Lapband surgery in Mexico…The obvious choice

With health care costs skyrocketing in the United States, more and more medical procedures are being performed abroad. Mexico is quickly becoming a very popular country for medical procedures especially for those people who do not have insurance.

Lap Band Surgery is a surgical procedure which helps extremely overweight people return to a more healthy weight. The Lap Band is a silicone ring which is placed between the new upper pouch and the lower part of the stomach. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia and takes approximately 25 minutes. The Band is adjustable, reversible and requires no stapling, cutting or rerouting of the intestinal tract. The recovery time is usually 3-7 days and patients are given an extensive post op instruction manual which includes pain management, surgical site care and customized diet instructions. The Lap Band Surgery is also the only adjustable, reversible, surgical weight loss procedure that is approved by the FDA.

Life after gastric bypass surgery

There are a number of important things to consider for patients after they have had Gastric Bypass Surgery. Take some time to read through the information and get informed if you are considering this procedure.
Diet

After having a gastric bypass, the modifications made to your gastrointestinal tract will require permanent changes in your eating habits that must be adhered to for successful weight loss.  Without these necessary changes, such as decreasing or limiting your intake of high-fat, high-sugar foods, you may stop losing weight or even begin to gain weight again.  Limiting high intakes of sugary foods is especially important to decrease the chance of Dumping Syndrome, where these foods move too quickly through the digestive tract into the intestine and can cause cramping, pain and discomfort, among other related symptoms.

Here is my Lapband Story…

I was overweight most of my life.  I had tried every diet out there only to gain all the weight back. I was depressed and frustrated.  I had heard so many Weight Loss Surgery success stories and realized that Lapband surgery was my only option for permanent Weight Loss. While researching my options I ran across Dr. Arturo Rodriguez’s website and decided to call.  I was skeptical about traveling outside the U.S. but after a lot of research I was certain that Dr. Arturo Rodriguez was the right doctor for me.

Lapband in children

Emrah Mevsimier

Children as young as 14 are having invasive weight-loss surgery on the NHS at up to £14,000 a time.

Official figures reveal a sharp rise in the number of obese teenagers having gastric bypasses, stomach stapling or gastric banding.

In one case, the parents of a 14-year-old were told the Health Service would not pay for a weight-loss course but would instead cover a more costly gastric band.

Emrah Mevsimier had a gastric band fitted aged 13, becoming the youngest person in Britain to have one. He was one of four members of his family to have the operation. His mother died aged 40, a year after having a gastric band fitted.

http://thebariatric.com/

Lapband... my patient

 http://thebariatric.com/

Gastric band weight loss ops on the rise for under-25s

The number of under-25s being given weight-loss surgery on the NHS in England has quadrupled over the last three years, according to figures seen by Newsbeat.

That includes people being fitted with a gastric band, having their stomach stapled, or having a gastric bypass.

Between 2006 and 2007, 55 people under the age of 25 had one of these operations, but between 2009 and 2010 the number had risen to 210.

That included 34 teenagers, some as young as 15.

Doctors and eating-disorder groups say they are worried about the rise, claiming the NHS in many cases is not giving young people the support they need before and after the surgery.

De-Banding the LapBand Can be Complicated

Today I want to share some concepts that frequently are misunderstood by Doctors starting a bariatric program, and by Banded Patients.  There are several reasons for De-Banding a Lap-Band patient. Today I would like to focus on EROSION.  The incidence of Stomach Erosion ranges from 2 to 15% of the patients who underwent a Lap Band Procedure .  The occurence of erosion depends on the Surgeons learning curve, and various patient actions such as the consumption of alcohol, spicy or hot food, frequent vomiting or the use of some medications like Aspirin.

Losing Weight During The Holidays

Holidays are a time to enjoy family and friends, and get-togethers almost always center around good food and conversation.  Everyone brings delicious foods and desserts to numerous parties and gatherings, and life can get very busy and hectic, leaving little time for your regular exercise routine. For someone who is trying to lose weight, the temptations can be overwhelming.

Diet and exercise are the most important methods of losing weight. However, this may not always be possible or practical during holiday times. Either someone is staying at a hotel, where exercise options are limited, or they might be staying with friends or family where it is hard to get away. As well, it almost seems rude to refuse any food offered at these special occasions. However, the holidays is a time to focus on positive thinking.  Focus on ways to eat healthy and maintain your weight. For example, if you stay in a hotel, why not take the stairs to your room instead of the elevator, or check out the swimming pool? If you are staying with friends or relatives, start a game of soccer with the family or take a walk around town. When the food is on the table, choose your favorite vegetables and fruits first – and enjoy sharing a colorful, healthy meal. If the cake is calling your name, chose a smaller piece.

Lap Band, Gastric Sleeve or Gastric Bypass? That is the Question!

The Bariatric surgical field has experienced extraordinary changes over the past 55 years.

With the initial empiric use of Intestinal Bypass surgery in 1954 by Kremen, Linner and Nelson at the University of Minnesota, severe obesity was identified as a disease that could be successfully treated.

Today, the acceptance of Bariatric Surgery is a proven surgical discipline.  It hasn’t always been that way, and has gone through a long bumpy road in a very hostile environment.  It has gone from acid critics and nonbelievers to a great demand of this kind of surgery all over the world.

The increase of obesity over the past 50 years has doubled or tripled in some countries.

One third of the population in the United States is obese (23 million) and patients seeking surgical treatment are becoming heavier each year.

Lap Band Erosion

There are many terms that have become familiar to the lap band population because they are commonly used among doctors and patients.  One popular term is “Lap Band” which stands for Laparoscopic Gastric Banding.  The term “Lap Band Erosion” also became very popular among the banded patients as lap band message boards increased in popularity. The patients that already had the Lap Band were concerned as“erosion” was often connected to topics such as de-banding or surgical removal of the band.  However, the term actually means that the stomach has developed a penetrating ulcer and has eroded (worn away) towards the balloon of the band.

How does Stomach Erosion happen in Lap Band Patients?

Intragastric band erosions have been reported at rates that vary from 3 to 10% depending on the operatory technique or surgeon´s experience, the device used and the patient’s eating behavior.  There are several different and controversial theories for the cause of erosion:

Lapband surgery Hospital in Monterrey

http://www.thebariatric.com Our New Hospital in Monterrey, Mexico for having Lapband, Gastric Sleeve and Gastric Bypass done by Arturo Rodriguez, MD

My Life with the Lapband

My Journey…

Boy how time flies!

As I approach my 5th year Bandiversary, I started thinking how the Lapband has changed my life or how I had to change my life to live with the Lapband.

First off, I thank God every day for showing me there was an option and giving me the opportunity to have the Lapband procedure.

Like most in my situation, I tried every diet that always ended in failure. I almost got to the point where I wouldn’t want to diet because I KNEW I would gain the weight back and probably gain more. It was a horrible vicious cycle that I lived in for years.