Can you tell me if I am suitable for a gastric band?
Gastric band surgery is a form of weight loss surgery, which involves reducing the size of the stomach by placing a band over the top of it. The aim of gastric band surgery is to shrink the stomach so the patient will feel full after only a small amount of food, which helps them lose weight.
Gastric band surgery has become an increasingly common medical subject in the media and some people may have developed an idea that the procedure is a quick-fix solution to their weight loss problems. However, this is not the case and the decision to have surgery should never be taken lightly.
Who can benefit from a gastric band?
Weight loss surgery is not suitable for everyone and gastric band and gastric bypass surgery carry risks, which individuals should be aware of before they decide to go ahead with treatment. Gastric band surgery is also only available on the NHS for a limited number of people, as the budget is finite and the NHS is coming under increasing amounts of pressure.
Doctors usually use strict criteria to determine whether patients are suitable candidates for weight loss surgery. As a general rule, you will not be considered for the procedure unless you have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 40 or over, you have demonstrated that you are committed to losing weight and have already tried to lose weight by eating a healthy diet and exercising. You may also be considered if you have a BMI of over 35 and have health complications, such as type 2 diabetes, as a result of your weight.
Gastric band surgery
Surgery is usually viewed as a last resort and should never be considered as an easy alternative to losing weight. There is a lot of controversy surrounding weight loss surgery, because some people feel that people should be able to lose weight by natural means, rather than resorting to surgery. Surgery is not suitable for everyone and the procedure is not always successful, especially if people are not willing to commit to long-term lifestyle changes.
After gastric band surgery, individuals will be forced to change their diet to include small meals. It is not possible to eat large amounts of food and doctors will advise patients to follow a healthy eating regime, which will help them to lose weight and reach a healthy BMI.
Filed under: Weight loss on November 11th, 2011