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Introduction
Weight
loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery, is used to treat people who are
dangerously obese.
This
type of surgery is only available on the NHS to treat people with potentially
life-threatening obesity when other treatments, such as lifestyle changes,
haven't worked.
Potentially
life-threatening obesity is defined as:
- having a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or
above
- having a BMI of 35 or above and having
another serious health condition that could be improved if you lose
weight, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure
- Adults
who have recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes may also be considered
for an assessment for weight loss surgery if they have a BMI of 30-34.9.
For
people who meet the above criteria, weight loss surgery has proved to be
effective in significantly and quickly reducing excess body fat.
However,
it's always recommended that you try to through a healthy,
calorie-controlled and
increased amounts of before you consider weight loss
surgery, as surgery carries a risk of complications and requires a significant
change in lifestyle afterwards.
Because
of these associated risks, most surgeons, whether they're working
privately or for the NHS, would only consider someone for surgery if there was
a clinical need, and not for cosmetic reasons.
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Availability of weight
loss surgery
Even if
you're eligible for weight loss surgery, the demand on the NHS is
currently higher than supply in many areas of the country. Therefore,
there may be a considerable waiting list.
Weight
loss surgery is also available privately. Prices are around:
An
increasing number of people are seeking treatment abroad, as costs for private
treatment are often cheaper in other countries, but this should be considered
carefully.
Types of weight loss surgery
The
three most widely used types of weight loss surgery are:
- gastric
band – where a band is
used to reduce the stomach's size, so a smaller amount of food is
required to make you feel full
- gastric
bypass – where your
digestive system is re-routed past most of your stomach, so you digest
less food and it takes much less to make you feel full
- sleeve
gastrectomy – where some
of the stomach is removed to reduce the amount of food that's required to
make you feel full
Several
other surgical techniques may be recommended in certain circumstances.
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Life after weight loss
surgery
Weight
loss surgery can achieve impressive results in terms of the amount of weight
lost, but it shouldn't be seen as a magic cure for obesity.
People
who have had weight loss surgery need to stick to a rigorous and lifelong plan
afterwards to avoid putting weight back on or long-term complications.
This
plan will include:
The
rapid weight loss may cause relationship problems – for example, with a partner who is also obese – and it may lead to unwanted loose
folds of skin, which may need further surgery to correct.
Many
people with mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety, find that
these problems do not automatically improve because they have lost weight.
It's
important to have realistic expectations about what life after weight loss
surgery will be like.
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about
Risks
As with
all types of surgery, weight loss surgery carries the risk of complications,
some of which are serious and potentially fatal, such as:
- internal bleeding
- a blood clot
inside the
- a blood clot or
other blockage inside the lungs
The
overall risk of death in hospital after having any kind of weight loss
surgery is around 1 in 1,000. Certain risk factors, such as high blood pressure
or a BMI of 50 or above, also increase the risk of complications.
Results
As long
as a person is willing and able to stick to their agreed plan
afterwards, surgery can effectively reduce their weight and treat
conditions associated with obesity, such as diabetes.
Recent
research carried out in America found that, on average:
- people with a gastric band will lose
around half their excess body weight
- people with a gastric bypass will lose
around two-thirds of their excess body weight
Both
techniques also lead to a considerable improvement (and sometimes a complete
cure) of obesity-related conditions, such as diabetes or high blood
pressure. click for weaight loos product
Source: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/weight-loss-