Diet by Surgery

The Lap Band was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration in June of 2001. It is the only adjustable surgical treatment for morbid obesity in the United States. It works by decreasing the capacity in the stomach, thereby reducing the amount of food that can be consumed. Prime candidates for this surgical diet include people who have continually been unsuccessful with their diet or who have metabolic issues preventing them from successfully completing a weight loss program.

The procedure is typically done laparoscopic so it is not invasive, though much more invasive than dieting. The band is inserted and wrapped around the stomach. This restriction of the stomach causes the patient to experience a feeling of being full even though they have eaten less. This allows for weight loss without an elaborate diet because the patient is simply not consuming as much food. Doing a laparoscopic procedure reduces pain post surgery, shortens the hospital stay and promotes a faster recovery.

The Lap Band is also adjustable. This is important to meet the individual needs of the patient. This band can be easily adjusted as weight loss occurs. If weight loss is not occurring at a desirable rate, the lap band can also be tightened to accommodate the needs of the patient. If a patient becomes pregnant, it may be necessary to expand the band to give them a healthier diet. The procedure to do this is minimally invasive and can be performed with a fine needle through the skin.

If you want to consider this surgical diet, you will have to consult your physician. The procedure is only done on the order of a physician and must be done by a surgeon.

Recent concerns have surfaced regarding the safety of this surgical diet device and there are some physicians who believe the approval by the Food and Drug Administration was premature.

Nearly all patients who under go this surgical diet experience side effects to some degree. Most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, heartburn and slippage of the band. Also, approximately a quarter of all patients who undergo this surgical diet have to have the band removed. This could be because of the severity of the side effects or also because the Lap Band did not work effectively and there was no significant decrease in weight.

The surgical diet is intended only for use with the severe obesity. It is meant to be used only as a last resort when all other options are exhausted. There are numerous diets and exercise programs that are available for those who are committed to losing weight. Trying these first is always the best option before a surgical procedure.

If you are a few pounds over weight and just want to drop a clothing size or two, this surgical diet is not for you. There have been cases of people who are not already under the care of a doctor who are looking at this surgery as a quick fix to shed a few pounds. This is very dangerous as there are side effects present in the surgery. There are other ways to accomplish this goal without resorting to surgery but it will take some commitment and will power

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