Laparoscopic surgery, sometimes called minimally invasive surgery (MLS), keyhole surgery, or band aid surgery, refers to surgical procedures performed in the abdomen through several small incisions (roughly a quarter to a half inch in length) rather than the one larger incision (typically 6-8 inches in length) used in traditional operative techniques. In order to perform [...]
Bariatric surgery and even strict dieting techniques such as following a full-formula liquid diet for 12 weeks can reduce sensations of hunger (the physical desire to eat), but neither weight loss approach can curb appetite (the emotional desire for food or a particular food item). Research has shown the most people who are significantly overweight [...]
Singer Carnie Wilson, known as the face of weight loss surgery after her gastric bypass procedure was broadcast live on the Internet, has made headlines again by confessing to Oprah that she gave up food but took up alcohol. Carnie is not alone. Addiction treatment centers like the Betty Ford Clinic in California report that [...]
For a number of years, bariatric surgeons debated the value of exercise after weight loss surgery. While many surgeons felt exercise should be encouraged because it has many health benefits beyond promoting weight loss through calorie utilization, others felt that the modest number of calories burned (around 150) while walking for 30-45 minutes a day [...]
According to the National Institutes of Health, bariatric (weight loss) surgery is the most effective method for inducing significant and lasting weight loss in very obese individuals. While today’s weight loss surgery procedures are safer than those used in the 1970s and 1980s, there are still risks and some undesirable side effects that often result. [...]
For some obese people, bariatric (weight loss) surgery is just the first step in reclaiming their health and restoring their body image. According to data collected since 2003 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, about one third (around 55,000 per year) of people who have weight loss surgery go on to have one or [...]
Having bariatric surgery does not guarantee that you will achieve your weight loss goal or the desired changes in health and quality of life. Successful bariatric surgery patients recognize that while surgery is a potent tool for creating significant weight loss, their success ultimately depends on their ability to make lifelong changes in their eating [...]
Psychologists have proven that people who are well prepared for the realities of their weight management program are typically more successful than people who go into a program full of hope but a bit fuzzy on the details. This is especially true for people who chose bariatric (weight loss) surgery because, unlike a low-calorie diet [...]
Dumping syndrome is the common name given to a collection of signs and symptoms that accompany very rapid movement of food and gastric secretions from the stomach into the intestine. Dumping syndrome is seen most frequently in people who have lost parts of their stomach due to disease or who have had the size of [...]
Once people decide to have bariatric surgery, one of their first concerns is how to pay for it. If you have health insurance, begin by learning as much as you can about the benefits your policy provides, and then follow the company’s qualification process to the letter. More Insurance Companies Offering Bariatric Surgery Benefits Most [...]