If you are severely overweight but have been resisting a surgical solution due to fear of the unknown or worries about future repercussions, then maybe it's time to get serious about considering lap band surgery in Orange County. Here is a quick overview of this popular procedure, how it works, what to expect and why you should choose it over other types of surgical solutions.
Is Lap Band Surgery Right For You?
The typical bariatric patient who qualifies for this type of procedure is one who is 100 pounds or more overweight, is otherwise in basically sound health and who has unsuccessfully tried a variety of other weight loss strategies including dieting and exercise. Other requirements include: being at least 18 years old, severely overweight for at least 5 years and not having any physical disease that is causing your weight problems.
Success rates with this surgery are very high: which is a good thing! But if you are not emotionally prepared for the life changes that come with losing weight you may want to get some counseling before undergoing the procedure. Getting surgery is not a magic bullet: to maintain long-term weight loss you must also be emotionally willing and ready to commit to making specific life changes.
How Does It Work?
Unlike traditional gastric bypass (or stomach stapling) methods, the lap band does not require any stomach cutting or stapling of any kind. Rather, the whole process is done laparoscopically, so it is much less invasive and safer than other methods.
In a nutshell, a specially-constructed band is inserted into the body and positioned around the extreme upper area of the stomach. The band is lined with small soft pillows that, when filled with a saline solution, will tighten the band around the stomach. Patients eat substantially less as a result and feel fuller much sooner. The band is connected by a tube to an access port secured discreetly just below the skin. The access port allows your doctor to adjust the saline level solution as needed quickly and easily.
What to Expect
The surgery is relatively short, but you should still expect to give yourself a full week off from work to allow yourself to recuperate and a full month to heal completely. You will be on a liquid diet for several weeks, followed by extremely soft foods and then small amounts of solid foods. Most patients lose weight at a rate of about one and a half to two pounds per week and will lose half of the weight they need to lose within the first year.
There are three main advantages to choosing lap band surgery over other methods:
1. It is much less invasive and therefore safer than other types of surgery
2. The amount of restriction placed on the stomach by the lap band is completely controllable
3. Weight loss is more gradual and even, which is more likely to lead to long-term success
Now that you have some of the "skinny" on lap band surgery in Orange County, now is the time to find out more.
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