Active Low-Carber Forums
Atkins diet and low carb discussion provided free for information only, not as medical advice.
Home Plans Tips Recipes Tools Stories Studies Products
Active Low-Carber Forums
A sugar-free zone


Welcome to the Active Low-Carber Forums.
Support for Atkins diet, Protein Power, Neanderthin (Paleo Diet), CAD/CALP, Dr. Bernstein Diabetes Solution and any other healthy low-carb diet or plan, all are welcome in our lowcarb community. Forget starvation and fad diets -- join the healthy eating crowd! You may register by clicking here, it's free!

Go Back   Active Low-Carber Forums > Main Low-Carb Diets Forums & Support > Low-Carb Studies & Research / Media Watch > LC Research/Media
User Name
Password
FAQ Members Calendar Mark Forums Read Search Gallery My P.L.A.N. Survey


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   ^
Old Wed, May-31-06, 09:24
Judynyc's Avatar
Judynyc Judynyc is offline
Attitude is a Choice
Posts: 30,111
 
Plan: No sugar, flour, wheat
Stats: 228.4/209.0/170 Female 5'6"
BF:stl/too/mch
Progress: 33%
Location: NYC
Default Weightloss surgeries increase 6 fold.

http://www.webmd.com/content/articl...?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Quote:
Weight Loss Surgeries Increase Sixfold

4 of 5 Patients Are Women, Study Shows By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD
on Tuesday, May 30, 2006

May 30, 2006 -- There was a nearly sixfold increase in the number of weight lossweight loss surgeries performed in the U.S. between 1998 and 2002, a new study shows.

Roughly 14,000 gastric bypass surgeries were conducted in 1998, compared with nearly 82,600 such surgeries in 2002.

Using hospital discharge data, researchers concluded that the number of American adults having surgical weight loss procedures rose from 7 per 100,000 to 38.6 per 100,000 during the four-year period.

They attribute the dramatic increase to the introduction of a laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgical procedure following approval by the FDA in 2001.

"Although this surgery is more costly and time intensive, patient recovery times are shorter, and the surgery itself is less invasive," researcher Tonya M. Smoot, PhD, and colleagues wrote.

Best Treatment for ObesityObesity Diseases

Weight loss surgery is increasingly being recognized as the most effective treatment for a host of obesity-related diseases, bariatric and general surgeon William Richards, MD, tells WebMD. Richards is chief of laparoendoscopic surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.

He points out that at Vanderbilt, 75% of the morbidly obese patients with type 2 diabetesdiabetes who have gastric bypass or gastric banding surgeries are essentially cured of the disease within a year of having the surgery.

"I consider these procedures less weight loss surgeries than surgeries to reverse the many deleterious metabolic consequences of being morbidly obese," Richards says.

"We are treating diabetes, sleep apneasleep apnea, congestive heart failurecongestive heart failure, atherosclerosis, nonalcoholic liver disease, and many other obesity-related conditions that are life threatening. Surgery is by far the most effective treatment for these conditions in people who are morbidly obese."

Women Have Surgery More Than Men

Between 80% and 86% of gastric surgeries conducted between 1998 and 2002 were performed on women, according to the new study, which was conducted by researchers from the University of Louisville in Kentucky, and published in the July issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

Roughly one in five patients had type 2 diabetesdiabetes, with men more likely to have the disease than women (30% vs. 17%). The next most commonly seen medical condition among the obese patients was chronic pulmonary disease, seen in 14% of women and nearly 4% of men.

The average age of both the male and female surgery patients was 40. In 2002, the most gastric weight lossweight loss surgeries were performed in the South, with 47 procedures for every 100,000 adults, followed by the Northeast and Midwest with roughly 37 surgeries each, and the West with 28 surgeries for every 100,000 adults.

Bypass vs. Banding

Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery is still the most commonly performed weight loss surgery in the U.S. But more and more patients are opting for gastric banding, which restricts the amount of food a person can eat by closing off a portion of the stomach.

Banding has the advantage of being less invasive than bypass surgery. It is also reversible with removal of the band system. A disadvantage is that banding requires frequent postsurgical medical visits for band adjustment.

Gastric bypass tends to be a better option for diabetes patients, Richards says, because the procedure not only restricts the amount of food the stomach can hold, but restricts calorie and nutrient absorption.

"Gastric bypass has been shown to have a profound effect on diabetes that is independent of weight loss," he says. "Patients also tend to lose more weight with this procedure. But if a patient is highly motivated and is willing to see their surgeon once a month for the first year after surgery and then four or five times the second year, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding may be the best option."
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2   ^
Old Wed, May-31-06, 11:15
Frogbreath Frogbreath is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 571
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 282/209/120 Female 5'2"
BF:
Progress: 45%
Location: Tallahassee, FL, US
Default My Long Commentary

I'm responding to this because I have the adjustable gastric band.

This article is a little screwed up:

"They attribute the dramatic increase to the introduction of a laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgical procedure following approval by the FDA in 2001. Although this surgery is more costly and time intensive, patient recovery times are shorter, and the surgery itself is less invasive," researcher Tonya M. Smoot, PhD, and colleagues wrote."

The Gastric Band procedure is much less expensive and the surgery is much shorter. There is followup that must be attended to but if the bypass is to be ultimately successful that requires long-term followup as well. The article doesn't mention that the mortality rate for the band is 1 in 2000 as opposed to 1 in 200 for the bypass.

"Weight loss surgery is increasingly being recognized as the most effective treatment for a host of obesity-related diseases, bariatric and general surgeon William Richards, MD, tells WebMD."

This is true for obese people more than 100 pounds overweight. At that weight, the chances that a person will successfully lose weight and keep it off for a couple of years are about 1% without surgery.

At my age and size, I discovered that no amount of low-carb, low calorie approach was going to work before I died of some nasty, obesity-related illness. At this point my metabolism is screwed.

"Bypass vs. Banding

Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery is still the most commonly performed weight loss surgery in the U.S. But more and more patients are opting for gastric banding, which restricts the amount of food a person can eat by closing off a portion of the stomach."


It doesn't just leave less space in the stomach, it slows the passage of food through the system. That has the effect of keeping us feel full longer.

"Banding has the advantage of being less invasive than bypass surgery. It is also reversible with removal of the band system. A disadvantage is that banding requires frequent postsurgical medical visits for band adjustment.
Gastric bypass tends to be a better option for diabetes patients, Richards says, because the procedure not only restricts the amount of food the stomach can hold, but restricts calorie and nutrient absorption.

"Gastric bypass has been shown to have a profound effect on diabetes that is independent of weight loss," he says. "Patients also tend to lose more weight with this procedure. But if a patient is highly motivated and is willing to see their surgeon once a month for the first year after surgery and then four or five times the second year, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding may be the best option."


This is where it really gets off track. After three years the average weight loss is the same between the two procedures and it is roughly just 50% of total weight that needs to be lost. The weight comes off faster with the bypass (at first) but the patient has to deal with more drastic side effects (dumping syndrome and malabsorption). I can only surmise that the inability to process sugar after the bypass (dumping) is the "effect on diabetes that is independent of weight loss" to which he refers. Either surgery requires motivation to make it work past the initial easy weight loss stage. I don't consider 4 or 5 trips a year to check in with the surgeon for an adjustment a big deal; nor does my surgeon.

Having the band has decreased the amount of food I can eat - and also limits or eliminates some types of food: breads, pasta & rice are most common. They tend to clump together and temporarily stop up the stoma. That creates a very uncomfortable situation when not even saliva can pass through. In an effort to loosen things up the body makes even more saliva. It can't go down so it has to come up. This event is called "sliming" for obvious reasons. I've only experienced it a handful of times since my surgery in early August. The most memorable time was Christmas morning - all morning. Merry Christmas!

Metabolically I still have the same problems - but without the overwhelming extra problem of excessive quantities of food. It doesn't take much to make me full now and I've learned to stop before it hurts. I'm still learning to put much less food on my plate. It looks more like a child's plate to me (but my perspective may be warped). Three ounces of a solid protein is about all I can eat at one time. I can usually add some veggies to that. That will keep me full for 4 - 5 hours. If I eat soft foods like cottage cheese, kefir - liquid protein, I won't stay full as long and I can down a lot more calories at one time.

This is where I will reveal the great pitfall of the band: it is still possible to eat lots of crap (crisp cookies, candy, ice cream, most cake). Lot's of junk food goes down just fine - better than meat, eggs or cheese. I have to stay in control of what I eat in order to lose. On the other hand, I can get off track for a few weeks and not really gain. In my pre-surgery days I could gain 20 to 30 pounds in a month if I was really wigged out and eating everything in sight. My body still doesn't handle carbohydrates well. Even if I can only eat 1/2 a banana instead of 3 or 4 whole ones, my blood sugar will go up and I won't lose weight.

I was about to go on, but I'll spare you any more details. I'm glad I had the surgery and that's allowed me to lose from 282 to 228 since last summer. It didn't "make" me lose. I had to low (<60g) carb most of the time to lose it. I've wandered from the path many times, once for a 3 month depression. Otherwise I would have lost much more quickly. I'm happier that it has come about slowly. I need time for my fat head to catch up with my body.
Reply With Quote
  #3   ^
Old Wed, May-31-06, 15:19
Judynyc's Avatar
Judynyc Judynyc is offline
Attitude is a Choice
Posts: 30,111
 
Plan: No sugar, flour, wheat
Stats: 228.4/209.0/170 Female 5'6"
BF:stl/too/mch
Progress: 33%
Location: NYC
Default

Thanks for sharing your experience with us Frogbreath.


I did not have surgery to lose my weight and have been accused of having it and lying about it!! I hope to be in the 1% who is still maintaining at 1 year. Right now, I'm about to celebrate 6 months being at my goal weight.

The biggest issue I see with any weight loss surgery is the fact that , as you said, most people keep eating all the carby crap. They haven't gotten it yet about how they will need to eat for THE REST OF THEIR LIVES!!!!

I wish you the very best in your jounrey to your goal weight!!
Reply With Quote
  #4   ^
Old Thu, Jun-01-06, 10:22
betnich betnich is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 99
 
Plan: own
Stats: -/-/- Female 65
BF:
Progress:
Default

I was going to type a snarky reply like "And they call obesity an epidemic!"

But then I read Frogbreath's story.

Thanks for sharing - have not had the surgery, but if I did, I would probably go for the LapBand - it seems less extreme.

I once knew a man who had the older bypass procedure - to him, it helped, but did not cure his underlying metabolic condition. He was still fat (but somewhat less so) and had to struggle with that. I have heard that the effects of WLS are good for about 5 years or so.

To me, WLS seems like the concept of "forced contrition" as seen in the movie Se7en - Stick to low-carb, low-fat or else!
Reply With Quote
  #5   ^
Old Mon, Jun-05-06, 06:21
Anniston's Avatar
Anniston Anniston is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 426
 
Plan: whatever
Stats: 144/133/133 Female 64
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: PA
Default

gastric bypass surgery hits a sore spot with me. I've seen people die from this and its very disturbing. I remember one patient that had it done was 21 yrs old!! She did not grasp thattis was a change for life and the way of eating will have to change. I personally think there is too much glamourization by the media when it comes to this surgery
Reply With Quote
  #6   ^
Old Mon, Jun-05-06, 13:20
Frogbreath Frogbreath is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 571
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 282/209/120 Female 5'2"
BF:
Progress: 45%
Location: Tallahassee, FL, US
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anniston
gastric bypass surgery hits a sore spot with me. I've seen people die from this and its very disturbing. I remember one patient that had it done was 21 yrs old!! She did not grasp thattis was a change for life and the way of eating will have to change. I personally think there is too much glamourization by the media when it comes to this surgery



Absolutely agree with you. That's the media for you. Younger and younger people are having this done or plan to have it done later. Some I know are only waiting to graduate and get a job with good insurance first. In the meantime they are eating like utter hell. They just don't get it.
Reply With Quote
  #7   ^
Old Mon, Jun-05-06, 13:59
Judynyc's Avatar
Judynyc Judynyc is offline
Attitude is a Choice
Posts: 30,111
 
Plan: No sugar, flour, wheat
Stats: 228.4/209.0/170 Female 5'6"
BF:stl/too/mch
Progress: 33%
Location: NYC
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frogbreath
Absolutely agree with you. That's the media for you. Younger and younger people are having this done or plan to have it done later. Some I know are only waiting to graduate and get a job with good insurance first. In the meantime they are eating like utter hell. They just don't get it.



Yes....it scares me to see such young people thinking that this surgery allows them to be gluttons.

For me? I am happy to admit that I was too chicken to have the surgery. I could not justify in my mind, cutting my body open for an elective surgery.

I am also too chicken to consider plastic surgery and I need it!!
Reply With Quote
  #8   ^
Old Mon, Jun-05-06, 15:07
Angeline's Avatar
Angeline Angeline is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,423
 
Plan: Atkins (loosely)
Stats: -/-/- Female 60
BF:
Progress: 40%
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Default

That's because we have been brainwashed into looking to Big Medicine for the "easy" solution. So what if you are fat. Go in for a bypass and voila! You are thin. That's the perception. Glossed over are the dangers, the pain, the permanent limitations imposed on your lifestyle, the effects of long term malabsorption. The need for more surgery to remove excess skin....

An adult will take this into account and make a decision. A young person or a teen, with their belief in their own invulnerability will gloss over that and go for the surgery.

They simply should not allow young people to get bypass. At least gastric banding is reversible.
Reply With Quote
  #9   ^
Old Mon, Jun-05-06, 15:46
kebaldwin kebaldwin is offline
Thank you Dr Atkins!
Posts: 4,146
 
Plan: Atkins induction
Stats: 311/250/220 Male 6 feet
BF:45%/20%/15%
Progress: 67%
Location: North Carolina
Default

IMHO

If these doctors did not try drastic low carb diet first -- they should be sued for malpractice. Surgery should be an absolute last resort.
Reply With Quote
  #10   ^
Old Mon, Jun-05-06, 18:48
Analog6's Avatar
Analog6 Analog6 is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 186
 
Plan: Atkins but tweaking
Stats: 289/232/132 Female 170cm
BF:Unknown/45%/??
Progress: 36%
Location: Terranora, NSW, Australia
Default

Am I missing something here?

What the doctor (who just happens to make his living from people paying (no doubt huge bucks) for these procedures.

[Best Treatment for ObesityObesity Diseases

Weight loss surgery is increasingly being recognized as the most effective treatment for a host of obesity-related diseases, bariatric and general surgeon William Richards, MD, tells WebMD. Richards is chief of laparoendoscopic surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. ]

I'm sorry, I have trouble seeing major surgery on patientst who would have to be a bad risk for ANY surgery as a BEST treatment. He's kidding himself.

[He points out that at Vanderbilt, 75% of the morbidly obese patients with type 2 diabetesdiabetes who have gastric bypass or gastric banding surgeries are essentially cured of the disease within a year of having the surgery.]

Cured?? Have they learnt what sort of behaviour CAUSED them to be obese in the first place. Have they dealt with their demons and taken up a new way of eating and life? I doubt it.

["I consider these procedures less weight loss surgeries than surgeries to reverse the many deleterious metabolic consequences of being morbidly obese," Richards says.]

He would, wouldn't he - he's making his living from it.

Why can't problems be treated more holistically? Why cannot family docotors and surgepns work together to reduce the number of surgeries, rather than increase them.

Increasing numbers of medical studies are proving low carb/low GI can ure obesity yet it is not being recommended to patients. I find this all very depressing. If I'd known about low carb 10 years ago I would not ever have got to 131 kg! All my doctor could tout was low fat!
Reply With Quote
  #11   ^
Old Mon, Jun-05-06, 21:54
ValerieL's Avatar
ValerieL ValerieL is offline
Bouncy!
Posts: 9,388
 
Plan: Atkins Maintenance
Stats: 297/173.3/150 Female 5'7" (top weight 340)
BF:41%/31%/??%
Progress: 84%
Location: Burlington, ON
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Analog6
Am I missing something here?

What the doctor (who just happens to make his living from people paying (no doubt huge bucks) for these procedures.

[Best Treatment for ObesityObesity Diseases

Weight loss surgery is increasingly being recognized as the most effective treatment for a host of obesity-related diseases, bariatric and general surgeon William Richards, MD, tells WebMD. Richards is chief of laparoendoscopic surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. ]

I'm sorry, I have trouble seeing major surgery on patientst who would have to be a bad risk for ANY surgery as a BEST treatment. He's kidding himself.


Yes, you are missing the difference between the phrase "most effective" and the word "BEST". If you understand the difference, it's easy to see how the most effective treatment isn't necessarily the best. Sometimes the most effective cure for breast cancer is a mastectomy, but it may not be the best treatment for all women.

Quote:
[He points out that at Vanderbilt, 75% of the morbidly obese patients with type 2 diabetesdiabetes who have gastric bypass or gastric banding surgeries are essentially cured of the disease within a year of having the surgery.]

Cured?? Have they learnt what sort of behaviour CAUSED them to be obese in the first place. Have they dealt with their demons and taken up a new way of eating and life? I doubt it.


Many do take up a new way of life and eating pattern. I think that the statistics bear this out as the long term success rate for WLS is higher than the long term success rate for low-carbing or any other diet plan.

Quote:
Why can't problems be treated more holistically? Why cannot family docotors and surgepns work together to reduce the number of surgeries, rather than increase them.

Increasing numbers of medical studies are proving low carb/low GI can ure obesity yet it is not being recommended to patients. I find this all very depressing. If I'd known about low carb 10 years ago I would not ever have got to 131 kg! All my doctor could tout was low fat!


Did your doctor deliberately lie to you in order to keep you fat? I don't think so. Studies can be interpreted in a number of ways, when we low-carbers say a study proves our way is best, there are always going to be die-hard low-fat promoters that point to what they consider flaws in the studies or whatever. You can see low-carbers do the same when we come across studies that seem to indicate that low-carbing is not the best solution to obesity. Except for a few unscrupulous ones, most doctors care deeply about their patients and give them the best information they have. They aren't trying to increase surgeries, they are trying to save their patients from ever increasing rates of heart disease and diabetes, even if they are misguided in their approaches. It's not a conspiracy to keep us all fat so they can make lots of money with surgeries.

Val
Reply With Quote
  #12   ^
Old Tue, Jun-06-06, 12:20
Angeline's Avatar
Angeline Angeline is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,423
 
Plan: Atkins (loosely)
Stats: -/-/- Female 60
BF:
Progress: 40%
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Default

I don't think that most doctors are dishonest and would purposely lie in order to generate more business for themselves.

However, being so close to the subject, they can't be objective. Obviously if their main thing is WLS, that's what they focus on, they won't invest a lot of energy into putting their client on a diet. Patients who come to see them will come wanting to have this surgery so won't be motivated to try yet another diet. (Unless the doctor does a good job of scaring them).

So therefore he only sees part of the picture.

If there was such a thing as a WLS surgeon who also is a low-carb expert, he would be in a position to compare both approaches. But I don't know if such a beast exists.
Reply With Quote
  #13   ^
Old Tue, Jun-06-06, 13:17
Frogbreath Frogbreath is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 571
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 282/209/120 Female 5'2"
BF:
Progress: 45%
Location: Tallahassee, FL, US
Default

In general, to be a candidate for the WLS you have to demonstrate that you have already tried many weight loss programs with little long term success. You also must have a couple of weight related illnesses, but still be healthy enough to get through major surgery.

My 26 YO daughter went with me for my surgery and she now wants to avoid it at all costs! She has the added benefit of knowing how to avoid gaining weight in the first place. She doesn't always choose to eat low carb, but at least she is not deluded by the whole grain/granola hype.

What these young people should see first is a film of the actual operation - and better yet a sample of what happens afterward. They might reconsider. The other post-op patients in the hospital with me had the gastric bypass and I wouldn't have traded places with them for a free operation.
Reply With Quote
  #14   ^
Old Tue, Jun-06-06, 13:56
ValerieL's Avatar
ValerieL ValerieL is offline
Bouncy!
Posts: 9,388
 
Plan: Atkins Maintenance
Stats: 297/173.3/150 Female 5'7" (top weight 340)
BF:41%/31%/??%
Progress: 84%
Location: Burlington, ON
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Angeline
I don't think that most doctors are dishonest and would purposely lie in order to generate more business for themselves.

However, being so close to the subject, they can't be objective. Obviously if their main thing is WLS, that's what they focus on, they won't invest a lot of energy into putting their client on a diet. Patients who come to see them will come wanting to have this surgery so won't be motivated to try yet another diet. (Unless the doctor does a good job of scaring them).

So therefore he only sees part of the picture.

If there was such a thing as a WLS surgeon who also is a low-carb expert, he would be in a position to compare both approaches. But I don't know if such a beast exists.


Yes, and if you go to a GM dealership, he's not going to try to sell you a Toyota! That's why you go talk to your mechanic or brother-in-law who loves cars first to get an idea of what car best suits you.

By the time a patient gets in to see the WLS, they shouldn't be relying on the WLS surgeon to be their impartial advisor. Their PCP should have been involved in this all along and hopefully the patient has done a great deal of research.

Yes, WLS surgeons market their services like everyone else, but it's up to consumers to be responsible and research major life purchases like cars and surgeries.

Val
Reply With Quote
  #15   ^
Old Tue, Jun-06-06, 19:18
kebaldwin kebaldwin is offline
Thank you Dr Atkins!
Posts: 4,146
 
Plan: Atkins induction
Stats: 311/250/220 Male 6 feet
BF:45%/20%/15%
Progress: 67%
Location: North Carolina
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Frogbreath
What these young people should see first is a film of the actual operation - and better yet a sample of what happens afterward. They might reconsider. The other post-op patients in the hospital with me had the gastric bypass and I wouldn't have traded places with them for a free operation.


I have preached similar for a long time. Just as they have "crash" films that all student drivers have to watch -- they need a type 2 diabetes film -- with amputations, dementia, moody, that sleep apnea device, insulin patients pricking themselves all day, open heart surgery, stroke, roto rooting of arteries, colons removed, etc. Blood and guts everywhere!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 18:04.


Copyright © 2000-2024 Active Low-Carber Forums @ forum.lowcarber.org
Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.