Are You a Good Candidate for the Gastric Lap Band?

Are you wondering if you may be a good candidate for the gastric lap band procedure? Generally, gastric bypass and other weight loss surgery may be an option for you if you have previously tried losing weight with diet and exercise, but have not been successful. If your body mass index (BMI) is 40 or higher, or if your BMI is 35 to 39.9 and you have weight-related health problems, you may be a candidate for the gastric lap band procedure.

Qualifications
If you are between the ages of 18 and 65 and weigh 60 pounds more than your ideal body weight, it may be time to look into the gastric lap band surgery. This weight loss surgery is specifically designed for those who have medication conditions related to obesity. These conditions can include: hypertension, stroke, heart disease, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, acid reflux disease, fatty liver disease, cancer, and/or osteoarthritis.

If you can relate to some of the above, the doctor may require a consult with you. The doctor will go through your goals when it comes to the gastric lap band surgery. As long as you have realistic goals and understand obesity surgery, you may be a good candidate. Another qualification the doctor will look for is if you are very motivated and committed to making lifestyle and nutrition changes both before and after the surgery. This is an important part of staying successful with weight loss long term.

Benefits from the Gastric Lap Band
A meta-analysis found that all bariatric procedures led to a 61% loss of excess weight. Of those patients who had bariatric procedures many have received both mental and health benefits along with the weight loss. Bariatric surgery has helped 55% of patients resolve their depression, 82% of patients improve or resolve their asthma, 74-98% of patients resolve their obstructive sleep apnea, 82% of patients reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, 72-98% of patients resolve their GERD, and 52-92% of patients resolve their hypertension.

If you or a loved one are suffering from obesity and have health complications, it may be time to consider the gastric lap band or gastric sleeve option. This surgery is less invasive than gastric bypass, yet is still provides the benefits of weight loss as well as improved health that comes with a healthy diet and lifestyle. Talk to you doctor to further see if the surgery is right for you.