Unfortunately weight loss surgery is one of those much needed and desired medical procedures that is not covered by health insurance for Americans. In the past this has meant those who need and want weight loss surgeries like Lap Bands, vertical sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypasses with the choice of saving and paying for incredibly expensive medical care at home or continuing to suffer with their uncomfortable and in many cases, life threatening conditions. Fortunately that is now all changing.

Now those seeking medical treatment for weight loss have the option of traveling abroad to receive quality health care at a fraction of what it would cost at home. This has become known as medical tourism. Medical tourism is an industry that has been booming and has changed by leaps and bounds over the last several years. Millions of American residents are now traveling to countries like Canada, India, Brazil and Mexico each year to seek affordable health care.

At first many may immediately dismiss the idea as being unsafe. However we are not talking about visiting some backstreet butcher in the middle of nowhere. The expansion of medical tourism has spawned many world class hospitals that rival the best medical facilities in the world. In fact what many patients in the US do not know is that many parts of the health care process are already being outsourced to these countries. In an effort to cut costs US hospitals are already sending medical exams and data overseas to be interpreted and analyzed by doctors who are willing to work for pennies on the dollar. This actually means that selecting your own treatment facility abroad can ensure that you receive higher quality attention from better trained professionals. So where is the best place to look for high quality yet affordable and safe weight loss surgery? Canada may offer some discounts but not nearly as much as other countries. While Brazil and India may offer the cheapest medical services they are prohibitive because of travel time and cost and they have unfortunately also developed poor reputations for quality and safety. In contrast Mexico is not only conveniently reached within a few hours from anywhere in the US it offers the best in safety, high quality hospitals, expert doctors and prices far lower than in the US.

Safety, really? Yes. Clearly Mexico is without question safer to visit than countries like Brazil and India. Despite recent news headlines focusing on the US/ Mexico border the official statistics including the FBI’s own figures shows that Mexico is actually far safer to visit than many areas of the US!

When it comes to cost of weight loss surgery, Mexico is really unbeatable when you factor in travel and quality of medical care. Even at internationally recognized and accredited Mexican hospitals that offer the best care, prices for procedures like sleeve gastrectomy, Lap Band and gastric bypasses can be found under 50% of that in the US and often include stay at luxury hotel style facilities. In many cases this equates to savings well over $10,000 even after travel costs. However price shouldn’t be the only reason for seeking weight loss surgery out of your immediate area.

Mexico actually boasts a longer history of performing many of the most popular weight loss procedures meaning it’s doctors and medical professionals actually have been able to hone their skills and procedures better and have doctors that have far more experience performing these operations than their American counter parts. The best hospitals in Monterrey, Mexicali and Tijuana, Mexico are also involved in educational exchange programs with the US’s leading medical institutions and many Mexican doctors have also studied in the US.

The dramatic increase in those seeking medical treatment in Mexico has in turn given birth to several amazing multi billion dollar hospitals offering the latest technology and most advanced state of the art facilities and equipment. The best of these are accredited by the Joint Commission International that bestows it’s accreditation on a small number of hospitals world wide who meet the highest international medical standards. Here you will find far superior personalized service and health care than you could ever expect at home from friendly professionals who really care about their patients and are committed to the highest levels of treatment and maintaining their world class reputations.

So before giving up hope for getting weight loss surgery because of the cost or making a poorly informed choice of expensive treatment centers, look at all of your options including the best hospitals in Mexico.

Medical tourism for all types of medical procedures has been an increasing trend and is becoming more popular everyday. However where do you find the best savings without sacrificing quality of medical care when it comes to weight loss surgery?

These days there are many surgery centers advertising Lap Band, sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass surgery. However many of these centers that spend so much on advertising are actually more expensive as they have to devote so much of their resources to constantly attracting new clients. Additionally this can be a sign of lower quality service as there has to be cuts made somewhere in order to stay competitive, whether it is by hiring less qualified doctors and medical staff or having lower quality equipment. This is a shame as Mexico does actually offer lower cost weight loss surgery and health care at equivalent or even high standards than the US if you know where to look.

The best deals for affordable weight loss surgery across the border can actually be found in the hospitals in cities like Monterrey, Tijuana and Mexicali. New and planned hospitals in these parts of Mexico offer multi billion dollar complexes with the latest in technology and newest equipment. These hospitals attract hundreds of thousands for medical tourism each year and have built great reputations that breed masses of word of mouth referrals so do not need to turn to million dollar marketing campaigns that eat up many of the advantages of traveling to Mexico for health care.

This enables these modern and well equipped hospitals to attract and employ the best doctors and staff available and enable them to offer an elite level of service and care. These hospitals not only offer a comparable level of health care to the US according to the World Health Organization but in fact often offer a superior level of care and personalized service. The now approximately one million medical tourists visiting Mexico each year have consistently rated their experiences at Mexican hospitals better than at their American counterparts. Additionally several weight loss procedures have actually been performed for years longer in Mexico meaning that medical professionals in Tijuana, Monterrey and Mexicali have years more hands on experience and have honed their skills and techniques to be the best in the world.

So what should you be looking for when choosing a hospital in Mexico for your treatment? Mexico is distinguished from other medical tourism destinations not only for it’s proximity to the US but also for it’s internationally recognized hospitals that are accredited by the JCI (Joint Commission International), something that few other so called medical tourism destinations can boast. The best hospitals in Mexico are also involved with education exchange programs with the world’s most well respected hospitals and facilities like the Mayo Clinic. Of course like any other service in life it is also wise to search out specialists in the area of medicine your are searching for. The International Business Bureau is also a good way to look up potential hospitals and make sure they are members and have been doing a great job of impressing other clients and patients.

The best hospitals in Mexico that specialize in weight loss surgery procedures also work together with the best in luxury hotel facilities to make sure those staying over receive the best attention and service from the moment they arrive and throughout their stay. Often hospitals can also help arrange travel as well including flights and airport transfers in order to ensure your entire trip is a success and an enjoyable experience.

How much of a discount on prices is reasonable to expect from a high quality medical facility in Mexico offering weight loss procedures at the highest international standards? In general you can expect prices to be be around 50% of that in the US. In some cases as low as 30% and can even include hotel stay. A good example is comparing Lap Band surgery that could cost as much as $17,000 and even up to $30,000 in the US and some western European countries while Lap Band and Johnson & Johnson Band surgery can be found in Mexico in the top hospitals and performed by internationally trained expert doctors for as little as $6,300. Clearly any other options do not compare to the advantages to be had. Just imagine what you could do with the savings.

If you have been considering lap band, vertical sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass weight loss surgery it is worth giving some serious thought to crossing the border to Mexico for your procedure.

While many choose Monterrey, Mexicali and Tijuana for their health care for cost reasons, that is just one of the many benefits of medical tourism. In fact in 2009 alone almost 1 million individuals from the USA traveled to Mexico for medical attention. That is on top of the 1 million plus Americans who have already permanently relocated to sunny Mexico and rely on it´s health system for everyday needs.

It is true that there are huge cost advantages to weight loss surgery in Mexico. However that alone should not be your only motivation. In comparison to the cost of gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomies and lap band surgeries in the US you can expect to save between 30 to 70% by traveling south. That is big money that you can save for other things or emergencies later down the road. Even when you factor in the small cost of traveling to Mexico the savings are still huge.

These weight loss surgeries are not covered by most health insurance policies in the US. However some employers that have policies that do cover them have actually moved to insurance that specifically covers treatments in Mexico both for the cost savings and also because in many cases the standard and quality of service is higher which means better protection for employees as well.

Higher quality health care? Yes, absolutely. Health care in Mexico is considered comparable to the US according to the World Health Organization (WHO). However recent studies and surveys have shown that those who have actually made the trip and received medical attention in Monterrey, Mexicali and Tijuana are actually happier and rate their experiences better than compared with those who stayed in the US. Additionally many of the hospitals and medical facilities in Mexico are newer than those in the US and and have the latest technology and newest equipment. Even more importantly Mexican doctors and hospitals have been performing procedures like lap band surgery longer than their counter parts in the US meaning they are more experienced and knowledgeable. For those that are convinced that medical training is better in the US, you will be pleased to know that many of these hospitals have doctors that were trained in US medical schools as well as being participants in educational exchange programs with the most respected US medical institutions. If you have know that you want to travel abroad for medical treatment but just have not yet decided where, you should know that many other countries do not have any hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), the non profit organization who ensures members are held to the highest international medical standards. Certainly when it comes to service there is no doubt that standards south of the border are often far superior. Referrals and great reputations are crucial to these hospital´s survival, so you can be sure that the facilities and staff aim to go far beyond your expectations in order to build solid businesses. This extends not only from initial consultations but through out your care and recovery.

Other factors that may come into play for some when weighing where to go for their weight loss surgery are safety and travel time. Certainly most of those in the US can be to any of the best Mexican hospitals within hours either by plane or car, many faster than traveling to the best hospitals in the United States. When it comes to safety, most concerns are unwarranted. Mexico may have a less than polished reputation for being crime free in the news. However the reality is that when you look and the real numbers, much of the US is far more dangerous.

So, when the US and Mexico is compared side-by-side for medical treatment and specifically for weight loss surgery, Mexico certainly takes the lead and checks all the boxes. You at least owe it to yourself to thoroughly weigh your options and make an informed decision. Definitely it would be a shame to stay home for your medical procedure and pay over twice the money for inferior service and care.

Medical tourism is a trend that has been growing by leaps and bounds for a number of years. Of course the main attraction for most seeking medical attention abroad has been cost. However, now patients traveling to Mexico for medical treatment are also doing so for the higher level of quality service and expertise, especially when it comes to weight loss surgeries. In fact Mexican hospitals and doctors have been performing lap band surgery for even longer than doctors in the United States. This is further evidenced by a report from Washington advocacy group (for health care issues), Families USA that showed that 90 percent of patients traveling to Mexico for medical treatment rated their experience as good or excellent, while only 80 percent of those who remained in the US for treatment gave the same rating.

When taking into consideration that the cost of medical treatment in Mexico averages 50% less than in the US, with prices often as low as one fifth, even when you add in travel expenses it is much wiser to cross the border for health care. This is especially true when it comes to medical procedures like lap band surgery, vertical sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypasses. Why anyone would want to stay in the US and and pay more for inferior service and less experienced doctors is a mystery.

These types of weight loss surgeries are normally not covered by US health insurance plans, however many US employers have been turning to health care plans that cover treatment in Mexico instead of the US to both save money and take better care of their employees. Last year it was reported that 1 million people from the US headed to places in Mexico like Monterrey, Tijuana and Mexicali for health care. Additionally another 1 million American retirees now reside south of the border and rely on Mexican hospitals for their everyday health needs. In fact many US doctors have given up the battle and have relocated to Mexico themselves in order to be able to compete.

Find out price of Lap Band Surgery in Mexico

However the best savings and doctors in Mexico for bariatric procedures are normally not found a the clinics that do the most advertising. Those unfortunately spend far too much in promoting themselves and eat up the savings which either results in higher costs, lower quality services or both. Instead look for Mexico based hospitals in Mexicali, Tijuana and Monterrey that are accredited by the Joint Commission International and participate in educational exchange programs with the US´s top medical facilities. These hospitals offer the best in world class service, along with the highest trained doctors, latest equipment and offer the biggest savings as most of their business is on referral basis not from spending millions on having to attract new clients each year.

Perhaps the only one factor that has deterred some from taking advantage of the great benefits of bariatric surgery south of the border has been safety concerns. Not with the medical services themselves but due to the country. However while the news media has enjoyed some extra stories from some small isolated incidents in the last couple years, when you look at the hard facts and statistics you will find that in general Mexico is much safer to travel to for health care than many areas of the United States. Certainly traveling to Mexico is much safer than other options like India. Which raises another interesting point. Those who are still under the misconception that health care may be better in the US , may be horrified to realize than many US hospitals now outsource the interpretation and reading of test results to doctors in places like India in order to cut costs. Scary but true.

So the bottom line seems to be that medical tourism to Mexico, while offering incredible discounts on health care services like weight loss surgery also has the superior advantages of more experienced surgeons, newer equipment, better personalized services and safety. It certainly seems like it is not a choice of going to Mexico for your medical needs, but simply which hospital to choose and how soon you can go.

Gastric Bypass Surgery is a proven method for permanent weight loss as well as a potential cure for Type II Diabetes and other conditions related to morbid obesity. Basically, the surgery helps lose weight of patients by changing how their stomach and small intestine handle the food they eat. The surgery is recommended when non-surgical treatments, such as diet, exercise and medicines have not worked. Generally, the surgery is considered for patients who have a body mass index of 40 or higher or if there is a life threatening or disabling condition related to the patient’s weight.

Preparation before the procedure includes a thorough and extensive screening process like blood tests, physical exams, bleeding and clotting time, and other needed laboratory work-ups. If the patient is smoking, the act is prohibited for weeks prior to the surgery. Eating will also be prohibited hours before to prevent aspiration. The operation requires a two to four day stay in the hospital and is done under general anesthesia.

During the surgery, the surgeon uses surgical staples to create a pouch from the upper part of the stomach separating it from the rest. A section of the intestine is then bypassed and re-connected to the pouch. This then creates a shorter route for the food to pass in the digestive system, thus lesser food is absorbed in the body. Gastric bypass be done by making a large incision in the abdomen (an open procedure) or by making a small incision and using small instruments and a camera to guide the surgery (laparoscopic approach). Other than the small size of the digestive system, some scientists also believe that weight loss following bariatric surgery is also the result of diminished blood cells of a recently discovered hormone called ghrelin, which is secreted by endocrine cells within the stomach. Blood ghrelin levels rise prior to meals and in the face of food restriction or starvation.

Just like any surgery, gastric bypass involves a set of risks. Risks common to all surgeries for weight loss include an infection in the incision, a leak from the stomach into the abdominal cavity or where the intestine is connected which may lead to peritonitis, and a blood clot in the lung. Ulcers also develop 5 to 15% of the time. Over time, the problems that may occur include, breakdown of the pouch, which would require another surgery to repair it, narrowing of the opening between the stomach pouch and the small intestine, low calcium levels, which can cause early osteoporosis. Also, problems such as gallstones and gallbladder attacks, gastritis, heartburn, stomach ulcers, poor nutrition, vomiting from eating more than your stomach pouch can hold, dumping syndrome when the contents of the stomach move through the small intestine quickly, incisional hernia and kidney stones may occur over time. An iron and vitamin B12 deficiency also occurs more than 30% of the times. About 50% of those with an iron deficiency develops anemia.

Weight loss is the major benefit of gastric bypass surgery. An expected weight loss of 65% to 80% of excess body weight is typical of most large series of the surgery. Most people lose about 10 to 20 pounds a month in the first year following the procedure. Comorbidities accompanying morbid obesity may also be corrected if the surgery is performed. Hyperlipidemia is corrected in over 70% of patients. Essential hypertension is relieved in over 70% of patients and medication requirements are usually reduced in the remainder. Obstructive sleep apnea is markedly improved with weight loss and bariatric surgery may be curative for sleep apnea. Snoring also improves in most patients. Over 90% of patients with type II non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus are expected to be off medication. Problems like, asthma, joint pain, arthritis, reflux, fatigue and shortness of breath are also improved or cured. In summary, the procedure causes an overall increased sense of well-being and an improved ability to engage in physical activity.

After the surgery, a restriction of eating for one to two days to allow the stomach to heal may be required, to be followed by a specific diet for about 12 weeks. Activities can be resumed after the patient can move around without a lot of pain usually in 3 to 5 weeks. Following the procedure, the patient needs to follow the exercise and nutrition guidelines established by the physician and the dietitian to lose weight and avoid complications of the procedure.

Gastric Bypass Surgery or also known as Roux-en-Y Surgery or RNY is a laparoscopic bariatric surgery done with many techniques. Despite the variable types of the surgery, its concept is to do excessive stomach stapling to form small pouches opening in distal parts of the intestine bypassing a great part of the stomach.

In this operation, no parts of the stomach will be removed but the stomach is divided into two parts forming a small pouch “the new stomach” and then both the new and old stomach is sealed by stapling. Then, the small intestine is detached from the stomach which will be stapled also and the small pouch is connected to the intestinal free part by staples. This is to skip a big part of the GIT and therefore decrease the surface area for digestion and absorption. This will induce weight loss by decreasing the amount of food ingested as well as the food substances absorbed from the GIT.

Benefits:
This procedure is usually done for obese persons with Body Mass Index BMI over 40 or with less BMI but with obesity related disease. The operation is not a magical cure for obesity but it is a step forward. It can decrease your weight significantly within few weeks to months.

Advantages:
Laparoscopic operation requires small abdominal incision.
It leads to restrictive and functional changes in the GIT. In other words, it reduces the stomach size and the GIT absorption as well. This makes its effect more predictable, powerful and sustainable.
It reduces about 30% during one year only.
Most of the health hazards associated with obesity are resolved after the operation.

Disadvantages:
As a surgical procedure taking about an hour and a half or two hours, gastric bypass surgery have many possible complications. This requires good pre and post operative care.
The patient will have to change his habits and lifestyle after the procedure.
It is an irreversible operation.
It may lead to mal absorption syndrome (Dumping syndrome).
It may lead to bleeding gastric ulcers, gall stones or intestinal obstruction.
It is not the procedure of choice in all patients.

Pre-operative care:
The procedure should be done after good pre-operative care. The most important guidelines are:
Counseling the doctor and informing him with your medical history or regular or recent intake of any medications
Starting Atkins diet 2 weeks before the surgery in order to reduce the amount of fat present around your liver.
Regular intake of clear fluids for at least 48 hours before surgery.
Cleansing your colon by magnesium citrate or Colyte or alternatively extending the time of clear fluids intake to 4 days instead of only two.
Stop any medications except those recommended by your doctor.
Stop taking any herbal medication and any OTC drugs for headache other common conditions 7 days before the surgery.

Post-operative care:
After the gastric bypass, you have to follow certain lifestyle modification to benefit the most of the procedure. The lifestyle modification is mainly based on changing your diet and eating behavior.
You’ll be instructed to follow certain diets after the operation as being on soft foods only for few days and return to normal food over several weeks so that your stomach stapling and incision heal properly. You’ll be required to change your eating habit to slower eating and smaller diets with more attention to its nutritional value. It should be with much less fat and carbohydrates and more proteins, vitamins and mineral.
Pay attention that gastric bypass reduces the GIT absorption what may complicate mal absorption syndrome. That is making focusing on vitamins and mineral in addition to proteins in your diet is essential to avoid this complication. Another important thing to get a balanced and nutritive diet is taking adequate water supply during the day (about 8 cups) but not during meals. You must avoid ingesting liquids together with solid foods.

It is also helpful to have regular exercise after recovery to promote your health and improve your weight management. However, you must counsel your doctor before starting exercising to set proper schedules with gradual start. It is mandatory to start gradually to achieve moderate levels of exercise then you can make your exercise a daily routine. Exercise reduces weight and all obesity related risks but sudden vigorous exercise can have a bad effect on you.

Again, gastric bypass procedure will not be the magical solution to get rid of weight problems. Although it has a great effect by reducing the absorbed meal, gastric bypass surgery is just a step forward to healthier life. After the surgery you will have to do regular exercise, lifestyle modifications and follow ups with a dietitian to avoid mal absorption and let your body get the healthy diet it needs.

I just came back from a Seattle WLS convention and am preparing for our Houston event. We talked at length about what helps us be successful and what things undermine our success and we came up with some strategies for success. View our Weight Loss Surgery Success Stories.

• Journal your food and feelings daily – keep an accountable finger
on your pulse daily!

• Never grocery shop on an empty stomach!

• Stay on the perimeter of the store – the inside isles are filled
with processed foods you don’t need! dairy, meat, fresh fruit, fresh
vegetables and good whole grain breads are on the perimeter.

• Use a white board on your fridge – when my kids lived at home I
posted daily what was for dinner and what was available in the fridge for snacks. If you know what is in there and have a variety of healthy snacks – you won’t be as tempted to fall off the wagon.

• 5- P’s – Poor Planning Predicts Poor Performance – translated -
plan your menus a week ahead- buy what you need to complete those menus. Be flexible enough to be able to switch Thursdays 10 min grilled chicken and veggies to Wednesday if you run short of time on a particular day. Start your meal preparation in the morning when you are rested and have eaten your breakfast. We live in a world where time gets away from us too easily – if the salad is made, the veggies prepped and a meat or protein dish prepped – your odds of sticking to your plan are significantly increased than if you walk in the door after a day from hell with hungry kids, a crabby husband and the pizza fridge magnet screaming your name.

• Don’t allow trigger foods into your home! You don’t keep alcohol
or drugs in front of an addict – don’t put pizza, chips, ice cream in your
home – this will actually help your children have healthier relationships
with food!

• Make sure you are well rested by setting boundaries on your
evening time. Don’t allow other people or events to intrude on your down time. Boundaries are important and successful people establish boundaries and guard them.

• Give yourself adequate time to eat with your family in a
stress-free environment. When you slam down food in a car with cranky kids is when you will PB or eat beyond full and be in pain.

• Get adequate exercise, walking the dog, cleaning your yard,
gardening, biking, hiking, – time doing any activity with children or
friends outside of your home.

• Don’t be afraid to ask loved ones for what you need – you don’t
have to be in this alone, your children/husband can help by peeling veggies, helping with chores if you explain to them that being overwhelmed is a trigger for heading off your path.

• Be kind to yourself – keep the voices in your head gentle and kind
- change is the result of being kind to yourself, self criticism defeats
you.

• Write up a disaster recovery plan – what you can do to put
yourself back on track – mine is a long list of small daily goals that are
achievable – results are cumulative.

Bariatric surgery, even in the best of hands, is not a panacea, and while most patients report a favorable outcome following the surgical procedure, a significant subset of patients may experience complications or not fail to achieve their ideal body weight as expected.

In these circumstances, a follow-up surgical procedure, known as a bariatric surgery revision, may be necessary to either achieve the ideal body weight, help resolve co morbidities, or manage the complications of the first surgery.

A comparison of the between the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and lap band surgery becomes exceedingly relevant when considering a bariatric surgery. Whether there are more revision surgeries required after lap band or gastric bypass is therefore an important consideration.

Both of these surgeries are radically different in terms of their mechanism of action. Gastric bypass has a dual mechanism of action, being restrictive as well as a malabsorptive procedure, while the lap band surgery is only restrictive. The former, therefore, has been found to be more effective over time. The weight loss however is slower, and steadier with lap band surgery. The final weight loss is achieved by the end of three to four years after lap band surgery, and by the end of eighteen to twenty four months following the gastric bypass procedure.

Approximately 5 to 10% of patients who have had a gastric bypass reportedly require a revision surgery over 5 years. The reasons for the same vary from complications, unsatisfactory weight loss, or weight regain.

The revision rate following lap-band surgery is reported to be approximately 10% during the first two years. The reasons for the same include device-related problems, slippage or unsatisfactory weight loss.

Collated data from multicentric trials indicates that the excess body weight loss following gastric bypass surgery ranges from 69 to 84% at one year, while the same following a lap band procedure is 45 to 55%. Given that a weight loss less than 50% of the excess body weight constitutes surgical failure, it is evident that the rates of revision surgery following lap band surgery are higher than that following a gastric bypass.

Even though the incidence of early complications following gastric bypass has been reported to be higher than those following lap band surgery(4.2% and 1.7% respectively at the end of first week) the complication rates of the two procedures become comparative by the end of one and a half years (8 and 9.1% respectively).

Experts believe that long-term failure and complications after this time are rare with gastric bypass, while a significant number of lap band patients experience problems which may require a re-exploration or conversion to a different surgical procedure.

However, given that the safety profile of the lap band surgery is significantly better than that of the gastric bypass, and the former is a reversible technique, several patients as well as bariatric surgeons are opting for it. However, when making a choice, the decision must be made keeping in mind the relative rates of revision surgery following each of the surgical procedures.

Bariatric surgery can help you get rid of excess fat of your body and helps in leading a healthy lifestyle. This could be either achieved by stapling a small portion of your stomach or by tying the stomach with a band.

Lap-Band vs. Gastric Bypass

Lap-Band and Gastric Bypass are the two surgical options for severely obese patients who have been unable to control weight through diet and exercise. Deciding between the two largely depends on your personal preference and a good knowledge about both surgeries.

Lap band surgery is a minimally invasive procedure requiring no stomach stapling or re-routing of internal organs The Lap band consists of a silicone ring that is placed around the top of the stomach giving it the shape of an hourglass. The resulting pouch dramatically reduces the functional capacity of the stomach. It is designed in such a way that it can be inflated or deflated at any time after operation. Lap band surgery can be adjusted, moved and has no requirement for permanent alteration to the body of the stomach or intestines, which makes it a better option to lose weight. Look into the side effects of Lap Band Surgery to see the full risks of using Gastric Banding Surgery.

Gastric bypass involves creating a small pouch by dividing the stomach. The small intestine is divided and brought up to join the new stomach pouch. This allows the food go straight from the stomach pouch into the small intestine, which causes it to bypass the lower stomach and the duodenum. This reduces the amount of calories that the body absorbs (Find out if having Lap Band Surgery in Mexico is right for you).

The lap band surgery lasts around an hour and requires an overnight stay in the hospital. Gastric bypass surgery takes about four hours and you may have to stay three to five days in a hospital after surgery.

Weight loss is quicker in gastric bypass. With lap band surgery initial weight loss is slower than Gastric bypass, however over a 5-year period, weight loss outcome is similar in both.

In case of Lap-Band it is easy to remove the band and reverse the surgery, requiring only a laparoscopic procedure, after which the stomach usually returns to its normal pre-banded state, since it uses an inflatable saline filled strap that is wrapped around your stomach. A gastric bypass surgery can be reversed, but it should not, as it is very risky.

A gastric bypass cannot be adjusted, while a lap band can be adjusted by means of a port through the skin that the surgeon leaves just below the ribs. To tighten the lap band, the surgeons injects saline solution into it.

Gastric bypass surgery is more expensive than a Lap band surgery. While the cost of lap band surgery comes in between $15,000 to $20,000, gastric bypass costs $20,000 to $25,000.
Gather information like procedure, precautions, recovery period, reversibility and cost of both types of bariatric surgeries. This will help you make the most informed decision.

The Gastric Bypass Surgery (GBS) combines both restrictive and malabsorption processes. The creation of a small stomach pouch causes restricted food intake and construction of bypasses of the duodenum and other segment of the small intestine causes malabsorption, which decreases ability to absorb calories and nutrients from food.

There are two types of GBS.

The first type is known as Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RGB).This surgery was the first performed in US and today it is most popular Gastric bypass surgery all over the world. A small stomach pouch is created by stapling part of the stomach together or by vertical branching. Thereafter, a Y-shaped section of the small intestine is attached to the pouch to allow food to bypass the duodenum as well as the first portion of the jejunum. Now it is possible to perform this surgery by laparoscopic technology.

Another type of GBS is called extensive gastric bypass or biliopancreatic diversion. This type is more complicated than RGB. The lower portion of the stomach is surgically removed. The remaining pouch is connected directly to the final segment of the small intestine .As a result both duodenum and jejunum are bypassed. This type is not very popular as it has a risk for nutritional deficiencies.

People who undergo gastric bypass surgery are at risk for Pouch stretching. The stomach may stretch back to its original size before surgery. Sometimes the breaking of staples can reverse the procedure. Leakage of stomach contents into the abdomen can cause acid eat other organs.

Some people complain of Dumping Syndrome. It occurs when stomach contents move too rapidly through small intestine. It causes nausea, vomiting, weakness, sweating, faintness and diarrhea after eating. Gallstone can occur in response to rapid weight loss. The limited absorption of vitamin B-12 and iron can cause anemia. The lack of calcium absorption causes osteoporosis.

But, the benefits of the surgery definitely outweigh the risks. More than 75% of the patients are expected to lose 75-80% of their excess body weight .About 70-80% of the patients stop taking medication for hypertension. Other conditions such as sleep apnea, asthma, joint pain, arthiritis, fatigue, shortness of breath are drastically improved if not completely resolved.