Surgical and Non-Surgical Weight Loss Treatments in Athens, Georgia
For millions of Americans, shedding off the pounds can feel like a losing battle. While many people who are obese or overweight attempt almost everything possible to lose excess weight from fat-burning pills to the latest trend in diets like the keto diet, among other things, the real solution may actually be a surgical or non-surgical weight loss treatment. As appealing as losing weight fast is, the reality is that weight management is actually a lifelong plan. Depending on your genetics and lifestyle, you may want to think about surgical weight loss procedures or weight loss procedures without surgery as an option. Our professional surgeons at IBI Healthcare Institute are eager to consult you on all options and provide recommendations on the best weight loss treatment for you. We strive to get to determine all the issues affecting your health, regardless of the reason for your obesity or for being overweight.
Defined as carrying excess body fat, obesity remains a serious national epidemic which puts people at higher risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. From 2015-2016, for instance, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 93.3 million American adults and 13.7 million American children and teens are clinically obese. This alarming statistic has actually more than tripled since the 1970s.
Common causes of obesity include:
- eating a high-fat and high-calorie diet
- having a sedentary lifestyle
- not sleeping enough, which can lead to hormonal changes that make you feel hungrier and crave certain high-calorie foods
- genetics, which can affect how your body processes food into energy and how fat is stored
- getting older, which can lead to less muscle mass and a slower metabolic rate, making it easier to gain weight
- pregnancy (weight gained during pregnancy can be difficult to lose and can eventually lead to obesity)
Certain medical conditions that may also lead to weight gain include:
- polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): a condition that causes an imbalance of female reproductive hormones
- Cushing syndrome: a condition caused by having an excessive amount of the hormone cortisol in your system
- hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid): a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of certain important hormones
- osteoarthritis (and other conditions that cause pain that may lead to inactivity)
Something else our surgeons must diagnose and treat in overweight and obese patients, if applicable is GER or GERD. Below is more information about these:
Acid Reflux
What is GER?
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) happens when your stomach contents come back up into your esophagus. Stomach acid that touches the lining of your esophagus can cause heartburn, also called acid indigestion.
Does GER have another name?
Doctors also refer to GER as
- acid indigestion
- acid reflux
- acid regurgitation
- heartburn
- reflux
What is GERD?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a more serious and long-lasting form of GER.
Who is more likely to have GERD?
Anyone can develop GERD, some for unknown reasons. You are more likely to have GERD if you are
- overweight or obese
- a pregnant woman
- taking certain medicines
- a smoker or regularly exposed to secondhand smoke
Athens, Georgia Weight Loss Surgery Options
Fortunately, there are many different weight loss surgery options available for people who are battling obesity. With medical and technological advances in the field of weight loss surgery, the newest weight loss procedures include:
- Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG), which reduces the size of the stomach in order for the patient to feel full after eating less and taking in fewer calories. This new surgery for weight loss removes the portion of the stomach that produces a hormone that makes a patient feel hungry.
- Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band (LAGB), also known as bariatric surgery, this type of surgery is done as a laparoscopicsurgery, with small incisions made in the upper abdomen. Around the top part of the stomach is where the surgeon puts the band.
- Laparoscopic Mini-Gastric Bypass (OAGB) is a procedure that involves the creation of two separate stomach pouches and the re-routing of the small intestine in less time than a traditional gastric bypass surgery.
- Laparoscopic Duodenal Switch (LDS), also known as vertical gastrectomy with duodenal switch, is one of the most complicated weight loss surgeries as it combines two surgical techniques. The first is restrictive which involves reducing the size of the stomach by dividing the stomach vertically and removing over 85 percent of it. The other part is biliopancreatic diversion which leaves the pyloric valve responsible for regulating the release of stomach contents into the small intestine.
- Gastric Bypass and Gastric Sleeve Revision, another type of stomach surgery for weight loss, is performed if gastric sleeve surgery was not successful in achieving desired weight loss. Therefore, conversion to a gastric bypass procedure can be a helpful alternative for added weight loss.
- Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) is a weight loss procedure without surgery that reduces the size of your stomach using an endoscopic suturing device. If diet and exercise haven’t worked, this minimally invasive procedure can lead to significant weight loss by limiting how much you can eat.
Athens, Georgia Non-Surgical Treatment of Obesity
- Obalon Balloon helps facilitate weight loss by taking up space in your stomach so you eat less. It is intended to support new healthy eating habits to maintain a healthy weight for the long-term. Placing each Obalon balloon in a patient takes less than 10 minutes and does not require sedation. How that is possible is by having the patient swallow a capsule that contains a small balloon, and then a physician will inflate the balloon.
- Orbera Balloon is a gastric balloon that is inserted orally through your esophagus and placed directly into your stomach during a quick, non-surgical procedure.After the first six months of the weight loss program the stomach balloon is carefully removed and the aftercare program continues.
Athens, Georgia Weight Regain & Care after Weight Loss Surgery (Post-bariatric Care)
Following your weight loss surgery, there will be many changes you will experience and a new lifestyle you’ll be adapting to. You’ll be meeting with a dietitian who will provide you a nutrition plan for you to follow that may include a liquid diet for a short period of time before reintroducing solids into your diet. You will also need to incorporate daily supplements into your routine.
To achieve long-term weight management after surgery, you’ll be introduced into a fitness program customized for you. Visiting an experienced mental health professional would also be beneficial as part of your postoperative recovery plan. Ultimately, each patient should be aware that after drastic weight loss surgery, one may experience a combination of issues including interpersonal conflict, a surgical complication, or a plateau in weight loss. No matter what you may be going through, it’s important to remember that you have a team of professionals here to help who care about your well-being.
About IBI Healthcare Institute
Leave it to our incredible surgical group at IBI Healthcare Institute to provide exceptional healthcare services to all of our patients in every community we serve throughout the State of Georgia. Our talented medical team work hard to assist patients with their ongoing healthcare needs for as long as is necessary. IBI Healthcare Institute is also able to offer affordable quality healthcare services to everyone by using a medically advanced, patient-focused approach. If you are wanting to know more about how we can help you be successful in your weight loss journey, call us today at 678-466-6760 for a free consultation. Our desire is for you to thrive and live a long, healthy life.
Mostly known as the home of the University of Georgia, Athens, GA is so much more than a college town with diehard Bulldog fans. While you’ll find locals and alumni tailgating during football season like you’ve never seen before, there are places to eat and see that are worth a day trip or two anytime throughout the year. Local favorites include Mama’s Boy, which make the biggest biscuits you’ve ever seen, The Georgia Theatre, where you can see downtown’s breathtaking skyline and listen to a live band on the rooftop on almost any given night, and The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, which boasts 313 acres of beautiful walking paths and a horticultural conservatory.
