Laparoscopic Weight Loss Surgery - Common Questions and Answers

Why consider Laparoscopic Weight Loss Surgery?

In the United States, obesity has become a common problem. In a report released in 2009 by the "Trust for American's Health" and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation called, "F as in Fat", studies show that two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, and nearly one-third of children and adolescents are also considered overweight or obese.

And it doesn't stop there. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, England ranks in at 3rd, and Australia and New Zealand top the scales at the #7 and #8, respectively.

Treating obesity can be a long and difficult process, made even more so when the patient doesn't have a correctable endocrine problem.

The first line of defense is usually a recommendation of more exercise and a low-calorie, low-fat, balanced diet. Most doctors do not recommend 'fad diets' - also known as 'crash diets' or diet drugs as their effects are short lasting and may cause additional long-term complications.

However, as is shown by the results in the report above, diet and exercise alone are sometimes not effective.

Laparoscopic weight loss surgery is becoming a treatment of choice for doctors whose patients are morbidly obese.

What is morbid obesity?

A person is considered 'morbidly obese' when they weight 100 pounds (or more) over their 'ideal body weight', or when a calculation of the body mass index (BMI) is greater than 35 - 40.

Want to calculate your own BMI (Body Mass Index)?

Grab a calculator (or a pen and paper if you're good at math), and start by multiplying your weight by 705. Divide that number by your height in inches. (Someone who is 5;7' inches is 67 inches tall, as an example.) Now divide that number by your height again. The number you end up with is your BMI.

Health Problems Associated with Obesity

Obese or morbidly obese people are at increased risk for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, hyperlipidemia, sleep apnea (temporary stopping of breathing during sleep), and osteoarthritis, to name just a few.

If diets and exercise have failed, ask your doctor if you're a candidate for laparoscopic weight loss surgery

Your doctor can test your BMI and talk to you about your general health condition, and carefully assess your need for surgery. He can also explain the procedure and answer all your questions about having laparoscopic weight loss surgery.

Will my insurance company cover this procedure?

In recent years, research has clearly shown a link to obesity and many health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. We also know that obese individuals are at risk for having a shortened life span and a lesser quality of life.

Many insurance companies now recognize obesity as a substantial health risk and will cover laparoscopic bypass procedures.

To determine if your insurance company will cover this type of medical care, contact them.

What's the biggest advantage of laparoscopic weight loss procedure?

Also known as laparoscopic bypass procedure, the most important benefit to patients is significant weight loss during the first year after surgery. (Imagine being able to lose 50, 60, or even 80 pounds in only 12 months?)

Another big benefit of laparoscopic bypass surgery is that with this significant weight loss, many of the medical problems you may face - such as diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease - can be easier to treat - or they could be eliminated altogether!

And the third biggest benefit is that by choosing laparoscopy, (which requires much smaller incisions than traditional abdominal surgery), most patients generally have less pain and scarring after surgery and recover more quickly.

Laparoscopy also reduces the risk of developing hernias, which are more common after traditional abdominal surgery.

Of course any surgery carries risks, and that's why it's very important that you speak with your doctor and understand all the facts before considering laparoscopic weight loss surgery.

What are the most common procedures for weight loss surgery?

There are three generally accepted procedures most commonly used today: laparoscopic isolated gastric bypass, adjustable gastric band, and sleeve gastrectomy.

• In a "Roux-en-Y" gastric bypass, more than 95 percent of the stomach is "bypassed" and a tiny portion - (only about the size of an egg) remains functional.
• In an adjustable gastric band procedure, the stomach is restricted or "cinched" by the placement of the band, which can be adjusted after surgery as needed for further weight loss. (This has become the most common procedure being carried out today.)
• Sleeve gastrectomy is the removal of two-thirds of the stomach with a "bypass"

What is involved before, during, and after surgery?

Before surgery

Your doctor will naturally perform many tests before deciding if you're a good candidate for laparoscopic weight loss surgery. Tests may include cardiovascular, pulmonary, and endocrine systems.

Most doctors also consider a psychological evaluation essential as well, to determine their patient's response to weight loss and the resulting change in body image and permanent lifestyle changes that will be needed.

And basic nutritional counseling is also a must before laparoscopic weight loss surgery.

During surgery:

As mentioned before, one of the advantages of laparoscopic weight loss surgery is that it's considered minimally invasive as compared to traditional methods of surgery. The general goal in a laparoscopic bypass procedure is to"shunt" or bypass a portion of the stomach. During your surgery, here's what to expect:

• Four to six small openings (each about the size of a dime) are made in the abdomen. These openings allow the surgeon to pass a light, camera, and surgical instruments into the abdomen.
• The abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide gas, so the surgeon can see your stomach and other organs better.
• Surgical instruments (only about the width of a pencil) are placed into the abdomen to the surgery.

After surgery:

• Most patients recover from surgery without any complications.
• You can expect to be in the hospital usually only from 1 to 3 days.
• Depending on the type of work you do, you may be off work for 2 to 4 weeks.
• Once at home, you will need to follow very specific eating guidelines. Your dietician will help you understand what your new eating regime will involve and what you need to know.
• Regular follow-up visits will be scheduled during the first year after surgery to check your overall physical and mental health, metabolism and nutritional status.
• Many patients will need plastic surgery (abdominoplasty) 1 to 2 years after weight loss to remove the excess skin around the abdomen. (The longer you are overweight and the more overweight you are, the harder it can be for your skin to 'shrink' down to your new size and weight.)

If you're overweight, and diets and exercise haven't worked for you, talk to your doctor to see if laparoscopic weight loss surgery can help you to start a new healthier, happier life.

Got questions about laparoscopic weight loss surgery? Click the link for more information now! You'll find more articles, resources and the latest news on the site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Antier

Tags: Laparoscopic, Weight Loss, Surgery

Weight Loss Drugs - Are They Really Effective?

Seems at least once a week one of my patients asks me about the safety and effectiveness of some new diet formula they saw advertised on TV or the internet. The answer is a mixed bag of yes, no and maybe, depending on the ingredients in the formula and how they're being used. If you've got a few pounds to lose, it's only natural that you might be intrigued and tempted to try one of these formulas. So, allow me to share with you some information about a few common weight loss formulas out there, my recommendations, and let you to decide for yourself if you would like to try any.

Prescription Formulas

There are many prescription weight loss pills available, some control hunger, others rev up your metabolism, and still others play around with your insulin level to encourage weight loss. I feel that prescription weight loss formulas have health risks associated with using them. I would say, just leave the prescription formulas alone.

Over-The Counter Formulas

There are dozens of weight loss formulas out there. Most of them are herbal based. Here are some of the most common ingredients in these weight loss formulas, their function, and their health risks:

Metabolism boosters/Fat Burners:

•Green tea extract - helps you burn fat by ramping up your metabolism. A downside is that green tea extract contains a lot of caffeine and could cause some negative effects such as diarrhea, dehydration, heart palpitations, and nausea.

•White willow bark - an herbal derivative that aids in raising metabolism levels. It is also the herb that aspirin is derived from as it contains salicin, a natural pain killer. Often found in "stack" formulas, it doesn't do much on its own. If you are allergic, or have reactions to aspirin, you will want to avoid white willow bark as well. Like aspirin, it can decrease blood clotting and may interact poorly with prescription medications you may be taking.

•Bitter orange - used in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) for centuries for many conditions including weight loss. It contains the chemical synephrine which is similar to ephedrine in action, i.e., it revs up your metabolism like drinking caffeine.

•Caffeine - boosts metabolism and can help you sustain exercise so you burn more fat and calories. Too much can dehydrate you, cause heart palpitations, jitteriness and insomnia.

•Ephedra - the ban on this supplement was lifted not long ago but it has too many problems associated with it to use safely.

•CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) - clinical studies have proven this formula effective in burning fat and preserving muscle. A little over 3 grams of CLA a day (3,400 mg) is needed to produce these beneficial effects. Possible side effects may be loose stools and nausea in some people but can be prevented if taken with food.

•Garcinia cambogia - contains HCA, hydroxycitric acid, which inhibits the body's ability to store fat. No real known side effects, unless taken in very high does, but may have a laxative effect or cause stomach upset if too much is used at once.

Appetite controllers:

•Hoodia - discovered in Africa, it was used by Bushmen to stop hunger pangs on long journeys. The real thing used in Africa may be a lot stronger than the manufactured type sold as a weight loss aid and depends on the integrity of the brand you buy and how they process the Hoodia. Some can be very expensive.

•Irvingia gabonensis - from the West African dika nut, initial studies showed weight loss in the group studied. However, may have been due to decreased food intake, and may take as long as 90 days to kick in.

Carbohydrate/Sugar/Fat Blockers:

•Phase 2 (white kidney bean extract) blocks carbohydrates from starches, i.e., pasta, potatoes, bread, corn from being absorbed.

•Alli - (Orlistat/Xenical). You may have seen TV ads. Weight loss occurs as it blocks a percentage of the food you eat from being stored as fat and moves it quickly out of the intestines. In 2009 FDA received reports of liver injury, and investigations are underway.

•5-HTP - increases "feel good" serotonin levels in the brain so you can stay on a carb-restricted diet longer to help lose weight. Also helps you sleep. As an adjunct to a healthy, lower carb diet, it can have some value in limited amounts.

Insulin Stabilizers:

•Cinnamon - recent clinical studies were very promising in cinnamon by decreasing blood sugar levels and stabilizing insulin levels. Helps decrease belly fat by decreasing insulin. There is conflicting information, however, that common cinnamon, made from cassia bark, may be toxic to your liver in doses higher than 1 gram as it contains Coumarin. Ceylon or Sri Lankan cinnamon does not contain Coumarin.
Best to stay in the 1 gram (or two 500 mg capsule) limit. Diabetics should use with a doctor's supervision.

•Chromium - a mineral, helps utilize insulin better, decrease belly fat deposits.

•Gymnema sylvestre - an herb used in India for decades as a weight loss aid to lower blood sugar levels in diabetics, it is usually one of the ingredients in weight loss formulas along with chromium and cambogia gordonii. The American National Institute of Health deemed it helpful in controlling blood sugar levels in diabetics. However, diabetics should use under a doctor's supervision.

Cleansers:

•Herbal slimming teas, or "Dieter's Tea" - contain rhubarb and senna which are powerful laxatives. These can be used sparingly/diluted as a pre-diet colon cleanse, but do not use these types of teas regularly. They can cause diarrhea and deplete your electrolytes which make your heart fire incorrectly with palpitations, etc.

•Bowel cleansers - contain a lot of herbal ingredients like rhubarb, senna, cascara sagrada, and others. These work to clean the bowel of build up waste and can result in a few pounds of weight loss on the scale, but this is mostly water and waste loss and not fat. Useful as a pre-diet colon cleanse but not as a real fat loss solution.

•Acai berry - another detoxing agent, ads for it are all over the internet touting huge amounts of belly fat loss and almost always by people who are selling it. The benefit of acai berry is in its vitamin, mineral, antioxidant content. The downside; it's not a magic bullet for weight loss.

Hormone/Sensory Formulas:

•HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) - HCG is a hormone produced during pregnancy present in urine. It is touted to ramp up metabolism so that you burn a lot of fat quickly. The downside to this routine is that you have to go on a very low calorie diet to accompany it, which may be impossible to tolerate, and is not cheap. Best used under a doctor's supervision.

•Sensa - works on your sense of smell to decrease the amount of food you eat. If you've ever had a bad cold and couldn't smell you know how much your taste and desire to eat was also affected. Basically same principle. If you eat less, you lose weight.

My Recommendation

Weight loss is not all that complicated. It's basically a matter of eating less, but nutritionally dense, low sugar, amounts of food, and moving more, i.e., getting more exercise. I feel the best, natural supplements to aid weight loss are vitamins and minerals that support healthy fat and sugar metabolism like the array of B vitamins, L-carnitine, Vitamins C, E, D, and Omega-3's.

Mark Rosenberg, M.D. Institute For Healthy Aging www.vitalmaxvitamins.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Rosenberg,_M.D.

Tags: Weight, Loss, Drugs