Reversing Obesity: oBand Surgery Centers' Lap Band Surgery Helps the Obese Achieve Normal Weight by:Pat Kramer

For 12 to 15 million Americans, just getting out of bed is a struggle

. That's the estimated number of adults who suffer from obesity and 8 million of those are 'morbidly obese.' For these people, every little movement generates intense and ongoing pain. And as they get older, it gets worse as chronic fatigue and sleeping problems set in. Over time, they will develop diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis and the excessive wearing down of joints, which will require knee and back surgery. If obese patients don't do something to lose this weight, their lives will most likely end prematurely.

Fortunately, there is a way to change this condition and it's proven to be safe, nearly painless, and usually covered by insurance plans - it's called Lap Band Surgery (or laparoscopic surgery) and it's available through oBand Surgery Centers, the only outpatient surgery center in California that is fully approved by the American College of Surgeons. Since 2001, over 1,500 patients have received a Lap Band procedure from Dr. Carson Liu, Medical Director at oBand Surgery Centers, known for perfecting this weight loss surgery. Performed as an outpatient procedure in about an hour's time, the Lap Band leads to immediate weight loss of ten pounds or more per month. Best of all, patients can return to their normal routines in a day or two without pain or discomfort.

Dr. Liu sees patients everyday for whom regular diet and exercise is not an option due to their excessive weight. For them, the Lap Band procedure is the safest way to lose the weight. In conjunction with the surgery, oBand provides free counseling in nutrition, behavior modification, and exercise to support long- term weight loss.

"Those who come to us for help are already suffering from a decreased quality of life," says Dr. Liu. "They are frequently tired of all the medications they have to take due to medical problems that have caught up with them. Some complain that they can't keep up with life anymore and feel that their bodies are wearing out. Others need knee or back surgery but their doctors won't approve it because their excess weight makes them high risk."

With oBand's Lap Band surgery, patients lose weight with a nearly 100% success rate. Safer than Gastric Bypass Surgery, Lap Band surgery is also completely reversible after weight loss has been achieved. What patients notice right away is that they are not hungry, they feel satisfied with smaller portions and they no longer 'crave' the junk foods that caused them to gain the weight initially.

At oBand, Lap Band Surgeries are performed every day by highly experience, nationally recognized surgeons. Patients are fitted with an adjustable Lap Band, implanted over their stomach, to reduce the stomach's size and increase the rate of food passing through. The laparoscopic surgery uses tiny incisions which leave little or no scar. It's fast, nearly painless, and is performed by oBand on an outpatient basis. oBand is the ONLY outpatient surgery center fully approved by the American College of Surgeons to perform Lap Bands in California.

Best of all, patients are able to return to their normal routines within a day or two - including golfing, walking, lifting, or using the treadmill at the gym without any discomfort. This is due to oBand's signature procedure which is focused on safety to the patient while also ensuring effective weight loss.

"Our patients typically go back to work in two to four days after their outpatient surgery," notes Dr. Liu. "For the first three - six months, depending on the patient's weight, they normally achieve a loss of 15 to 20 pounds per month of excess body fat. After that, weight loss slows down to 6 -10 pounds per month until normal body weight is achieved. With Lap Band surgery, an obese patient can succeed in losing 70% - 90% of their excess body fat."

Insurance companies are favorable to oBand as an institution fully admitted to the Bariatric Surgery Center Network and approved by the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Liu notes, "The insurance companies recognize that the cost of surgery is far less than the patients' multiple medications over a period of years if they remain obese. For our patients, Lap Band surgery means not only achieving normal body weight, but also getting off medications that may be lowering their quality of life. For both the patient and the insurance company, it is a win-win situation."

Currently, obesity is an epidemic in America with over 60% of the population identified as overweight and at least a third identified as morbidly obese. According to the NIH, only 5% - 10% of morbidly obese patients will be able to lose their weight with diet and exercise alone. Provided medical necessity is demonstrated, the NIH recommends surgery for these patients as a solution for achieving a nearly normal weight. The oBand LAP BAND procedure is the safest surgery available today for weight loss.

Dr. Carson Liu is the Director of Bariatric Surgery at oBand Surgery Centers. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, board certified in surgery, and a member of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

oBand Surgery Centers is headquartered in Westwood, CA. oBand is the certifying body for all of its surgery centers ensuring a consistent, high level of medical care, quality assurance, and humanitarian commitment. For more information, visit: http://www.obandcenters.com or call: 310-208-7744.

About the author

Pat Kramer, aka: Writer For Hire, is a freelance journalist and corporate copywriter with over 500 published articles. Over the past 27 years, she has written articles on topics related to medical and cancer research, health and nutrition, and alternative health practices.

http://www.writerpatkramer.com

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