Barbara Thompson had weight loss surgery in 2000 and went on to write the first patient guidebook, Weight Loss Surgery; Finding the Thin Person Hiding Inside You now in it’s 3rd edition and Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies. Barbara also hosts an internet mentoring program, the Back on Track Program, for weight loss surgery patients who are starting to regain weight.

In addition, Barbara is a much in demand national speaker for bariatric practices and patient events as well as speaking for hospitals on obesity sensitivity (what is it like to be an obese patient in a hospital). For speaking inquiries contact Barbara Thompson directly Barbara@BarbaraThompson.net

A 60 Minute Review of Weight Loss Surgery

60 minutes reported on weight loss surgery and highlighted the dramatic effect that the surgery has on diabetes, forcing diabetes into almost instant remission. And the remission is not from weight loss.  Patients leave the hospital following their surgery, often completely off their medication.  Studies done by Dr. Rabino of Sao Paulo, Brazil found that in diabetic rats, when the duodenum, the first part of the small intestines was bypassed, diabetes disappeared.  That is what happens with weight loss surgery. When the duodenum was reattached in the rats, the diabetes returned.

 

There is a dramatic effect on cancer as well. Almost every type of cancer is positively affected. About 100,000 people die from cancer each year because of their weight. The risk of cancer for those who have had weight loss surgery has been cut in half. Overall cancer risk is cut in half.

 

Also highlighted was that weight loss surgery is much safer than it used to be. Dr. Neil Hutcher of Richmond, VA remarked that the mortality rate used to be 1 death in 100 surgeries.  It is now 1 in 1,000, making it safer than gall bladder surgery and only 1/10th the mortality rate of cardiac surgery.Even with the growing rate of obesity, only a small number of people have weight loss surgery. About 1% of those who qualify have surgery.Addressing the fact that some people regain weight, Dr. Hutcher said that the success rate is 85 to 90%. There is no diet or exercise regimen that touches it. The surgery appears to suppress the hormone ghrelin, which is also known as the hunger hormone. However people don’t get skinny following surgery.  As a rule, they end up 1/3rd lighter.According to National Institutes of Health guidelines, if you aren’t severely or morbidly obese you do not qualify for surgery. There is a movement to have the NIH rethink the guidelines, although the NIH says there are no plans to revise the guidelines soon.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 21st, 2008 at 8:27 pm and is filed under Obesity, Surgery, RNY, Research. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to “A 60 Minute Review of Weight Loss Surgery”

  1. Rita says:

    I am a statistic. I think alot of us expected to get thin. I had proximal rny in 1994 and am still obese. But I started at 463 lbs. I never got to a *goal* and was disappointed, so much so that I did regain wt, lost, regained, lost and now am dealing with a regain. But I still fit Dr Hutchers perfect stat of a typical WLS patient.

    April 23rd, 2008 at 5:42 am

  2. bob caswell says:

    i had rny gastric bypass on april 24, 2008. my diabetes is already improved. pre surgery i was taking 5-7 insulin shots a day. now i only take 1 and only one other medication for my diabetes. i had been taking 3.

    so much of my health is better. sleep apnea, acid reflux, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and much more. my back pain is still there but i hope it will get better with time. i have lost 62 pounds already and still going.

    September 20th, 2008 at 2:26 pm

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