September 10, 2009 · Filed Under Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass · Comment 

If you are tired of carrying excessive weight on your body and all tried and tested methods of weight loss, like dieting and exercise, have failed to make a difference, maybe its time to try something more result oriented. Modern times have seen many of us fall prey to an irregular lifestyle combined with unhealthy eating habits. Stress and tension have also become a part and parcel of our daily lives and as a result we hardly have time to eat a balanced diet or even find time for a regular bout of exercise or any physical activity for that matter. Obesity is the resultant outcome of such a lifestyle with added disadvantages like body aches and pains, high blood pressure and heart problems.

Morbid obesity is an extreme situation that occurs if the obesity levels have not been treated or cured for over five years and the person remains grossly overweight. Recent diseases such as morbid obesity which may occur as a result of lifestyle problems or some other cause have instigated the discovery of modern methods of treatment such as a gastric bypass surgery. A revolutionary treatment for curing obesity in patients who are above eighteen years of age and fulfill all other necessary criteria for undergoing such treatment, has brought hope to millions of obese people around the world. The gastric bypass surgery has successfully managed to cure many people of their morbidly obese condition and brought down and kept their weight at a normal level even after years of such surgery.

In the gastric bypass surgery procedure a portion of the patient’s stomach is stapled to create two separate segments, wherein one part is a smaller pouch while the other part remains slightly larger in area. This kind of surgical stapling of the stomach also makes this treatment identified as stomach stapling. As a result of the creation of a smaller upper segment of the stomach, the food consumed by the patient is arranged to be held in this area. The area being very small, the amount of food that can be held here is also quite less and the patient feels a sense of fullness after consuming a small amount of food. This drastically reduces the food intake of the patient. The stomach intestine is also rearranged in a manner that the food by-passes the first segment of the small intestine which results in lesser calorie being absorbed.

The procedure has ensured a drastic weight loss in many patients, enabling them to live a healthy life with a normal, controlled weight being maintained throughout. However the procedure can be very expensive in certain countries like America. The emergence of the medical tourism industry in many countries like India, Thailand, Singapore, etc. have made it possible for patients to undergo such treatment at a much lesser costs under the supervision and practiced hands of expert surgeons. Thanks to such technological advancements in the field of medical science, many morbidly obese patients have been able to get a fresh lease of life.

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September 10, 2009 · Filed Under Health · Comment 

Losing excess weight can transform your life on the physical, social and emotional levels. However, in some cases, weight loss surgery is the only way to shed those unwanted pounds. One of the most effective surgical procedures is gastric bypass surgery and can produce amazing results.

Obesity is a condition which drastically lowers the quality of your life. It can causes serious health problems and makes many of the simple pleasures of life impossible. For example, choosing fashionable clothes and swimming are generally off-limits. If you find yourself in this condition, don’t despair. Gastric bypass surgery may offer a solution to your dilemma.

Gastric bypass surgery is known as a restrictive/malabsorptive procedure. This means it combats obesity in two ways. Firstly the size of the stomach is restricted resulting in you taking in less food, and secondly a bypass of some part of the digestive system is carried out. This bypass reduces the amount of calories absorbed by the digestive system. This type of surgery has been shown to produce the greatest weight loss in the fastest time. Now, let’s look at the procedure.

The most established and commonly-performed type of gastric bypass operation is called a Roux-en-Y. Here’s how it works.

First, a section at the top of the stomach is completely closed off with staples to form a pouch. When you eat, this pouch fills quickly and sends a message to the brain to indicate it’s full. Thus you feel full and stop eating after just a small amount of food.

Then, a new opening is formed in this pouch and a section of the small intestine is cut and attached to this new opening. Thus the food bypasses most of the stomach and a section of the small intestine. This results in drastically reduced absorption of calories. The surgeon will determine the length of intestine to be bypassed based on the amount of weight that needs to be lost.

Gastric bypass surgery is highly effective. Reductions of 80 per cent of excess weight in the first year are common. On average, a patient will lose up to three quarters of his excess weight in the two years following gastric bypass surgery. But the benefits will come far quicker, especially if you suffer from diabetes or high blood pressure. Your physical condition will improve and along with it, your self-confidence.

What’s more it’s relatively safe. The procedure can be carried out using laporoscopic (keyhole) or open surgery. However, like any form of surgery it comes with its own risks. Some general problems that occur rarely include anemia through loss of nutrients, leakage, and infection. Your doctor can advise you on ways to minimise any risk and so make your operation as safe and easy as possible. Bear in mind too that gastric bypass surgery requires lifelong changes in your diet and lifestyle.

So is gastric bypass surgery for you?

Firstly, you should have been seriously overweight for at least five years. In addition, you should have tried and failed to reduce your weight through traditional methods such as diet and exercise. These attempts should have been serious and prolonged, i.e. for at least six months.

Another factor is that your health is at serious risk owing to your weight. This is known as morbid obesity and corresponds to a body mass index of over 40 or if you have a BMI of over 35 combined with an attendant medical condition.

In addition, you should not be suffering from any psychological or physical condition that precludes the weight loss operation. Consult your doctor for detailed information.

If you feel these conditions apply to you, the next step is to consult with a doctor specialising in bariatrics (obesity cure). He will be able to determine if gastric bypass surgery is for you. If so he will advise you on the procedure and make arrangements for you.

Losing excess weight can transform your life on the physical, social and emotional levels. So if you’re obese and want to makeover your health and life, call a specialist and inquire about gastric bypass surgery today.

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September 10, 2009 · Filed Under Weight Loss Surgery · Comment 

Studies have proved time and again that a proper diet and age appropriate exercise is the right way to losing weight and maintaining a fit and healthy body.

Unfortunately for some people who lack positive will power or because of their genetic predisposition continue to suffer from obesity in spite of every effort to lose weight, other methods are sometimes required to help them reduce weight.

Fad diets as we all know are temporary and most don’t even work as expected leave alone produce long term effective results.Although some nutritional supplements might work to a small extent,many resort to weight loss surgery with the hope of losing large amounts of weight.

Nowadays there are a variety of fat loss surgeries to choose from but they all have their advantages and disadvantages.The effectiveness, risk and the side effects of a particular surgery should be carefully weighed before making a decision.

With rapid progress in the field of medicine , surgical techniques have also become more skilled and effective today.Though they do lead to substantial weight loss this is brought about more due to restricted intake of calories or because the body absorbs less of the food eaten.

One of the earliest known forms of fat reduction is the Gastric Bypass surgery.It was once considered extremely dangerous as it involves removing all or part of the stomach and reconnecting the digestive system.Although this surgery has evolved it still isn’t a preferred method as it involves high risks.Patients who undergo this procedure may sometimes have to consume nutritional supplements for life or even worse suffer from diseases or constant nutritional deficiencies.

Stomach stapling is another technique that has been around for sometime.Although the procedure has become much safer over the years yet there are substantial risks associated with it.This process involves opening the patient and stapling portions of the stomach with specialized surgical staples.However recent techniques may involve Laparoscopy where the surgeon creates a small hole to work through the body instead of opening up the patient.

The negative effects of such surgery can include a risk of bleeding though the chances are few.Patients can however become ill if they consume more than the recommended amounts of food and have nutritional deficiencies that can become a lifelong issue.

The main aim of stomach stapling is to reduce the size of the patients stomach so that they will consume less food which in turn means fewer intake of calories.The body then turns to the stored fat for energy thereby resulting in the reduction of weight and burning of fat.

Instead of puncturing the stomach ,physicians can instead install an adjustable lap band around the patients stomach so that it makes it possible for them to adjust the effect as the patient loses weight.

This procedure is considered quite safe and can be administered on an outpatient basis.Though some might consider the band itself to be a bit of an inconvenience it isn’t painful.However this procedure is quite expensive and many insurance companies do not cover it.

For this procedure to be successful,close medical observation is recommended for the patients health because rapid weight loss will lead to many hormonal changes.

Surgeries that are conducted for weight loss are termed Geriatric surgery and the procedure itself has several names such as Biliopancreatic Diversion, Vertical Banded Gastroplasty, Adjustable gastric band, sleeve gastrectomy (with or without Duodenal Switch), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass among others.

It is important for those considering surgery for weight loss to carefully look into the pros and cons of the procedure.If you have made the decision to go in for weight loss surgery you should consult an experienced physician.But for some committing themselves to improving their diet and lifestyle in order to lose weight seems like a much better option than surgery.

Tags: Calories, Digestive System, Diseases, Extent, Fad Diets, Gastric Bypass Surgery, Genetic Predisposition, Information About Weight Loss Surgery, Losing Weight, Nutritional Deficiencies, Nutritional Supplements, Obesity, Preferred Method, Proper Diet, Rapid Progress, Spite, Stomach Stapling, Substantial Risks, Substantial Weight Loss, Weight Diets, Weight Loss Surgery