How Successful Is Surgery for Weight Loss?

 


If you are morbidly obese and have tried to lose weight via diet and exercise without success, you may want to consider the safest and most successful option: weight-loss surgery.

Nearly 95% of obese people who lose weight by diet and exercise alone regain all of it within 5 years, according to research. However, the LAP-BAND treatment and other forms of weight-loss surgery have astoundingly high long-term success rates, enabling patients to keep off between 50 and 70 percent of their extra weight.

Weight-loss surgery is the best long-term approach for very obese people to lose weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle, while the success of each given patient depends on a number of variables.

Read also: Understanding the Big Picture of Sustainable Weight Loss

Clinical trials have shown that people who have bariatric surgery may expect to lose between 50 and 70 percent of their extra body weight in the first three years after the treatment. Those who select gastric bypass surgery over LAP-BAND surgery will have greater weight loss success in the first year after surgery.

While the LAP-BAND technique allows for more progressive and natural long-term weight reduction, gastric bypass patients often encounter more difficulties and adverse effects.

When a patient loses at least half their extra body weight and keeps it off for at least five years after weight-loss surgery, doctors consider it a success.

Studies suggest that most patients who have weight reduction surgery are able to sustain a loss of 50-60% of extra body weight 10 years following the treatment. However, this is only possible if the patient makes significant adjustments to their lifestyle to keep the weight off.

However, it's crucial to remember that even a modest weight reduction of 10% of total body weight might help resolve obesity-related conditions including asthma, GERD, and diabetes.

Considering that most people who have weight-reduction surgery are at least 75-100 pounds overweight or have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 35 due to a medical problem, the average weight loss is between 40 and 100 pounds. However, the patient is the driving force behind these successes.

There are several health advantages connected with effective weight reduction, and patients will surely look and feel better following weight-loss surgery. Most health problems that arise from obesity or are exacerbated by obesity may be alleviated or even cured by surgical weight reduction.

However, the LAP-BAND System isn't the only barometer of weight reduction surgical effectiveness.

 To give just a few examples, many people who have undergone weight loss surgery are extremely pleased with themselves because they can now cross their legs, bend over to tie a shoelace, walk up stairs without getting winded, or sit comfortably in an airplane seat, all of which may have been impossible for years prior to the procedure.

The vast majority of people who have weight-loss surgery are quite pleased with the outcomes, but each patient's operation and recovery will be affected by a variety of circumstances. Here are some things to think about before deciding whether surgical weight reduction is good for you.

Weight Before Surgery

When it comes to excess weight loss, the higher a patient's BMI is before surgery, the better. Those who have less weight to shed after surgery will get closer to their goal weight if they stick to a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Additionally, even little weight loss might result in remission or improvement of obesity-related disorders. Many illnesses may be healed or significantly improved with early treatments at a reduced weight.

Conditions of Health

Studies have shown that many obesity-related diseases either improve or go into remission after a successful weight-loss procedure, although the success of the procedure can be affected by preexisting health conditions (for example, patients with type 2 Diabetes typically lose less excess body weight after surgery).

For instance, a study conducted in 2000 on 500 people who had weight loss surgery showed that nearly 96% of obesity-related health conditions, including hypertension, depression, sleep apnea, back pain, and diabetes, greatly improved after the patients lost a significant amount of weight and began an exercise and healthy eating plan.

Read also: Treating Acute And Chronic Lower Back Pain

Medical Intervention

Patients considering weight-loss surgery should always look for a reputable medical team to conduct the treatment, since every surgery has the risk of injury or illness.

Prospective patients should talk to past patients of the surgeon they are considering and research the success rate of the surgeon in question when it comes to weight reduction surgery. 

The quality of post-operative care and counselling offered by a patient's chosen bariatric outpatient facility may also play a role in the patient's ultimate success in losing weight.

Fitness and Nutrition

Patients who are in a position to exercise following weight-loss surgery have a greater chance of success, since food and exercise are two of the most critical aspects of any weight-loss regimen.

 Patients who have had bariatric surgery need to make good eating and regular exercise routines permanent aspects of their lives in order to keep the weight off.

Read also: Beware of the Victim Mentality

Commitment

It is crucial for both short-term weight reduction and long-term weight control to have the self-discipline to stick to the bariatric outpatient facility's prescribed food restrictions, exercise regimes, and any other aftercare instructions.

Motivation

Patients who are already highly motivated to lose weight and are prepared to make lifestyle changes like cutting calories and increasing physical activity before undergoing weight loss surgery have a better chance of seeing positive results both immediately and in the long run. Obesity of this kind often does not appear overnight in most individuals.

As it took time to gain that much weight, so too will the process of losing it take time. Patients who recover quickly find little reasons to rejoice and keep their spirits up.

Support

It's crucial to have the backing of loved ones and friends before deciding to have weight-loss surgery so that you can focus on healing and regaining your health rather than worrying about the day-to-day grind.

In addition, potential patients may wish to set up a support network - including friends and family members who can join in on exercise and good eating - since the continued weight-loss process after bariatric surgery may need a certain amount of emotional support.

The potential advantages of weight-loss surgery are many since considerable weight reduction may enhance a person's health and quality of life.

Surgery for weight reduction is the most successful approach of weight loss for those who are morbidly obese and have failed to reduce weight with diet and exercise alone.

Read also: Understanding the Big Picture of Sustainable Weight Loss