Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - St. Anthony - (Page 39)

I have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more, or a BMI of 35 or more along with an obesity-related condition such as type 2 diabetes. This is the standard criterion for determining the need for weight-loss surgery. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a speciﬁc procedure (the Lap-Band) for people with a BMI as low as 30 if they have an obesity-related condition. Not all insurance companies, however, will cover surgery at a lower BMI. I have already tried dieting and exercise to lose weight. Healthy eating plans and portion sizes are important for everyone, says Robin Blackstone, M.D., a bariatric and general surgeon and president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. But sometimes diet and exercise aren’t enough. “Obesity is an extremely hard disease to treat because the body has systems designed to defend the weight you’re at,” she explains. “Your body doesn’t work the same way when you’re big as it did when you were lean.” That’s not to say you shouldn’t eat right and exercise—especially if you’re going to have weightloss surgery, says Doreen A. Samelson, Ed.D., a clinical and medical psychologist and author of The Weight Loss Surgery Workbook: Deciding on Bariatric Surgery, Preparing for the Procedure, and Changing Habits for Post-Surgery Success. “The research is clear that people who are unwilling to lose weight or start exercising before surgery are at risk for not losing enough weight or regaining what they lost,” she says. I know weight-loss surgery isn’t a quick fix and that I have to maintain a healthy lifestyle after surgery. Starting a healthy eating and exercise program before surgery is a great way to make sure you can stick with it after the procedure. It’s also important to fully understand any personal reasons for wanting to trim down. “Sometimes people assume that everything in their life is attached to obesity and that all their problems will go away after they lose weight, but that’s not necessarily true,” Samelson says. Even positive changes can take some adjustment for you and the people in your life. What’s more, because many people put back on at least some of the weight they have lost, a maintenance plan is important. Keep a food diary to prevent overeating, and be ready with a strategy if you gain more than a few pounds. I have learned about the different kinds of surgery. There are a number of surgical options. The best way to choose the right one for you is to consult with a surgeon. But bear in mind that some procedures can change your body’s metabolism. This means they are more likely to improve or resolve weight-related issues such as type 2 diabetes. Of the four most common types of surgery, all but the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding procedure have metabolic effects, Blackstone says. I know there are risks involved with surgery. Any surgery has risks, although those speciﬁcally related to weight-loss surgery are low. But there are possible long-term issues to be aware of, says Blackstone, including the chance of vitamin or protein malnutrition. Because you will eat a lot less after surgery, your prescribed vitamin supplements are essential. I have health issues that might be helped by weight-loss surgery. Depending on the type of surgery, some of the beneﬁts include improvement or remission of a number of obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. “It’s important to remember that weight-loss surgery isn’t a cure for anything,” Samelson says. “But if people are willing to make the necessary lifestyle changes, it’s a tool that can really help.” Vim & Vigor · FAL L 2012 39

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - St. Anthony

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - St. Anthony
Contents
Opening Thoughts
Community Connections
Welcome to the New St. Anthony Cancer Center
Help for Hearts
30 Days to Better Sleep
I Can’t Ask My Doctor That!
He Said, She Said
Hold On to Your Health
Still a Screening Star
Your Joints: An Owner’s Manual
Weighing Your Options
No Greater Gift
Weather Alert
Virtual Health
More Ways to Manage Pain
A New Dimension
An Important Investment
An Important Investment
A Big Occasion
By the Numbers
From the Foundation
Ask the Experts

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - St. Anthony