Is Weight Loss Surgery Right For You?
With obesity on the rise Americans are looking to weight loss
surgery as an answer to an ever growing epidemic. The latest
statistics show that over 2/3 of Americans are overweight, and
1/3 of those Americans are obese, and these numbers are growing
exponentially. It is no wonder why individuals are considering
weight loss surgery for an answer to weight problem that plagues
them. Surprisingly, it is expected that over 150,000 Americans
will have some form of weight loss surgery this year. Those
numbers would probably sky rocket if it weren't for the
$25,000.00 - $40,000.00 it cost for the various types of weight
loss surgery. There are two main types of weight loss surgery.
The first type of weight loss surgery is a restrictive method.
If a weight loss surgeon uses the restrictive method he/she will
perform one of two types of weight loss medical procedure. The
first restrictive medical procedure for weight loss is known to
the public as stomach staple surgery. During this type of
procedure a small pouch is formed from the stomach using
staples. This type of surgery is what pioneered the advancements
in weight loss surgery. It is rarely used anymore since the
second type of restrictive surgery, known as lap-band surgery,
has been discovered. Lap-band surgery is one of the most common
types of weight loss surgeries that are being performed today.
It is more effective than stapling the stomach, and less
invasive. With this type of procedure a small pouch is still
made in the patients stomach; however, it is made with a plastic
band, or a lap-band. The unique thing about this lap-band is the
fact that it is adjustable. There is a small pad that is set
just under the skin during lap-band surgery. This pad is
connected via a small tube to the lap-band that is around the
stomach. Saline can be injected into this pad if needed at any
point in the future. The purpose of this pad is to be able to
adjust the ring or the band that is around the stomach. If a
person is not staying as full as they need to be, saline in
inserted into that pad thus tightening the band around the
stomach. When this band is tightened it takes longer for the
food to move through the band into the rest of the stomach. The
longer it takes for the food to move through this band, the
longer the weight loss surgery patient stays full. The second
type of weight loss surgery is called bypass surgery, or gastric
bypass surgery. With this type of surgery, a pouch is still
formed in the stomach with staple; however, a bypass valve is
setup to bypass a portion of the small intestines. This type of
weight loss surgery is more invasive than the lap-band surgery.
Depending on your individual situation the doctor will consider
two types of gastric bypass surgery. The only difference between
the two is how much of the small intestine is actually bypassed.
When gastric bypass surgery is performed it inhibits the body
from effectively digesting the food all the way. The body
absorbs fewer calorie and fewer fats when a part of the small
intestine is bypassed. The idea behind this type of weight loss
surgery is to limit the amount of nutritional components that
the body can absorb. That is why it is typical that most weight
loss surgery patients have to have nutritional supplements to
maintain their health. You might wonder why weight loss surgery
is so popular. Well, it really is simple. With obesity on the
rise, Americans