Th ree questions every bariatric surgery patient asks
Today in the U.S., more than 78 million
people are obese, according to the Centers
for Disease Control. While research shows
bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment
for severe obesity, less than one percent
of the 26 million surgically eligible patients
have weight loss procedures each year.
The lack of information and uncertainty
about available procedures leaves most patients
who could benefit from surgery reluctant
to take the next step. Patients want to
understand if surgery will successfully help
them lose weight and keep the weight off,
and if the procedure will help with obesity
related diseases. Here are answers to the
most common questions asked by eligible
bariatric surgery patients.
1. Will bariatric surgery help someone like
me lose weight?
Everybody is different, and weight loss is
different for each person attempting to lose
weight.
A new digital platform, Health Partner for
Weight Loss Surgery, helps people thinking
about bariatric surgery better understand
their options and make an informed decision.
The new website provides comprehensive
information about available surgical
procedures and common concerns, questions,
and fears of people who are considering
weight loss surgery.
People can also hear from others like
them who have gone through the weight loss
surgery journey. For patients who are ready
to take the next step, the website provides
a surgeon locator, a tool to navigate insurance
requirements and recipes designed for
weight loss surgery patients.
2. Will the surgery help me keep the weight
off long term?
Bariatric surgery was designed to help
patients with obesity make a lasting change
to their health. Research has shown bariatric
surgery to be the most effective and
long-lasting treatment for severe obesity and
many related conditions, and results in significant
weight loss.
To help patients achieve their goals and
deal with the changes surgery and weight
loss can bring, it is important they have tools
and resources to support them throughout
their entire journey.
The Health Partner app was designed to
support patients before and after surgery,
and to help them set healthy weight loss
goals, monitor their nutrition, diet and exercise,
track their progress, and keep them motivated
throughout their weight loss journey.
“A patient’s weight loss surgical journey
doesn’t begin and end in the operating room,
and providing patients with the proper tools
and resources they need throughout their
entire journey is essential to success,” said
Dr. Elliot Fegelman, MD, therapeutic area
lead for metabolics at Ethicon, a leader in
bariatric surgery. “Health Partner for Weight
Loss Surgery not only supports patients before,
during and after their decision to undergo
bariatric surgery, but also bridges the
communication gap between the patient and
their healthcare team.”
3. Will weight loss surgery help with other
obesity-related diseases for people like me?
Bariatric surgery has helped improve the
lives of millions of patients with obesity and
related diseases. While obesity is the second
leading cause of preventable death in the
U.S., it can contribute to more than 40 other
diseases, including high cholesterol, stroke,
type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and
arthritis.
Recent data indicates there are clear benefits
to bariatric surgery, specifically to improve
many different obesity-related diseases
and conditions such as type 2 diabetes and
high-blood pressure.
A study published in the New England
Journal of Medicine showed that some people
with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes who
had bariatric surgery not only lost weight,
but may also have reduced need for medication
to treat their type 2 diabetes almost
immediately following surgery.
For surgically-eligible patients with joint
disease, weight loss surgery may provide an
opportunity for lessening knee or hip pain,
or lowering BMI to enable more patients to
qualify for joint replacement surgery.
Additionally, weight loss surgery may improve:
* Migraines;
* Sleep apnea;
* High blood pressure; and
* High cholesterol.
It is important for anyone considering this
life-changing surgery to know that there are
resources available. Patients can check out
the Health Partner for Weight Loss Surgery
website at www.thehealthpartner.com/WLS
and smartphone app (search “health partner
for weight loss surgery” in the app store).
Having this information can help in taking
the next step to a conversation with your
doctor about the best treatment option for
you.
There are risks with any surgery, such as
adverse reactions to medications, problems
with anesthesia, problems breathing, bleeding,
blood clots, inadvertent injury to nearby
organs and blood vessels, even death.
Bariatric surgery has its own risks, including
failure to lose weight, nutritional or vitamin
deficiencies, and weight regain. Patients
should consult their physicians to determine
if this procedure is appropriate for their condition.
(BPT)
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