If you've tried each and every diet as it comes along; the cabbage soup diet, the Atkins diet, the GI diet, you name it – then maybe it's time to take things a little further and consider surgery as a weight loss option.
Weight loss surgery can be an effective (and increasingly safe) way to lose those trouble pounds that just don't want to be shifted.
Just what does it involve and what are the different options? Well firstly there are two commonly used procedures; Gastric Bypass surgery and Laparoscopic band surgery.
- Gastric Bypass Surgery – This involves making a small pouch from the existing stomach so that the feeling of being full is achieved much more quickly. A person with a large appetite invariably has a larger stomach so as you can imagine it can be a vicious circle. The creation of a new stomach pouch also means that some of the small intestine is bypassed which causes fewer nutrients to be absorbed from the food you eat - this contributes to the weight loss you will experience after the procedure.
You can expect to see between 66% and 75% of your excess weight shed within 2 years with this procedure along with benefits such as increased energy and easing of weight related illnesses.
- The placement of a Laparoscopic band, or Lap band as the procedure is more commonly known, also involves reducing the amount of food you eat.
This is achieved, as the name suggests, by the use of Laparoscopic surgery (Keyhole surgery) which leaves minimal scarring and ensures quicker post operative recovery.
The band is placed around the stomach and tightened much in the same way as a belt. This, as with bypass surgery, creates a small pouch so that you feel fuller more quickly, but is completely reversible and adjustable to ensure you get the desired effect without any ill effects.
A fluid filled balloon on the inner surface of the band is controlled by a reservoir which is located below the ribs on one side of the body. This enables the flow rate of food through the stomach to be controlled precisely to achieve the rate of weight loss you desire.
Research has shown that patients lose between 50-65% of their excess body weight within 2 years.
Whichever method you choose, you can rest assured you will see a result and along with a healthy lifestyle and plenty of exercise you should be fighting fit in no time.
Weight loss surgery is something people are turning to increasingly to help shed those trouble pounds. Due to the advancements in the field of cosmetic surgery these procedures have become much safer and more effective.