Weight Loss – Understanding Gastric Bypass and Lap-Band Surgery Whilst the majority of overweight people still try to lose their extra pounds through a combination of diet and exercise or using weight loss products, such as diet pills, weight loss surgery is fast becoming an appealing option for many others.
Most physicians will advise that weight loss surgery should be only be used as a last resort, but for those that have struggled without success to lose those excess pounds or are impatient to regain a slender figure the thought of achieving that virtually instantly makes surgery a tempting proposition.
Gastric bypass and lap-band operations are amongst the most popular types of weight loss medical procedures. A gastric bypass operation involves the stapling of part of the stomach and for this reason, it is sometimes referred to as stomach stapling. During the surgery, the surgeon will close off a portion of your stomach, decreasing the capacity of the stomach to take in large amounts of food. He or she will also reroute the intestine, so that food intake will only arrive at the desired part of the stomach. This results in you eating less as your new smaller stomach soon fills and you aren’t able to eat to excess.
However, a gastric bypass medical procedure isn’t suitable for everyone. Most physicians will usually require that the patient meets a certain obesity level before they even consider the operation. There are exceptions to this when a person’s health is being affected by their weight or some other illness such as diabetes and whilst they may not meet the obesity requirements, their health is at risk if the surgery isn’t done.
A popular alternative to gastric bypass surgery is lap-band surgery. It works on the same basic principle as gastric bypass surgery, reducing the volume of the stomach, with the main difference that the stomach doesn’t have to be stapled; instead, an adjustable band is utilized. One of the main advantages, and reasons for its popularity, is that the band can be easily adjusted or removed when needed.
Gastric bypass and lap-band surgery are not the only weight loss surgeries out there, but they are amongst the most popular. Thousands of people unable to lose weight through normal means have achieved some remarkable results.
However, surgery should always be a last resort and you need to talk to your doctor and get their advice before making any decisions. After the surgery, you may find it a bit of a struggle adjusting to your new regime, but like everything else you do become accustomed to it. Weight loss surgery is a radical step but the only person that can make the choice as to whether they want to follow those procedures is you.
On a final note, it is recommended that you explore all the options available to you for losing weight before going down the path of a cosmetic procedure. You need to keep in mind that the majority of these procedures are not covered by medical insurance so you are probably facing a substantial cost unless your doctor has identified your situation as being life-threatening.
