Less extreme surgery?
 

Hello.

I feel weird about asking this.

I asked my mother earlier this summer and she called me crazy.

So here goes.

Does any know of a weight loss surgery that is less extreme than gastric bypass or any of the other typical surgeries? For example, if the typical procedures reduce the stomach size by 75%, is there a procedure to reduce your stomach by 25%? Something that could help you lose a little bit of weight and maintain a low weight long term?

I am just curious if something like this exist for someone of a lower weight.

Thank you for reading.

Hi, I worked as an RN for 20 yrs. and never have heard of a "less extreme" surgery for wt. loss. Sorry, not much help. If this were an option for people without much wt. to lose, I'd be leery of any doctor that would do it. JMHO

There is no such thing except to push yourself away from food. This is not an easy solution nor is it permanent if you don't make changes to the way you eat.

Hi WhitWhit,

I think no such procedure exists because the risks of surgery (infection, loss of sensation, trouble healing, etc.) don't outweigh the potential weightloss benefits for people who aren't severly morbidly obese. Unless your weight poses a threat to your health the complications could be worse than the original problem.

That doesn't appear to be the case for you, and that's a good thing!

Hi, my husband had to have gastric bypass for medical reasons (cancer). Believe me it's not what you want to do UNLESS it is a life saving process. He has lost 45 lbs: BUT you don't want to know how he's lost them. He is now cancer free but it's a big price to pay.

There are a couple of solutions: One is an adjustable band that is put around your stomach to temporarily reduce the size of it. It is usually placed via laprascopy instead of being cut open fully. BUT it is restricted to those who are clinically obese. Those without a significant amount of weight most likely won't see much benefit from this band. See http://www.obesitysurgery.ca/thelap_...FRieWAodIBd6Aw
for details.
Another procedure which is being used in Italy/Europe right now is the Intragastric Balloon - essentially a balloon is placed in your stomach and inflated to effectively reduce the size of your stomach. It is for temporary use (i.e. no more than 6 months). I don't think it is available in North America right now, but initial clinical trials in Italy and Brazil are promising. See
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search...ze=20&index=13
for an abstract of clinical experiences found one year post-surgery.
That's the long answer.
The quick answer is that NO procedure will be effective in the long term unless you address your diet and exercise habits. You are fooling youself if you think that a surgical procedure will solve your weight issue. Only YOU can solve your weight issue. And, since you will, in any event, have to address your diet and exercise habits, why not give this a try first??? Just a thought...
Best of luck.

and one more point - even these less drastic surgeries are performed on people with quite a bit to lose - maybe not the 100 pounds that puts them into the morbidly obese category, but certainly more than, say, 25 or so.

and again, no matter what, nothing will work unless a person makes serious changes in their way of life.

At what point did I say that I wanted it?

Umm...I didn't.

I was just curious as to whether it was available. I think that my habits are fine. I don't eat fast food. I don't eat pork or beef. I exercise. I eat lots of fruits and veggies. I've never been obese. I've managed to maintain a healthy weight per doctors orders. I wear a size 8.

Please don't read into things too much, wrongly accuse me of wanting the surgery, and then tell me to address my lifestyle/habits.

Well your original question certainly sounded like you wanted it. These good ladies were trying to be helpful so please don't chastise them. We are glad your life and eating habits are all in order.

I wondered why you asked the question too, especially after checking your weight in your signature. No need to feel attacked and accused!

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I understood from your question that you were wanting information about less invasive procedures, that's all.

Also, you might want to look into the VBG. It's also a restrictive only method which involves no cutting and is also reverseable. :D