Reasons to Choose Bariatric Surgery in El Paso TX
Though obtaining long-term weight loss is one of the benefits of bariatric surgery, it is not the only crucial advantage. Bariatric surgery can change a patient’s life by not only helping them to maintain a healthy weight but also maintain other aspects of their lives in El Paso. Common advantages of bariatric surgery include:
Reduce Chronic Conditions
Many patients find weight loss after surgery provides additional changes in their physical health. Often patients with type 2 diabetes can reverse their condition after surgery. Weight loss after bariatric surgery can reduce a patient’s risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Other patients who suffer from sleep apnea may find they no longer need to use the machine for good night sleep. The physical benefits to reduce chronic conditions are high after bariatric surgery.
Relieve Depression
Depression is common among those who are obese in El Paso. Many have said their weight contributed to poor body image and inadequacy in social situations. Losing weight after bariatric surgery can help boost a patient’s self-confidence and increase their desire to enjoy life with others.
Improve Fertility
For some women who struggle with infertility, weight can be a root cause. Many obese women can conceive after bariatric surgery and long-term weight loss.
The benefits of bariatric surgery are vital for many in El Paso who struggle with their physical, mental, and emotional health. It is essential to consult with a knowledgeable and experienced bariatric surgeon like Dr. Clapp.
If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of bariatric surgery, schedule your consultation with your bariatric specialist in El Paso TX. We look forward to the opportunity to help you improve your health for the future.
Is Weight Loss Surgery Right for Me? | El Paso Texas
Weight loss struggles are common throughout our culture. Fortunately, there are solutions to help you begin a healthier lifestyle. If you are finding losing weight to be difficult, weight loss surgery may be right for you.
Patients with a body mass index of over 35 are considered eligible for weight loss surgery. You must also have tried traditional weight loss methods before settling for bariatric surgery. If you have a high risk for an obesity-induced disease or have a life-threatening disease, you may be considered a good candidate.
Other guidelines may include obesity that has not receded for more than five years with the patient having no history of drug or alcohol abuse or an untreated psychiatric disorder. As regards age, everyone is eligible, though common candidates are between the ages of 18 and 65 years old.
What Happens If Weight Loss Surgery is Right for Me?
You’re only considered a good weight loss surgery candidate if your chances of positive results are realistic. Also, the surgery should not pose a significant threat to your health. It should, instead, improve your appearance and health, and change your quality of life in the long run.
Of course, the surgery may not solely guarantee to turn your life around. The surgeon may require that you make certain behavior and lifestyle modifications to complement the results and ensure they last. You may even be recommended to consider additional clinical procedures and medications.
Common complementary procedures include breast lift, breast augmentation, liposuction, and abdominoplasty, all of which are dedicated to treating fat, improve loose muscles, lift sagging areas and remove excess skin.
Are There Other Weight Loss Solutions?
Since surgeons won’t consider bariatric surgery unless other treatments have failed, it is important to know all your other alternatives. The most common weight loss techniques are exercise and diet modification. These should be considered with the guidance of a weight loss doctor before resorting to surgery. Other procedures include liposuction and a tummy tuck.
Call your weight loss specialist in El Paso TX today to schedule an appointment with our weight loss surgeon, who will help assess your candidature for weight loss surgery.
When to Choose Gastric Sleeve Surgery in El Paso TX
For many patients desiring to lose weight, gastric sleeve surgery is a great option for better health. Gastric sleeve surgery in El Paso, TX differs from gastric bypass surgery in a few ways. For instance, the procedure is performed laparoscopically and usually requires one night in the hospital. About 85-90% of the stomach is resected, changing the metabolic status of the patient resulting in a loss of about 70% of the extra body weight.
Reason to Choose Gastric Sleeve Surgery in El Paso TX
Desiring to lose weight and better your health is not the only reason for choosing gastric sleeve surgery. Additional reasons include:
- May physically reduce your hunger. This will help you maintain the weight that is lost from the procedure, but it’s important to understand that the reduction of hunger does not always occur in every patient.
- Does not require as much operating time as compared to gastric bypass.
- Does not require any re-rerouting of the intestines.
- No dumping syndrome experienced. Dumping syndrome is a condition that can develop after surgery to remove all or part of your stomach or after surgery to bypass your stomach to help you lose weight. Also called rapid gastric emptying, dumping syndrome occurs when food, especially sugar, moves from your stomach into your small bowel too quickly.
- No adjustments are needed. Other weight loss tools such as the Lap Band do require several doctor visits. However, gastric sleeve surgery will require follow-up appointments.
- No foreign objects left in the body.
- Weight loss typically occurs in most patients over a period of 18 months. The majority of weight loss occurs in the first year.
Consult Your Weight Loss Specialist
If you are desiring to lose weight with the latest weight loss surgery, contact your weight loss specialist in El Paso, TX.
Questions to Ask Your Bariatric Specialist about Laparoscopic Gallbladder Surgery in El Pas TX
What is removed during laparoscopic gallbladder surgery in El Paso TX?
Laparoscopic gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy) is done to get rid of gallbladder and gallstones through a lot of little incisions in the abdomen.
What can I expect from my surgeon during the surgery?
The surgeon in charge of this operation enlarges your abdomen with carbon dioxide or air to view the operation area properly.
The surgeon fixes a scope that is lighted on a video camera (laparoscope) which is inserted into one incision close to the belly button. The surgeon then uses a video monitor as a guide while inserting surgical instruments into the other incisions in order to be able to remove your gallbladder.
What is necessary before surgery?
Before the removal of the gallbladder, you might need to have a special X-ray procedure done. This procedure is called intraoperative cholangiography and it shows the inside of the bile ducts.
A minimum of 2 hours’ general anesthesia is needed to carry out this surgery.
What should I do after my laparoscopic gallbladder surgery?
After surgery, you could be required to stay in the hospital for about a day or two. While for some patients it could take up to a week to 10 days before they can get back on their feet as they are likely to be very sore after having laparoscopic gallbladder surgery in El Paso TX. But will be back on their feet faster than people who have open surgery. No special diets are required after surgery.
To find out if gallbladder surgery is best for you, contact your bariatric specialist in El Paso, TX today!
What to Expect After Your Hernia Repair Surgery in El Paso TX
Recovery from hernia repair surgery varies with every patient. Your top-rated bariatric surgery specialist in El Paso will discuss with you what to expect during the recovery period after hernia surgery.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of hernia surgeries are performed in the U.S. While all surgical procedures come with some risks, the majority of patients who have had hernia surgery recover quickly and do well after the operation. Some patients may develop moderate to severe pain after laparoscopic surgery but many can expect to go home on the day of, or the day after your operation. You will feel sore and some discomfort in your groin after your hernia repair surgery and painkillers can help relieve the pain.
Your recovery period after hernia repair surgery should be as follows:
Days 1-4
During this time, you should only do basic daily functions such as eating at home or walking around the house. Do not go to work or school or perform work-related activities.
Days 4-7
Four days after hernia surgery, a majority of patients should be able to return to work. However, you should avoid lifting heavy loads. During this time you’ll be experiencing mild pain hence the need for occasional painkillers. You can also do light exercises like light stretching or walking.
Week 2
At week 2, all patients should be able to resume work or school. But you should still limit the amount of weight you carry to less than 20 pounds. Exercises recommended at this stage are jogging, yoga, biking, and light weight lifting. You’re likely to experience stiffness and occasional discomfort at this stage.
Week 3
At week 3, expect to resume about 85% of your normal daily activities. The types of exercises you can do at this stage include running, cycling, swimming, yoga, golf, and light weights at the gym.
Week 4
By week 4 you should resume work or school activities fully. You can also return to heavy or more demanding tasks without feeling any problems. An exercise you can do during this period includes heavy lifting, contact sport, competitions, and other regular training exercises. While you may still experience tugging, pulling, aches, heaviness, burning, swelling or occasional discomfort, it is completely normal.
You may also experience constipation during the recovery period due to oral pain medicines. The risks of constipation can be reduced by drinking lots of drinks and consuming plenty of vegetables, fruits, and high-fiber foods.
Caring for Yourself
It is normal to feel postoperative pain around the wound after your hernia operation. Most patients will experience some level of bruising and swelling in the area of a hernia operation.
Look after yourself by ensuring you follow instructions about your hygiene and caring for the wound.
Schedule an appointment with the best hernia surgeon in El Paso TX by contacting our office today.
Common Symptoms of Gastro Reflux Disease in El Paso TX
Gastro Reflux Disease or acid reflux is a condition in which acidic content from the stomach leaks backs up into the esophagus. The liquid may cause irritation on the lining of the esophagus, over time leading to a chronic condition called esophagitis.
Gastro Reflux Disease is a chronic condition itself. Even when an injured esophagus is treated and heals, the injury is bound to come back a few months later. The three primary symptoms of an uncomplicated case of acid reflux include:
Heartburn
Heartburn is sometimes described as just chest pain. It occurs when the acid in the stomach content stimulates nerve fibers in the esophagus. Most people with Gastro Reflux Disease will feel burning sensations or mild pain in the region above the stomach and the neck. However, in some cases, the pain is sharper or feels like pressure in the chest that may extend to the back.
Since acid refluxes occur not long after meals, heartburns too come at around the same time. That is however not to say that every meal will be followed by a heartburn; heartburns come about intermittently and may go for several months before returning. Note that GERD-stimulated heartburn is chronic and will always come back.
Regurgitation
Regurgitation occurs when the fluid from the stomach goes past the esophagus and up into the throat where it’s felt as a bitter taste at the back of the mouth. While in most cases just a little of the fluid reaches the mouth, there are instances when the backed up content is too much it breaches the upper esophageal sphincter (UEL) and results in mouthfuls of liquid or food.
Nausea
As a symptom of GERD, nausea is not as common as regurgitation or heartburn. But even if it was, it would be hard to attribute to GERD as it is a symptom of many other common conditions.
Our Reflux Surgery Specialist in El Paso, Dr. Benjamin Clapp will examine your symptoms and offer you with the treatments available. Schedule your consultation today!
Which Weight Loss Procedure is Best for Me? | El Paso TX
When a weight loss procedure was introduced a few decades ago, its sole purpose was to help people lose weight. Today, it does a lot more than just that. Weight loss surgery has been shown to improve symptoms of weight-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, acid reflux, sleep apnea, and heart disease. What’s more, doctors can now tackle weight from multiple angles, making almost any case of overweightness or obesity remediable by surgery. Fortunately, there are several treatment options to help you begin your weight loss journey.
Types of Weight Loss Procedures
- Gastric Bypass – This well-known procedure is performed to limit the amount of food your stomach can hold. The surgeon creates a pouch at the top end of your stomach, to which the small intestine is cut and connected. Food thus flows into the intestines without getting into the main part of the stomach, effectively reducing the amount of food you can take per sitting and, consequently, the amount of calories your body absorbs.
- Sleeve Gastrectomy – This treatment is pretty similar to gastric bypass, except for the fact that the cut portion of the stomach is removed entirely from the body. The objective is straightforward – to physically reduce the size of the stomach, so you get full without eating much. The surgery also reduces one’s urge to eat as the hormone that alerts the brain when one gets hungry is located in the section of the stomach that is cut off. Sleeve gastrectomy heals more quickly than gastric bypass and is suitable for people who have had multiple other surgeries in the abdominal area.
- Adjustable Gastric Band – In this, an inflatable balloon is placed inside a silicone ring, which is attached to the upper part of the stomach. A small tubing is attached to the balloon with one of its endings connected to a port placed under the skin in the abdomen. Using the port, the surgeon can modulate the diameter of the opening at the top of the stomach and to create a pouch where food sits for a while after a meal so the individual feels full faster.
- Biliopancreactic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD/DS) – The BPD/DS involves two procedures: a sleeve gastrectomy – where part of the stomach is tied into a banana-shaped pouch – followed by the surgical attachment of the small intestine to the pouch. It is known as a malabsorptive surgery as it is designed to regulate the number of calories absorbed along the gut. It makes the food storage part of the stomach much smaller and makes the food reach the small intestine faster.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
Weight loss surgery is the way to go if you’re looking for a quick and effective way of shed the few extra pounds. To find out if you are a candidate for a weight loss procedure, contact your bariatric specialist in El Paso TX to schedule your consultation.
3 Questions to Ask Your Weight Loss Surgeon | El Paso TX
Once you and your weight loss specialist have determined surgery is your best option to achieve a healthier lifestyle, you may have a few questions about your procedure. Fortunately, before your procedure, you will have the opportunity to consult with your weight loss surgeon about your questions and concerns.
Consulting with Your Weight Loss Surgeon
It is common to have questions about any procedure that will require surgery. Though weight loss surgery is a common procedure there are still risks during surgery and challenges you may face in the time after. To help better understand your procedure, here are a few common questions patients ask their weight loss surgeon:
- Do the benefits of weight loss surgery last? A new study has just emerged revealing that weight loss surgery not only helps people lose a significant amount of weight but that the weight “appears to stay off for at least 10 years”.
- Can I return home the day after surgery? Patients typically must stay in the hospital for one to two days following surgery. And return home with a list of post-operation directions that must be followed for a speedy recovery process and for the best results.
- How soon may I eat food? Expect to be on a liquid diet (including protein shakes) for the first two weeks following your surgery as your body heals. During week 3, you may shift to soft foods such as meatloaf, fish, eggs, etc. By week 4 you should be able to resume back to normal.
Schedule Your Appointment
To learn more about what to expect with weight loss surgery, contact your bariatric specialist in El Paso to schedule your appointment today.
What to Expect with Gastric Sleeve Surgery | El Paso TX
For many, losing weight is not only feeling better about their appearance but also their overall health. Traditional methods such as exercise and nutrition improvements are the best options to begin and maintain a healthier lifestyle. However, there are times when these trusted methods do help you to lose the weight needed to be healthier. This is when consulting with a bariatric specialist about other options can be beneficial. One recommended weight loss surgery is gastric sleeve surgery which is a procedure that is performed laparoscopically and usually requires one night in the hospital.
Why Choose Gastric Sleeve Surgery?
Much like other gastric or bariatric surgeries, there are many benefits to gastric sleeve surgery, including:
- May physically reduce your hunger. This will help you maintain the weight that is lost from the procedure, but it’s important to understand that reduction of hunger does not always occur in every patient.
- It does not require as much operating time as compared to gastric bypass.
- Does not require any re-rerouting of the intestines.
- No dumping syndrome experienced. Dumping syndrome is a condition that can develop after surgery to remove all or part of your stomach or after surgery to bypass your stomach to help you lose weight. Also called rapid gastric emptying, dumping syndrome occurs when food, especially sugar, moves from your stomach into your small bowel too quickly.
- No adjustments are needed. Other weight loss tools such as the Lap-Band do require several doctor visits. However, gastric sleeve surgery will require follow-up appointments.
- No foreign objects left in the body.
- Weight loss typically occurs in most patients over a period of 18 months. The majority of weight loss occurs in the first year.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
If you would like to learn the cost of gastric sleeve surgery or have any questions regarding the procedure, then we strongly urge you to schedule a 1-on-1 consultation with our weight loss surgeon in El Paso TX.
Am I a Candidate for Laparoscopic Gallbladder Surgery? | El Paso TX
When considering your options for gallbladder surgery, it can be intimidating to research what is best for your case. This is why consulting with a bariatric specialist is best to understand the best options for gallbladder or gallstone removal such as laparoscopic gallbladder surgery.
What to Expect
Laparoscopic gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy) is done to get rid of gallbladder and gallstones through a lot of little incisions in the abdomen. The surgeon in charge of this operation enlarges your abdomen with carbon dioxide or air to view the operation area properly.
The surgeon fixes a scope that is lighted on a video camera (laparoscope) which is inserted into one incision close to the belly button. The surgeon then uses a video monitor as a guide while inserting surgical instruments into the other incisions in order to be able to remove your gallbladder.
Before the removal of the gallbladder, you might need to have a special X-ray procedure done. This procedure is called intraoperative cholangiography and it shows the inside of the bile ducts. A minimum of 2 hours of general anesthesia is needed to carry out this surgery.
After the surgery, bile flows from the liver from the main bile duct and takes into the small intestine. Because the gallbladder has been taken out, the body will not be able to be to store bile after meals. In most cases, this doesn’t affect digestion.
Schedule Your Consultation
Not everyone is a good candidate for laparoscopic surgery. No matter what information you read online, the absolute best way of finding out whether or not laparoscopic surgery is the right choice is to schedule an in-person 1-on-1 consultation with our experienced laparoscopic surgeon in El Paso today.