One piece of advice that well-intentioned bariatric surgeons and dietitians usually give to their patients is to NEVER drink through a straw after WLS. The reasoning provided for this counsel is usually along the lines that a patient who drinks through a straw will swallow too much air in the
It is clear that weight loss surgery (WLS) is the treatment of choice for obesity and its associated diseases such as diabetes. Patients are typically able to achieve a sustained loss of 50-80% of excess body weight, with robust improvements in high blood pressure, diabetes, and obstructive sleep apnea.[1] However,
Weight loss procedures help patients get a significant amount of weight off. Patients have improvements in mobility and co-morbid conditions such as sleep apnea, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and joint pain. All the benefits of weight loss are clearly evident to everyone. How do we wrap our head around
The decision to have bariatric surgery is a life-changing decision. Most of my patients can recall the exact moment they made the decision. For some, it was finding out they had Type 2 diabetes, and for others, it was getting out breath on the playground with their kids. Whatever the
As discussed in the Anatomy and Physiology of the DS, the changes in the anatomy created by the Duodenal Switch operation create altered absorption of various vitamin and minerals which can lead to deficiencies if you are not eating properly and taking the proper supplements. This article will discuss these
The most important job of a Duodenal Switch (DS) patient is to make sure that you not only eat well with the proper amounts of protein and fluids but to take the vitally important vitamins and supplements after surgery. This will ensure not only excellent weight loss, reduction of co-morbidities,
I'm a Lap-Band WLS post-op. Sounds a bit like AA. Obesity is a disease, and fighting it is a life-long fight, that will never go away for me. Not only do I have a Lap-Band, but I’ve done more Lap-Band WLS procedures than anyone in the world. I started doing
Weight loss surgery has been helping patients lose weight and improve their health for many years. Although the surgery and subsequent weight loss have dramatically improved the lives of many, approximately 15% of patients regain much of their preoperative weight. For patients that have experienced weight regain, there are surgical
Even if a patient has researched and decided what weight loss procedure they would like to undergo, I feel it is important to review all of the procedures available to make certain they have all the information they need to make an informed decision. It is not uncommon for a
If you are considering the possibility of gastric bypass or sleeve surgery, you may have a number of questions about the possible complications. Though these procedures come with certain risks such as nausea, vomiting, wound infection and dehydration; the less common risk of gastrointestinal (GI) leaks after WLS are perhaps
