By: Dr. Armour R. Forse
DHR Health Bariatric and Metabolic Institute
Obesity is a disease (defined by the American Medical Association and the World Health Organization). So why fight a disease on your own? Your 2023 resolution is to get help and resolve your obesity. This is the year to treat your disease, successfully lose the weight, and win back your health.
The next step is to commit to attending the program seminars, visiting with professionals, and learning about treatments available to resolve your disease of obesity. This can be an easy resolution to keep. Yes, you can visit “Drs. Google and Yahoo,” but not all their information is reliable.
Instead, meet a healthcare team and ask about professional online sites. You will learn that one option for many with obesity is weight-loss, or bariatric, surgery.
Yes, that’s scary; it’s surgery! The fact is, today, surgery is highly successful and a very safe option. Visit local program websites, as well as the web site of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). You will learn that, indeed, bariatric surgery is now considered a safe surgery.
You will also learn that there are two operations, the sleeve gastrectomy and the gastric bypass. With the sleeve gastrectomy, patients lose on average 80 to 100 pounds, while with the gastric bypass, they lose on average between 100 to 150 pounds. Theses surgical patients eat a small, but healthy, diet and significant weight regain is not a common problem.
Remember that obesity is a chronic disease, and the longer you have it, the shorter your life expectancy. This is because obese patients are likely to develop other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Patients who undergo bariatric surgery often dramatically decrease their medical problems and significantly reduce their risk for cancer. These medical improvements associated with weight loss provide the patient with an overall better quality, healthier, and longer life.
No, surgery is not for every obese patient, but if you are a candidate, this is the year for you to find out if it’s for you. As always, the choice is yours. If you or a loved one would like more information about bariatric surgery or would like to sign up for an informational session at DHR Health Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, please call (956) 362-5673. Our experts are ready to answer any questions you may have.
