bariatric surgery exceed all other treatment methods by a wide margin. Weight loss surgery is considered successful when excess weight is reduced by 50 percent and the weight loss is sustained for five years. At present, average excess weight reduction at five years is 45-75 percent after gastric bypass and 40-60 percent after vertical banded gastroplasty. In a statistical review of over 600 bariatric patients following gastric bypass, with 96 percent follow-up, mean excess weight loss still exceeded 50 percent of initial excess weight at fourteen years. Another 10 year follow-up study from the University of Virginia reports weight reduction of 60 percent of excess weight at 5 years and in the mid 50’s between years 6 and 10. A significant percentage of less-committed patients do regain weight 2-5 years after having surgery, especially those who undergo the less drastic stomach banding procedure, but if the patient is well motivated and given proper post-operative support, the weight loss is usually permanent. By comparison, according to one 4-year study of non-surgical weight loss programs involving obesity medication, behavior modification, diet and exercise, average weight reduction was 3 pounds in those subjects who were followed for the four years of the study.

What Are The Health Benefits of Surgery?

According to the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity (IFSO), weight reduction caused by gastric reduction surgery improves longevity and reduces rates of premature death. In addition, hypertension is cured in about 50 percent of patients, while measurements of cholesterol and other blood fats show visible improvements, all leading to a reduction in the risk of heart disease. Type 2 diabetes is cured in 80 percent of diabetic patients while hyperglycemia and associated conditions such as hyperinsulimia and insulin resistance are even more likely to benefit from gastric bypass. Obstructive sleep apnea is cured in about 75 percent of patients, shortness of breath is relieved in 75-80 percent of cases, while asthma attacks are significantly reduced, particularly when associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Obesity surgery also relieves low back pain and arthritis, heartburn, urinary incontinence, and lower limb venous disorders.

What Are The Health Risks?

Generally speaking, the health complications of bariatric surgery divide into three classes. First, during the operation itself, patients are subject to the normal health dangers of any serious surgical procedure. Risk factors include: patient condition, the expertise of the bariatric surgeon and anesthesiologist and the quality of operating room services. Premature death occurs in about 1-2.5 percent of bariatric cases. Second, there are well-documented post-operative health risks, which largely depend on the type of procedure performed.

Post-Operative Health Problems of Gastric Banding

Restrictive procedures like gastric-banding and stomach stapling carry a number of short-term post-operative health risks, including: (1) Risk of hernia. About 10-20 percent of patients require additional surgery to fix problems like abdominal hernias caused by excessive straining after surgery before the incision heals. Laparoscopic surgery reduces this risk. (2) Risk of blood clots. About 1 percent of patients contract blood clots in the legs. (3) Risk of infection. On average, there is a 5 percent risk of infection in the incision area. (4) Risk of gastric staple breakage. This occurs in bariatric operations like vertical banded gastroplasty, that use staples to reduce stomach size. (5) Risk of band slippage and saline leakage. A routine complication, this occurs after lap band or other forms of adjustable gastric banding. (6) Risk of bowel obstruction. This rare complication may occur due to adhesions caused by scar tissue. (7) Risk of stomal stenosis and marginal ulcers.

Post-Operative Health Problems of Gastric Bypass

Post-operative health dangers of bypass procedures like roux-en-y or biliopancreatic diversion include: (1) Corrective operations. About 15-20 percent of bypass patients require follow-up gastrointestinal operations to correct complications (eg. hernias). These follow-up operations tend to carry higher risk of complication and death. (2) Dumping Syndrome. Caused by overeating or over-rapid eating, dumping, is not a real health danger, but symptoms (nausea, faintness, sweating and diarrhea) can be distressing. (3) Risk of nutritional deficiency. Since stomach bypass surgery involves bypassing the duodenum and part/all of the jejunum, causing insufficient absorption of vitamins and minerals, patients can develop deficiencies in nutrients like: iron, calcium, vitamin D and B12 deficiency. This can be easily corrected by a program of nutritional supplementation. (4) Risk of gallstones. About one-third of bypass patients develop gallstones. (5) Bowel Disorders. After all bypass operations, there is a period of intestinal adaptation during which bowel movements can be liquid and frequent. Typically accompanied by bloating, gas and foul smelling stools, this complaint may reduce with time, but occasionally becomes a permanent condition.

Bariatric Surgery is No Easy Answer To Obesity

Even though surgical methods are becoming more and more successful for the reduction of severe obesity, it would be misleading to present surgery as an easy option. To begin with, its success depends entirely on patient compliance with post-operative guidelines. And pressures to overeat do not disappear after surgery. If patients adhere to instructions, they tend to lose weight without regain. If they “cheat”, they tend to regain most of their weight loss and may end up in a worse condition than before. Second, due to cost and availability issues, bariatric surgery can only ever treat a tiny percentage of the population who are severely obese. Third, we lack long term feedback on the success of these operations. For these reasons, it seems that bariatric surgery is no easy solution to our obesity epidemic.

More Information

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About the Author: David Johnson, LLb., is the senior researcher at www.bariatric-surgery.info which offers a range of information about gastric banding, stomach bypass and other weight-related surgeries to more than 2 million unique visitors per year.

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There are thousands and thousands of frustrated people—predominantly women who have experienced childbirth—out there huffing and puffing away, trying to sweat off that pouch below the naval. Often, as in the case of cellulite, that protrusion will not go away no matter what extreme dieting and exercising you try. For some people who truly want a perfectly flat tummy, abdominoplasty is the only answer. Men as well as women have seen long lasting results from this procedure, but do not let yourself be fooled: abdominoplasty—or a tummy tuck—is a highly invasive surgery. If you are considering abdominoplasy, you should educate yourself on the operation and make sure you put yourself into the hands of the best possible surgeon you can find.

Abdominoplasty involves manipulating and tightening skin and muscle tissue. A graphic description of the surgery sounds a bit like cleaning and preparing a chicken to roast—large incisions are involved, and the skin must be freed and separated. Frequently, large scars remain after abdominoplasty, definitely something to consider beforehand if you are a fan of the string bikini or have illusions of flawless skin over that flat tummy.

The extensiveness of abdominoplasty calls for staying overnight in the hospital at least one night, if not more. The surgery carries with it a long recovery period that will require you to take two to four weeks off work. You can also expect extreme limitations on lifting, something those with small children should take into consideration. For those and many other reasons, you should learn as much as you can before you undergo surgery.

The results of abdominoplasty can be very pleasing. It can succeed where hundreds of daily crunches often cannot. Just make sure there are no unpleasant surprises. Be smart! Get educated on what is involved in abdominoplasty, and make sure your surgeon is well qualified in the field of cosmetic surgery.


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About the Author: Fabian Toulouse is a Parisian living in Southern California.

http://www.mycosmeticsurgeryadvisor.org/abdominoplasty.html

This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Seek the guidance of a licensed physician if you need medical advice.

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Gastric bypass surgery may seem like an extreme measure, but it’s quickly becoming more widely accepted as a weight loss method.

If you are seriously overweight or obese you have most likely considered undergoing gastric bypass surgery to help you manage your weight and health. Although there are other options besides gastric bypass surgery to help you in this endeavor, this procedure appears to be frighteningly popular. Ever since celebrities such as Carney Wilson have undergone the procedure, more and more people have turned on to the idea of having gastric bypass surgery.

Gastric bypass surgery is a surgical procedure in which a portion of the stomach is closed off. The stomach is rerouted to the intestinal system and the rest of your stomach is stapled off but remains inside you. Therefore, after gastric bypass surgery food bypasses a part of the stomach. You eat less because your stomach gets fuller quicker. You eat less and consume less weight producing calories.

One thing you should know, is that gastric bypass surgery is incredibly risky and permanently alters your body. The stomach is rerouted to the intestinal system and the rest of your stomach is stapled off but remains inside you. Gastric bypass surgery reduces the amount of food the patient can take in. The food a patient takes in does not have the same opportunity to be absorbed into the system as it once did. Because of this, one of the risks associated with gastric bypass surgery is malnutrition so anyone who has undergone this procedure must keep a good eye on the quality of food they are consuming.

If the surgery also includes bypassing a part of the intestine, you can lose even more weight because the body does not absorb the food you do eat. Again, you get fewer calories.

Gastric bypass surgery usually requires a four or five day hospital stay and a person is usually fully recovered with in a month or so. There are some after effects to gastric bypass surgery. It is generally called dumping. That occurs when the food passes too quickly through the stomach. Symptoms include nausea, weakness, sweating, faintness, and possibly diarrhea soon after eating. This procedure is usually done on people that meet the following conditions if you have been obese for five years or more, you may qualify. If you do not have a history of alcohol abuse and are between 18 and 65 years old, the doctor may consider gastric bypass surgery. In addition, you must not have an untreated depression or another major psychiatric disorder.

Gastric bypass surgery does have some risks though. There are the normal risks associated with any surgery. These might include a blood clot that could lead to a stroke. A person might experience an infection. Some studies have shown that about one-third of all people having surgery for obesity develop gallstones or a nutritional deficiency condition such as anemia or osteoporosis.

The benefits of gastric bypass surgery are almost immediate weight loss. People who have gastric bypass surgery tend to continue to lose weight for the first 12 months. Long-term weight loss benefits look like this. One study found that most people lost one-third of their excess weight in one to four years after the surgery procedure. There are some other thinks to be concerned with a gastric bypass surgery. Doctors tell us that the part of the intestine where many minerals and vitamins are most easily absorbed is bypassed.

Because of this, you may have a deficiency in iron, calcium, magnesium, or vitamins. As with other elective surgery, you have to balance the weight loss benefits of gastric bypass surgery with the potential risks.


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About the Author:Are you considering Weight Loss Surgery? Learn more about it at http://medicalsurgicaladvances.com/

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Your Weight Loss Surgery Options

Are you looking to lose weight? If you are, you likely already know that you have a number of different options. For instance, you can go about losing weight naturally, with the use of exercise and healthy eating. You can also lose weight with the assistance of weight loss products, like diet pills. Another option that you have is weight loss surgery. Although all of the previous weight loss methods are popular, weight loss surgery is rapidly increasing in popularity.

If you are interested in undergoing weight loss surgery, you are not alone. As previously mentioned, weight loss surgery is increasing in popularity. If you have never considered weight loss surgery before, you may be wondering what all of your options are. While there are a number of different weight loss surgical procedures that you can undergo, you will find that there are two main procedures. These procedures, which include gastric bypass surgery and lap-band surgery, are outlined below.

Gastric bypass surgery is a weight loss surgery that involves the stapling of the stomach. That is why this procedure is also commonly referred to as stomach stapling. When undergoing gastric bypass surgery, your surgeon will portion off some of your stomach, making a smaller pouch. Your intestine will then be rerouted, making it so that your food consumption only impacts a portion of your stomach. This is what makes it possible for you lose weight with gastric bypass surgery.

Although gastric bypass surgery is a great weight loss surgery to undergo, it isn’t right for everyone. Most physicians require their patients to be around eighty pounds or more overweight. In some rare instances, those who are less than eighty pounds overweight are able to undergo gastric bypass surgery if their health is at risk or if they have other medical problems, such as diabetes.

As previously stated, lap-band surgery is another weight loss surgery that is increasing in popularity. Lap-band surgery is similar to gastric bypass surgery. When undergoing lap-band surgery, your stomach pouch is made smaller. One of the few differences is that your stomach is not stapled, but an adjustable band is used. That is one of the reasons why lap-band surgery is so popular, as the band used can be completely removed or easily adjusted.

Lap-band surgery and gastric bypass surgery are not the only weight loss surgeries available to you, but they are two of the most popular. Thousands of Americans have undergone these two weight loss surgeries. For many individuals, weight loss surgery is a last resort. Many who undergo weight loss surgery have not had success with losing weight any other way. If you are interested in undergoing a weight loss surgical procedure, you will want to speak with your physician.

One of the many reasons why it is important to speak with your doctor or another healthcare professional is because weight loss surgery isn’t right for everyone. In addition to being at the “right,” weight, you also need to have the willpower to reduce your food consumption. If you eat too much food, namely too much food for your stomach to hold, you can not only harm your weight loss progress, but you can also put your health at risk. That is why your weight loss surgery decision is not one that you can make alone; it is one that must be made in conjunction with a healthcare professional.


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About the Author: Lose 9 lbs. in 11 days with our Weight Loss Program.

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