Weight Loss Surgery Helps Obese Diabetes Patients: Study

Link to Article |http://www.nationalpost.com/Weight+loss+surgery+helps+obese+diabetes+patients+study/3405256/story.html

Written By: Julie Steenhuysen

MONDAY, August 16th, 2010 (Reuters) – Three-fourths of obese diabetics who had weight-loss surgery were able to quit taking diabetes drugs within six months of their operation, U.S. researchers said today, citing a new study.

They said the surgery may eliminate the need for chronic medications to treat the disease and reduce overall healthcare costs, providing a strong argument for insurance companies to pay for the procedures.

Once developed, diabetes and obesity are rarely reversed, Dr. Martin Makary of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and colleagues reported in Archives of Surgery, a medical journal.

Read the rest of this entry »

ASMBS: No Excess Risk with Gastric Banding in Teens

Link to Article | http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ASMBS/20936

Written By: Charles Bankhead

MONDAY, June 28th 2010 (MedPage Today) – Obese adolescents lost just as much weight as adults did with no increased risk after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, data from a case-matched cohort study showed.

Excess weight loss increased from 21.5% at six months to 35.1% at 24 months, virtually identical to adults’ weight loss among which averaged 35.8% at 24 months.

Read the rest of this entry »

“Lap-Band” Weight Loss Surgery in Very Obese Adults Improves Mental Health

Link to Article | http://esciencenews.com/articles/2010/06/21/lap.band.weight.loss.surgery.very.obese.adults.improves.mental.health

MONDAY, June 21st 2010 (E! Science News) – One year after weight loss surgery with laparoscopic gastric banding, extremely obese adults demonstrate not only better physical health but also improved psychological health, a new study shows. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society’s 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego. “Surgical treatment, such as laparoscopic gastric banding, is increasingly recognized as the most effective means of achieving weight loss and improving blood sugar control in morbidly obese patients with Type 2 diabetes,” said study co-author Andrew Johnson, MD, of Southmead Hospital in Bristol, U.K.

Read the rest of this entry »

Confidence Rises in Weight-Loss Surgery

Link to Article|http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/confidence-rises-in-weight-loss-surgery/1069203

Written By: Richard Martin

SUNDAY, Jan 31st, 2010 (tampabay.com) — Every year, about 250,000 people in the United States undergo surgery to lose weight, paying – or having their insurance companies pay – tens of thousands of dollars for procedures that essentially restrict how much food they can take in.

But are the surgeries safe? Do they work? And can they help treat diabetes, hypertension and other conditions caused or made worse by obesity?

Increasingly, the answer in the medical community is yes, yes and yes.

Read the rest of this entry »

Lap-Band Surgery Effective for Morbidly Obese Children, Study Finds

Link to Article| http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103171911.htm

FRIDAY, Nov 6th, 2009 (ScienceDaily) – A surgeon at Children’s National Medical Center and his colleagues from New York University have found laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (Lap band) to improve the health of morbidly obese adolescents.

Read the rest of this entry »

Weight-loss Surgery Worthwhile for Diabetes

Link to article | http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5374BC20090408

WEDNESDAY, April 8, 2009 (Reuters Health) - As a strategy for treating type 2 diabetes in obese individuals, gastric surgery to induce weight loss is effective and worth the cost, investigators in Melbourne, Australia, report.

A recent clinical trial showed that “surgically induced weight loss leads to the remission of type 2 diabetes in the majority of obese patients,” Catherine L. Keating at Monash University and others note in the medical journal Diabetes Care.
Read the rest of this entry »

Lap Band Weight Loss Surgery Reduces Teens’ Risk Factors For Heart Disease, Diabetes

Link to article | http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090611142409.htm

MONDAY, June 22, 2009 (Science Daily) — In teenagers, laparoscopic gastric banding surgery for treatment of extreme obesity can significantly improve and even reverse the metabolic syndrome, a new study found. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society’s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

An increasing number of obese adolescents have the metabolic syndrome, said a study co-author, Ilene Fennoy, MD, MPH, a pediatric endocrinologist at New York City’s Columbia University Medical Center.
Read the rest of this entry »

Obesity Surgery May Be Long-Term Diabetes Solution

Link to article | http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090624/diabets_surgery_090624?s_name=&no_ads

By CTV News Staff

WEDNESDAY, Jun  24, 2009 (CTV.ca) - New research is revealing that obesity surgery does more than simply help patients lose weight; it may also “cure” type 2 diabetes for five years or longer.

In two new studies presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, researchers have found that both “lap band surgery” and gastric bypass surgery can help eliminate diabetes.
Read the rest of this entry »

Expected Weight Loss is Based on Several Factors

It is important to remember that weight loss surgery is not a magic wand that can make all your excess weight disappear in an instant. In fact, most patients choose Lap-Band surgery because it promotes weight loss at a healthier, more gradual pace.  At this point is important to set the right weight loss goals to achieve a long term chance of success with a Lap-Band. Post surgery, many patients might feel too overwhelmed with weight loss results while they are adjusting to the change. Some patients may expect unrealistic results that can risk their health as well as hurt their body image and self-esteem.

Rapid weight loss from bariatric procedures like Gastric Bypass has been documented to cause riskier health problems. Some patients may experience extreme physical and emotional pain and discomfort. Symptoms may include depression, vitamin deficiencies, gastritis, dehydration and malnutrition.

Studies have shown that although Gastric Bypass patients have faster weight loss results than Lap-Band users after the first year of surgery, weight loss results are the same with Lap-Band patients after three years.

Weight loss results can be dependant on several factors:

1. Body Mass Index (BMI)

Your expected weight loss can be measured dependent on your pre-operative BMI. Patients who average at 35- 40 BMI (minimum number required for gastric band surgery) can expect to lose weight a bit faster than those with higher BMIs. It is possible to lose one to three pounds per week after the first year of surgery. That rate decreases gradually 12 – 18 months after surgery.

2. Overall Body Health

Some cases of weight loss (and weight gain) can also be attributed to serious illnesses a patient might have that have no connection with their Lap-Band. Patients should be aware of infections and other illnesses that affect their body’s nutritional needs and well-being.

3. Post Operative Diet

After surgery, a dietician will advise a patient on the right kinds of foods to eat. This will help maintain and stabilize your post-operative body weight. In weeks following an operation, patients are advised to try out a clear diet that eventually graduates to solid food. With this being said, wrong food choices can also make or break your weight loss results.

4. Band Adjustments After Surgery

The Lap-Band system is (in most cases) a life-long implant that needs to be monitored to maintain your weight years after your surgery. When you are in the green zone, the band is helping you lose weight effectively with no physical discomfort whatsoever on your part. If your band is not tight enough, you run the risk of not losing any weight at all.

5. Commitment to Continued Exercise

Doctors advise up to 30 minutes a day of exercise to make you reach your weight loss goals safely. If you continue to resist burning calories the right way, the Lap-Band system can not do its job effectively.

Setting the Record Straight About Lap-Band Myths

The Lap-Band and other gastric banding procedures are relatively new and with that comes miscommunications and sometimes data that is not exactly accurate or is incorrectly attributed to one procedure rather than another. Hopefully this will disspell some of those myths and set the record straight.

Myth #1 – People who are very obese cannot use the Lap-Band surgery

It is another myth that patients who are what is called “super obese” which is a BMI over 50 are better served by the gastric bypass. While this may be the case in some patients, it is important to know that the Lap-Band is extremely effective with patients who have a BMI over 50. In addition to this, because the Lap-Band method does not have any effect on the nutritional absorption of food patients enjoy a better quality of life and have more health related issues resolved.

Myth #2 – If you have the Lap-Band, you cannot get pregnant

You in fact can get pregnant if you have the Lap-Band. However, your doctor may advise you, that if you are planning on having children you may want to wait until your weight loss stabilizes and you have lost a good percentage of your weight. This way you have an easier pregnancy and your chances of getting pregnant are potentially increased. Unlike the Gastric Bypass, the Lap-Band does not cause any issues with malabsorbtion of nutrients so mothers-to-be do not have to worry about reduced nutrition for their child. Also, it is important to remember that unlike the Gastric Bypass, the Lap-Band is adjustable so that anytime during the pregnancy your doctor can reduce the restriction on your Lap-Band to allow for additional caloric intake should you require it.

Myth #3 – Lap-Band surgery cannot effectively resolve obesity-related health conditions

Many conditions related to being overweight can be completely resolved by using the Lap-Band. Conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and sleep apnea have been shown to be reduced or completely resolved after successful weight loss from using the Lap-Band. In fact a recent study has shown, that patients with Type II diabetes in 73% of the cases have achieved full resolution as a result of the decrease in weight. In cases where the patient has asthma over 60% had reduced symptoms and 35% of patients no longer had any asthma symptoms once they achieved their weight loss goals.

Myth #4 – The surgery prevents proper nutrition

This is untrue and is a common misconception. The reason lies in that a Gastric Bypass surgery, there are issues and concerns with the nutrient intake because the Gastric Bypass removes a big portion of the stomach which is responsible for absorbing nutrients from food. The Lap-Band does not re-route intestines or cut up the stomach, therefore there are no changes to the intestinal tract and as such nutrients are absorbed as they always have been in the past.

Myth #5 – With the Lap-Band, weight loss can be rapid and unhealthy

The average weight loss using the Lap-Band is just 2-3 pounds a week; this is just a bit above what you may be able to lose on a regular diet. The difference is that the Lap-Band helps you by making you feel fuller at a quicker rate, therefore you are not prone to cheating. Also, with the Lap-Band, you are more inclined to lose that same level over a longer period of time as your doctor monitors your progress and continues to constrict your band over time allowing you to continue to be successful in your weight loss goals.

Myth #6 – You can only have a liquid diet

Again untrue. However, where this myth probably stems from is the fact that many bariatric surgeons will have you go on a liquid diet for one to two weeks before surgery in order to allow for the liver to shrink and for the actual procedure to be easier to perform. Once you have the Lap-Band procedure, you will be slowly moved from a liquid diet post operatively and then moved back to a regular diet. The difference being that you will feel full sooner and thereby lose the weight.

Myth #7 – Follow-up care is not necessary

Nothing could be further from the truth. The Lap-Band is not a weight loss surgery that is performed and you never have to see the doctor again. In fact, after your surgery, your doctor may require for you to come back on a monthly basis to monitor your success and make adjustments to your Lap-Band in order to allow you to continue to be successful in your quest for your ideal body weight. When looking for a doctor who does the Lap-Band surgery, be sure to inquire about their follow-up care program and do not forget to view the section on Questions to Ask when determining who will perform your weight loss surgery.

Myth #8 – After the Lap-Band surgery, your lifestyle will not need to change

Incorrect. The Lap-Band as well as any other weight loss surgery is a tool. A tool that is part of a bigger tool kit that includes exercise, follow-up with your doctor and making good choices when eating. Like anything else, you cannot lose weight if you are not committed to the process. Consider that the Lap-Band restricts the intake of solid foods. Surely you could cheat and drink chocolate milk shakes all day as they would pass the Lap-Band with little resistance. That is why you must be committed to the process and visit you doctor often and attend any support group meetings that he or she may hold as there is always more strength in numbers and you will find that Lap-Band patients are very supportive of each other.

Myth #9 – Lap-Band patients have a lower quality of life

Studies show that Lap-Band patients and even others who have had some form of weight loss surgery, have had an increased quality of life due to their ease of mobility following their weight loss and reduced illnesses like sleep apnea, diabetes and hypertension. Most importantly, Lap-Band patients have a feeling of satisfaction and satiety after eating so they do not feel hungry all the time and does not risk stretching out their gastric pouch like gastric bypass patients do.

Myth #10 – The Lap-Band is a dangerous surgical procedure

When talking about weight loss surgery and dieting, many facts get confused between the Gastric Bypass and the Lap-Band system. The Lap-Band system utilizes a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure to insert the Gastric Band inside the patient’s body. The procedure consists of 5 or 6 small one inch incisions which allows for faster healing and allows the procedure to be done in a “same day” environment. in comparison, the Gastric Bypass requires cutting of the stomach and re-routing of the intestinal tract. The Gastric Bypass is statistically 10 times more risky of a procedure than the Lap-Band or other Gastric Banding solutions.

To view the Lap-Band procedure, please visit the following link http://www.swlc.ca/contact-us/video-gallery.php.