Posted by Patient Help Desk on July 27, 2008 under Financial | 
Sure, by undergoing bariatric surgery, you’re dramatically improving your health, both now and in the future. But you’re also doing some very good things to your bank account!
A growing number of studies have found that weight loss procedures have imparted valuable benefits for reducing the development of conditions common to morbidly obese men and women. That in part has contributed to falling rates for these patients’ insurance claims. A published study the American Journal of Managed Care showed that in as quickly as 2 to 4 years, health insurers can hope to recoup their costs, which can soar as high $17,000-$26,000.
Surgery or Not: Who Is More Cost-Effective?
For this study, the insurance claims of two subject groups were compared. One group involved over 3,600 morbidly obese men and women who had experienced laparoscopic bariatric surgery, while the other group involved 3,600 subjects who didn’t have surgery. The findings demonstrated that for the surgical subjects expressed reduced percentages of sleep apnea, hypertension and diabetes following their operations. The non-surgical subjects’ percentages rose or stayed the same.
One year after the study’s start, the surgical subjects’ monthly medical costs were as much as $900 less than the non-surgical subjects. Dr. Scott Shikora, president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and the study’s co-author stated: “Bariatric surgery is a unique field in that with one operation you can cure a wide range of different health conditions.”He added, “this paper demonstrated that you can do that and actually save money in the process.”
Faced with these potentially dramatic health and financial benefits, is it really that surprising that so many obese men and women are going under the knife? About 220,000 surgeries will be performed this year, for a more-than-tenfold increase since 1992. Even better, research suggests that the risk of death from weight loss surgery is now below 1%!
Most health insurers consider cost to be the biggest issue for coverage. While they typically so provide coverage, they try to make it very difficult for patients. As you’d expect, this angers medical professionals. “Obesity is a disease, it’s not just a choice or an eating affliction,” says Shikora. “It is a genetic disease, and I don’t feel that the morbidly obese patient should be treated any differently than a patient with breast cancer, or HIV or other ailments.”
Posted by Patient Help Desk on May 4, 2008 under Bariatric Research News |
Are you familiar with your Body Mass Index (BMI) score? You may want to learn yours, especially if you’re struggling with excessive weight. You see, this number can help to determine whether you’re at risk for cardiovascular problems!
To calculate your BMI score, you need to figure out the ratio of your weight to your height, squared.
Typically, a “healthy” BMI score is one between 18.5 and 24.9. Countless clinical studies have shown that the higher the BMI score, the greater your likelihood of developing a wide array of harmful conditions. Among these are: diabetes, arthritis, low-back pain, skin and psychological disorders, menstrual disturbances, and various cardiovascular problems.
How Effective Are BMI Scores for Those Considering Weight Loss Surgery?
But before you panic, it’s important to consider that BMI scores are NOT fool-proof. They can fail to accurately recognize body fat among athletes and more muscular people, while also miscalculating decreased muscle mass, such as that of the elderly.
The overweight and the obese may be misrepresented by BMI scores, as well. Traditionally, medical experts believed that the overweight and obese could ward off cardiovascular risks by undergoing bariatric surgery.
These procedures were performed on men and women with BMI scores of 40 or higher, or those at least 100 pounds overweight, considered “morbidly obese.”
The problem is, many patients are considered overweight, but NOT obese; these men and women generally have BMI scores between 35 and 40. These individuals can be afflicted with dangerous conditions, including heart disease or dependent diabetes. As such, these patients are good candidates for weight loss procedures. Amazingly, research has shown that the overweight may find the surgeries more beneficial than the morbidly obese!
A ground-breaking University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center study focused on this proposed connection between bariatric surgery guidelines and how they related to BMI scores and cardiovascular disease. The researchers found that several subjects displayed significant heart disease risk factors, as well as BMI scores lower than 40.
Valuable Benefits for “Obese” Patients
What does this mean? Well, those patients considered “obese” but not “morbidly obese” would definitely improve their cardiovascular health by undergoing bariatric surgery. This is because certain moderately overweight individuals don’t store fat in their cells as efficiently as the morbidly obese. Therefore, their cardiovascular systems are not as susceptible to potential damage.
Surprisingly, even those men and women with BMI scores as low as 30 can as poor cardiovascular health as those with much higher scores. “Our results show that cardiovascular risk factors do not necessarily worsen with increasing obesity,” says Dr. Edward Livingston, chairman of GI/endocrine surgery at UT Southwestern and the study’s lead author. “They also support the concept that obesity, by itself, doesn’t trigger an adverse cardiovascular risk profile or increased risk of death.”
Posted by Patient Help Desk on April 5, 2008 under Bariatric Research News |
How’s this for an interesting and potentially happy healthcare situation? The all-too-common condition known as type 2 diabetes is unfortunately a likely companion for the morbidly obese. However, a recent study indicates that by undergoing bariatric surgery, these men and women may be provided with powerful relief for this condition!
Specifically, this study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that those patients who have bariatric surgery may actually be rewarded with complete remission. Type 2 diabetes is closely linked with obesity; typically, its treatment involves healthy nutrition, an exercise program to lose weight, and insulin and other medications.
Exploring the Diabetes/Obesity Link
According to the American Diabetes Association, about 90% of all newly diagnosed patients are overweight; being obese causes the risks to skyrocket. Additionally, this condition is now the nation’s 5th leading cause of death. However, this JAMA study is thought to be the pioneer in illustrating the association between bariatric surgery and its proposed diabetes benefits. The findings showed that 73% of the study’s 60 subjects that had bariatric surgery experienced NO signs of the disease!
The study incorporated the lap-band, or adjustable gastric banding surgical method. With this minimally invasive procedure, patients are able to feel full, while eating less. So, they can lose weight and maintain this weight loss. The JAMA study was particularly ground-breaking in that it provided amazing evidence for the possibility of treating type 2 diabetes with bariatric surgery, rather than medical treatments.
There is a great deal of controversy over health insurers’ coverage of lap-band and other bariatric procedures. While Medicare offers coverage for patients with body mass index (BMI) scores of 40 or higher, various private insurers deny coverage. However, in light of this study’s findings, these insurers may change their coverage policies.
The researchers cautioned that these findings applied only to those diabetics with mild cases. For these patients, it was thought that lap-band procedures could lessen the disease’s severity, or even completely eliminate it. More serious, long-term conditions were not thought to achieve remission, no matter the level of weight loss. Nevertheless, medical experts hold out hope for all diabetics.
Tags: bariatric surgery, diabetes, healthy diet, healthy living, medical weight loss, medical weight loss center, obesity, type 2 diabetes, weight loss, weight loss surgeon, weight loss surgery
Posted by Patient Help Desk on February 17, 2008 under Diet and Health |
Have you undergone a weight loss procedure? If so, congratulations on taking an essential steps towards improving your health and life! But you’ve actually only begun your journey; there is a lot of hard work to focus on, for the rest of your life. You’ll need to ensure your post-operative guidelines, especially when it comes to your diet.
These guidelines will help you eat well and manage your weight. They also protect against common unwanted side effects that can sometimes follow bariatric surgery, like pain, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea, dizziness and fatigue. Following a proper diet can decrease the likelihood of “dumping syndrome,” as well. This condition involves undigested food (sweets are particularly dangerous) leaves the stomach and rapidly accumulates in the lower end of the small intestine. Once you’ve recuperated, you’ll find that a healthy post-bariatric eating plan revolves around two concepts: you need to practice carful portion control, and stay away from “problem foods.”
Follow These Guidelines for Healthy Eating
Your qualified medical team can provide you with the necessary guidance and information. And most likely, they’ll have some “suggestions” for healthy eating. But you’re going to need common sense, as well as a commitment to learning some valuable information. Various clinical studies show that post-bariatric surgical patients may ensure their long-term dietary health by following these guidelines:
- Keep An Eye On Your Food – for all patients who have undergone weight loss surgery, it’s crucial to follow a plan of proper nutrition and health. Your diet may require some alterations. You see, you may notice that you’re not getting the same satisfaction from foods you enjoyed before surgery, while other foods are now more appealing.
- Meet with a Nutritionist –speaking with a knowledgeable and helpful nutritional expert is an excellent idea, both before and after the procedure. You will be informed of dietary facts and choices.
- Remember to Chew Slowly – one (temporary) side effect following weight loss surgery is the inability to eat solid foods; this can last up to 7 weeks. Once you’re able, you’ll want to only take little bites. You should practice slow chewing; wait 2-3 minutes, from swallowing until the next bite. Unfortunately, you need to avoid meats that aren’t ground up and chewed thoroughly (such as steak), as they’re not easily digested.
- Stop at “Full” – the key is to decrease the space in your stomach. . Eating excess amounts can make you ill, so you’ll have to force yourself to push your plate away once you’re full.
- Stay Away from Snacks – you’re going to want to give up junk food and snacks. You see, post-surgery, you’ll be taking in far less calories. As such, you need to ensure that the food you eat provides the necessary nutrients for your body. You’ll need to adopt a plan for consuming nutritious mini-meals instead.
- “So Long” to Sugar –consuming sugary snacks can result in the onset of dumping syndrome in those who’ve had bariatric surgery. If you must eat sweet treats, make sure they’re no larger than 3-5 grams per serving size.
- Vitamin Wanted – after undergoing surgery, taking a daily multi-vitamin can provide vital nutrients for your body’s general health and well-being.
- Fluid Facts –bariatric surgery patients should not drink fluids at meals, as this can lead to vomiting and dumping syndrome. Drinking fluids can also quickly increase feelings of hunger after you’ve eaten. Choose instead to make these fluids between-meals snacks. You should also stay away from high-calorie milkshakes and nutritional supplements.
- Alcohol Do’s & Don’ts — for the first full year after weight loss surgery, you should refrain from non-carbonated alcoholic drinks. However, ALL carbonated beverages (especially beer and other carbonated alcoholic drinks) should be permanently removed from your diet.
- Protein Is Key – post-surgery, you’ll need to consume a lot of protein; at least 35-65 grams of daily protein 18- 24 months after surgery. The reason is that while you quickly lose weight, your body can burn valuable muscle. So, you must “trick” your body into burning fat. But you won’t be eating enough to gain this protein from food alone. So, you’ll need protein supplement drinks or protein-enriched bars as supplements. Several foods can offer higher protein levels, including: beans, eggs, cheese, soy products, fish and seafood, chicken, turkey, beef, liver, lamb and veal. Fats should be limited in a healthy post-bariatric diet, as well.
