Independent Articles & Videos About:

1. Weight Loss Surgery
2. Lap Band Surgery
3. Gastrointestinal Surgery

Weight Loss Surgery - The Benefits and Financial Cost

Generally, weight loss surgery such as the gastric bypass will cost between $20,000 to $30,000 - the clinics do make substantial profits, which is why some you see advertised offer free chauffeurs and even airplane flights to the city and clinic. As in all lines of 'business', some surgeries will do all it takes to coax you there, within the law of course.

If you've opted for weight loss surgery, the cost of such a procedure can be quite daunting. Many people simply can't afford the surgery without taking out huge loans which could end up crippling them financially. Is the surgery really worth the cost?

As with all major decisions in a person's life, the benefits must be matched and compared with the cost, whether that's emotionally, physically or financially. With weight loss surgery costing so much, it's critical that the reasons you're opting for the surgery are thought through extremely thorough, and in most cases discussed with your doctor.

If for example you're suffering from a number of ailments and conditions because of morbid obesity, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, respiratory problems etc, and with the immediate health concerns morbid obesity brings - possible early death, up to 7 times the risk of death from a heart attack and all the added problems that come with it just trying to operate in society alone, you may feel the cost simply isn't an issue, but you must work it into your current and future finances.

Article by Beverley Brooke, visit the section on the gastric bypass on her website for more information on weight loss surgery and the gastric bypass http://www.healthandfinesse.com/gastric-bypass.html

Is Weight Loss Surgery worth it?

Weight loss surgery is a growing new trend - called gastrointestinal surgery, this procedure has been around since the late 1950's but has grown in popularity in recent years. Essentially, the stomach is drastically reduced in size using various techniques.

After this reduction, the person is unable to eat that much at a time - this can result in dramatic weight loss, usually averaging about twenty percent in the next two years. But the big question is, is it worth it? There are significant health costs associated with both being obese and with having the surgery. On the one hand, being obese can cause you to have serious heart problems along with health problems in general. On the other, there is a significant risk of death associated with even having the weight loss surgery - the older you get, the higher it is. This doesn't even account for the risk of non-fatal side effects, such as infection, vomiting, ulcers, and nutrient deficiency. Many of these don't even occur until ten years or so after the surgery. Ultimately, the health risks probably aren't worth it - no matter how much you weigh, there are other, less invasive ways to get rid of the weight. People try to rationalize the surgery as getting rid of the health problems of obesity, but these are gradual and often can be avoided with regular exercise, even if you remain obese despite the workout. You need to take a good, hard look at the reasons why you are getting this surgery. For most people, despite what they say about the health risks of obesity, the real reason is vanity: they just can't take being overweight anymore. This just isn't a good reason to risk your life on a surgery like this - you can get the same benefits through diet and hard work, or you can try to work through the self esteem problems with a therapist or friends. You're going to have problems either way, but it's about choosing which ones are the least threatening.

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The Last Resort: Weight Loss Surgery

Surgery is the most severe of the recommended treatments for obesity. Bariatric surgery is reserved for cases of severe obesity that have been resistant to all other methods of weight loss and weight control. There are two basic types of bariatric surgery (also known as gastrointestinal surgery), each with a different purpose. The risks for both are similar, as are the prospective results and outcome.

Restrictive Weight Loss Surgery

The first type of bariatric weight loss surgery is 'restrictive'. It includes the well-known 'stomach stapling'. The purpose of restrictive surgery is to restrict the amount of food that can be eaten at one time. Doctors create a small pouch at the top of the stomach that holds about one ounce of food, with a small opening at the bottom to hold food in the pouch and cause a feeling of fullness. After the surgery, a patient can eat no more than 3/4 cup to a cup of well-chewed bland food at a time without becoming nauseous. The intent of the surgery is to reduce the amount of food eaten by restricting the amount of food that can be eaten at once.

Variations of restrictive surgery include 'lap banding', in which the pouch is created by wrapping a silicone band around the upper part of the stomach. Since there is no need to cut into the stomach or intestine, the complication rate is lower than in standard restrictive surgery, and the recovery period is shorter.

The second type of bariatric surgery for weight loss is the malabsorptive variety. These are the more common type of surgery for treatment of obesity. The most well-known of the procedures is the gastric bypass. The purpose of gastric bypass and other types of bypass surgery is to prevent the effective absorption of nutrients from food eaten by 'bypassing' most of the intestine in the food's path through the body. The malabsorption results in significant weight loss and a reduction of appetite.

The possible side effects of gastric bypass surgery include:

Chronic diarrhea
Stomach ulcers
Foul-smelling stools and flatulence
Risk of nutritional and micro-nutritional deficiencies
Dumping syndrome - symptoms include faintness, fainting, nausea, sweating and diarrhea after eating

Patients seeking bariatric surgery are evaluated by a medical professional for suitability for the surgery. Candidates include those who are at least 80-100 pounds overweight, and who have shown little success with traditional weight loss methods. In additions, patients who have other physical problems which require weight loss may be candidates.

If you're considering weight loss surgery, you must realize several things:

1. The risks of surgery are serious.
2. You will require lifelong medical supervision after the surgery
3. You will still need to make lifestyle and dietary changes.
4. Many health insurance plans will not cover it.

Be sure that you choose a surgeon experienced in bariatric techniques, and that you will be provided with full physical and emotional support before, during and after the surgery.

Kirsten Hawkins is a nutrition and health expert from Nashville, TN.

Why Weight? Effective Weight Loss Programs Are Here!

There are two different types of weight-loss programs available--clinical and non-clinical. Knowing what a good program will offer and what to watch out for may help you choose a weight-loss plan that will be successful for you.

A non-clinical program may be commercially operated, such as a privately owned weight-loss chain. You can follow a non-clinical program on your own by using a counselor, guide book, website, or weight-loss product. You can also join others in a support group, worksite program, or community-based projects. Non-clinical weight-loss programs may require you to buy and use the program's foods or supplements.

A safe and effective non-clinical program will offer books, pamphlets, and websites that are written or reviewed by a licensed health professional such as a medical doctor (M.D.) or registered dietician (R.D.). It should provide you with balanced information about following a healthy eating plan and instruct you about getting regular physical activity. Leaders or counselors in such programs should show you their training credentials, since they may not be licensed health professionals.

A few cautions about non-clinical weight loss programs. If a program requires you to buy packaged meals, find out how much the meals will cost--they may be beyond your budget. Also, by eating the prepackaged meals, you do not learn the food selection and cooking skills you will need to maintain weight loss over the long term. Avoid any diet plan that suggests you eat a certain formula food, or combination of foods for "fast and easy" weight loss. Some of these diets work in the short term because they are low in calories, but they may not provide all the nutrients and minerals your body needs and they do NOT teach healthy eating habits.

Avoid any program that does not include a physical activity plan. To lose weight and keep it off effectively, you must use more calories than you consume. And finally, talk to your health care provider before using any weight loss product, such as a supplement, herb, or over-the-counter medication.

Clinical weight-loss programs are services that are provided in a health-care setting, such as a hospital or clinic. One or more licensed health care professionals, such as doctors, nurses, dietitians, and/or psychologists, provide care and treatment suggestions.

Clinical programs may offer services such as nutrition education, physical activity, and behavior change therapy. Some programs offer prescription weight-loss drugs or gastrointestinal surgery. If your body mass index (BMI) is 30 or more, you may consider using prescription weight-loss drugs. These drugs should be used as part of an overall program that includes long-term changes in eating and physical activity habits. Only a licensed health care provider can prescribe these drugs.

If your BMI is 35 or more and you have weight-related health problems such as diabetes or heart disease, you may consider gastrointestinal surgery (also known as bariatric surgery). Most patients lose weight quickly, and many keep off most of their weight with a healthy eating plan and regular physical activity. However, as with most surgeries, there are risks. Bariatric surgery may reduce the amount of vitamins and minerals your body can absorb and may cause gallstones.

It is never easy to change lifelong habits, especially eating and physical activity behavior. But, it CAN be done. The results will be a happier, healthier, more confident and satisfied you!

Larry Denton lives in Hobson, Montana and is currently V.P. of Elfin Enterprises, Inc., an Internet business providing valuable information on a variety of timely topics. For a gym full of information, resources and advice about weight loss, visit http://www.WeightLossWill.com or http://www.ObesityAide.com

What are the different types of surgical weight loss procedures?

I'll talk about the five most common. Now, again, keep in mind I am not a doctor. I will only give you the laymen's version, as I understand them. There a re a trillion websites out there that will give a more "medically sound" version of these surgeries. The five I will talk about are as follows:

1. The Roux-en Y gastric bypass

This is the procedure that I had, so I know quite a bit more about it so I will talk a little more in length about this procedure.

The Roux-en Y gastric bypass is a restrictive operation where a small pouch is made at the upper portion of the stomach, which can hold only 1-2 tablespoons in volume. This procedure helps you lose weight three ways:

A) You will eat less. You just won't be able to eat a lot. If you eat too much, it will come back up. The food has no choice. If you can't eat a lot, you will lose weight. Period.

B) Your appetite will actually begin to change. After the procedure, most patients find that their body will not easily tolerate foods that are high in refined sugars and fats. This is called "Dumping Syndrome." Dumping Syndrome is a common side effect after gastric bypass and occurs when the contents of the stomach empties rapidly into the small intestine, especially if you eat concentrated sweets or carbohydrates. The feeling you will experience may be a combination of profuse sweating, nausea, dizziness and weakness. "Dumping" is actually a desired side effect of the surgery to discourage you from eating sweets.

C) You actually absorb fewer calories. Keep in mind that your body's plumbing is re-worked. After a Roux-en Y, food bypasses part of your small intestine and digestion occurs in the lower part of the small intestine. These two factors reduce the amount of calories your body absorbs from the food you eat.

2. The biliopancreatic diversion.

The procedure is a combination restrictive-malabsorptive procedure as well, except that the main mechanism of weight loss and maintenance is malabsoprtion, with restriction playing a much lesser role.

3. The vertical banded gastroplasty

The vertical banded gastroplasty creates a small stomach within the regular stomach. The operation causes weight loss by forcing you to eat small meals.

Relief from hunger is accomplished with tiny amounts of food - and overeating results in vomiting.

A vertically oriented staple line is placed high on the right side of the stomach. The outlet is carefully measured and its size precisely controlled. A mesh band is placed around the outlet of the pouch to keep the pouch outlet from stretching.

Aside from the creation of the small pouch there is no significant change in the gastrointestinal tract.

4. The laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LapBand)

The LAP-BAND is designed to induce weight loss by restricting food consumption, and is a variation of the Vertical Banded Gastroplasty.

I am a big fan of this procedure. I think one day this will be standard in surgical weight loss procedures.

The laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, or the LapBand, is a restrictive operation where a silicone band is wrapped around the upper part of the stomach to create a small stomach pouch. This means that you will feel full with only a small amount of food and your intake is restricted. Food passes through the outlet from the upper stomach pouch to the lower part more slowly, resulting in you feeling full longer. This narrowing can be adjusted as needed in a simple outpatient procedure. This is a key point to understand. The fact that it can be adjusted means you will regain less weight, if any for the rest of your life. Whenever you start to regain weight, your doctor can simply decrease the size of your makeshift pouch causing you to eat less food.

5. The Mini-Gastric Bypass (MGB)

Dr. Robert Rutledge--director of The Centers for Excellence in Laparoscopic Obesity Surgery, and a frequent guest on Lighten Up America is a talented surgeon who pioneered mini-gastric bypass surgery. He describes MGB as a minimally invasive procedure that partitions the stomach into a long, narrow tube and a separate larger piece.

The smaller stomach is attached about 6 feet down in the small intestine. The larger stomach is sealed and left unattached. The smaller stomach decreases the amount the patient can eat and the bypass of a portion of the small intestine decreases the absorption of fat and calories. In the more than 2,500 patients who have already undergone the procedure, this combination of smaller volume and decreased absorption has resulted in an average weight loss of 140 pounds in one year in a 300-pound patient. Go to Dr. Rutledge's website at http://www.clos.net for more info on the MGB.

Dan Schulz writes about Gastric Bypass Surgery. His site features Surgical Weight Loss information from an average person's point of view. -- No medical mumbo-jumbo, just plain talk about obesity surgery from an actual patient. To find out more about Gastric Bypass Surgery, and to listen to a free radio show about the suregry hosted by an actual patrient, go to< http://www.lightenupradio.com