Obesity has become a significant national health issue. In the last two decades the rates of
overweight and obesity for adults and children have nearly doubled, and obesity is fast approaching tobacco as the top underlying preventable cause of death in the United States.
A qualified surgeon should clearly answer your questions and explain the exact details of the procedure, the extent of the recovery period and the reality of follow-up care that will be required.
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Morbid obesity is closely correlated with a number of serious conditions that severely undermine the health of overweight patients, including heart disease,
high blood pressure and
diabetes.
Bariatric surgery, when performed correctly, can help obese patients manage these conditions. The National Institutes of Health reports: ?Weight loss surgery for the morbidly obese, when combined with behavior modification, is currently the most reliable and only choice for long term maintenance of excess weight loss.? (NIH Consensus Statement, March 1991)
Keep in mind that weight loss surgery is major surgery and should be considered a last resort for morbidly obese patients.
You should make the decision to have weight loss surgery only after careful consideration and consultation with an experienced bariatric surgeon or a knowledgeable family physician. A qualified surgeon should clearly answer your questions and explain the exact details of the procedure, the extent of the recovery period and the reality of follow-up care that will be required. As part of a routine evaluation for weight loss surgery, you may be required to consult with a
dietician/nutritionist and a psychiatrist/therapist to help establish a clear understanding of the post-operative changes in behavior that are essential for long-term success.
In making the decision of whether or not to have weight loss surgery, you should consider the following:
Risks of Surgery
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As with any surgery, there are immediate and long-term complications and risks. Your healthcare team can speak with you further about the benefits and risks. Risks can include but are not limited to:
- Bleeding*
- Complications due to anesthesia and medications
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Dehiscence (separation of areas that are stitched or stapled together)
- Infections
- Leaks from staple lines
- Marginal ulcers
- Pulmonary problems
- Spleen injury*
- Stenosis (narrowing of a passage, such as a valve)
- Death
* To control operative bleeding, removal of the spleen may be necessary.
Benefits of Surgery
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Increased Life ExpectancyThe risk of death from obesity-related conditions is far greater than the risk of death from bariatric surgery. In fact, obesity is now the second leading underlying cause of preventable death, with tobacco being first. Recent studies show that the risk of an early death for those struggling with obesity is twice that of a non-obese person.
Resolution or Improvement of Obesity-related Health Conditions It has been said that you can cure five diseases with one operation. No procedure other than weight loss surgery has the power to do that. Following surgery, the cure and improvement rates for adult-onset diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease and hypercholesterolemia are remarkable.
In addition, recent research suggests morbidly obese patients who undergo weight-loss surgery greatly reduce their risk of certain types of cancer.
Long-Term Weight LossAlthough most patients enjoy an improvement in obesity-related health conditions (such as mobility, self-image and self-esteem) after the successful results of weight loss surgery, these results should not be the overriding motivation for having the procedure. The goal is to live better, healthier and longer.
It is important to remember that there are no ironclad guarantees in any kind of medicine or surgery. There can be unexpected outcomes in even the simplest procedures. What can be said, however, is that weight loss surgery will only succeed when the patient makes a lifelong commitment. Some challenges after weight loss surgery can be unexpected. Lifestyle changes can strain relationships within families and between married couples. To help patients achieve their goals and deal with the changes surgery and weight loss can bring, most bariatric surgeons offer follow-up care that includes support groups, dieticians and other forms of continuing education.
Ultimately, the decision to have the procedure is entirely up to you. After considering all the information, you must decide if the benefits outweigh the side effects and potential complications. This surgery is only a tool. Your ultimate success depends on strict adherence to the recommended dietary, exercise and lifestyle changes.
[ Source: Foothills Weight Loss Specialists ]
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Morbid Obesity
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Bariatrics
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The branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment of obesity. The term bariatrics was created around 1965, from the Greek root baro ("weight," as in barometer), suffix -iatr ("treatment," as in pediatrics), and suffix -ic ("pertaining to"). Besides the pharmacotherapy of obesity, it is concerned with obesity surgery. |
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Hypertension
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Also referred to as high blood pressure, HTH, HTN or HPN, hypertension is a medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated. In current usage, the word "hypertension" without a qualifier normally refers to arterial hypertension.
The Mayo Clinic specifies blood pressure is "normal if it's below 120/80". |
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Obesity
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Obesity results from the excessive accumulation of fat that exceeds the body's skeletal and physical standards. Obesity has been defined as a weight more than 20% above what is considered normal according to standard age, height, and weight tables, or by a complex formula known as the body mass index. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an increase in 20 percent or more above your ideal body weight is the point at which excess weight becomes a health risk.
 CLICK HERE TO OPEN THE JOURNEY BMI CALCULATOR! |
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Diabetes Mellitus
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A disease that occurs when the body is not able to use blood glucose (sugar). Blood sugar levels are controlled by insulin, a hormone in the body that helps move glucose from the blood to muscles and other tissues. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body does not respond to the insulin that is made. There are two main types of diabetes mellitus: Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes.
All forms of diabetes have been treatable since insulin became medically available in 1921, but there is no cure. |
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Overweight
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It is defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9. Body weight comes from fat, muscle, bone, and body water.
It is important to remember that although BMI correlates with the amount of body fat, BMI does not directly measure body fat. As a result, some people, such as athletes, may have a BMI that identifies them as over their ideal body weight even though they do not have excess body fat.
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Registered Dietitian
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A dietitian is an expert in food and nutrition; A person who has studied diet and nutrition at a college program approved by the American Dietetic Association, completed 900 hours of supervised practical experience accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation for Dietetics Education, and passed an exam to become an R.D.
Dietitians help promote good health through proper eating. They also supervise the preparation and service of food, develop modified diets, participate in research, and educate individuals and groups on good nutritional habits.
The term "nutritionist" is also widely used; however, the term nutritionist is not regulated as dietitian is. People may call themselves nutritionists without the educational and professional requirements of registered dietitians. |
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