Weight-loss surgery

The slimming perks of weight-loss surgery are amazing! On average, women shed 61% of their excess body weight within 2 years – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Dozens of weight-loss surgery studies show that gastric bypass, or bariatric surgery, cures high blood pressure, diabetes, incontinence, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and heartburn for 92% of women. Weight-loss surgery also alleviates joint pain, back pain and kidney problems for 76% of them, plus cuts the risk of a heart attack in half. Here, today’s most popular weight-loss surgery options –and the insider secrets that can help you decide if one might be right for you!

Weight-loss surgery: Gastric bypass

It’s the gold standard of bariatric weight-loss surgery, and 80% of patients choose gastric bypass weight-loss surgery. Here’s how it works: Your stomach is trimmed down to form a small pouch, which is then connected to your digestive tract, bypassing part of your small intestine. As a result, it only takes a few bites to really fill you up.

Pros and cons of gastric bypass weight-loss surgery: Expect fast, dramatic weight loss – patients shed roughly 60% of their excess weight – often in the first year – but also a slightly high risk of complications, such as digestive upset, says Russell LaForte, M.D., head of metabolic surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Weight-loss surgery: Gastric banding

This is least invasive weight-loss surgery option: An inflatable band is wrapped around your stomach to produce a narrow opening. Gastric banding weight-loss surgery causes something like a traffic jam so you’ll feel full faster – and stay full longer.

Pros and cons of gastric banding weight-loss surgery: Weight loss is more modest than with gastric bypass weight-loss surgery – patients shed about 50% of their excess weight within the first 2 years – bat banding is reversible if you’re not happy with the weight-loss surgery results, notes Carson Liu, M.D., a bariatric surgeon in Santa Monica, California.

Weight-loss surgery: Sleeve gastrectomy

In this new weight-loss surgery, 75% of the stomach is trimmed away. What’s left is formed into a slender, sleeve-like shape that doesn’t hold much food, so you’ll feel full quickly.

Pros and cons of sleeve gastrectomy weight-loss surgery: Expect to lose more weight with fewer complications than with other weight-loss surgery – and no digestive woes! The catch: It’s new, so your insurance may not cover it.

TO GET YOUR INSURANCE TO PAY FOR IT

Keep a paperwork trail roving that your weight-triggered health woes are costing your insurance company. Since weight loss erases expensive-to-treat ills like diabetes and high blood pressure, it can take just 2 years for insurers to break even and start saving money if they cover the cost of bariatric weight-loss surgery, a Canadian study proves.