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Tired Of Battling Your Weight But Don't Want A Permanent Change? What Are Your Options?

20 May 2016 by Clifford Ramos

If you've gone from pleasantly plump to significantly overweight over the years you may feel as though you've already tried just about everything under the sun to get back to your original size with little lasting success. Although surgical procedures like gastric bypass or duodenal switch surgery can offer the benefits of quick -- and often permanent -- weight loss, you may be reluctant to permanently commit to the major lifestyle changes that often accompany these procedures. Are there any less invasive but equally effective options? Read on to learn more about some surgical procedures that can help you keep the weight off permanently without requiring you to switch to a liquid diet or risk malnutrition as your body has difficulty absorbing vitamins and minerals from the food you eat. 

Balloon surgery

A gastric balloon is very similar to a breast implant -- a thin silicone pouch that is inserted into your body through an endoscopic procedure and then filled with saline until it expands to the desired size. But unlike a breast implant, a gastric balloon placed in your stomach can prevent you from overeating by displacing space that would normally be used for food, causing you to feel full much more quickly. After you've achieved some of your weight loss goals and have shown a commitment to healthier eating, this gastric balloon will be deflated and removed.

The gastric balloon holds a number of advantages over surgeries like gastric bypass. Because it doesn't change the way your body absorbs nutrients, it's less likely to lead to long-term health complications, and you won't be restricted when it comes to the types of food you eat. This procedure is easily reversible and can be performed on an outpatient basis as it requires only a few small incisions. You'll also find it easier to make long-term lifestyle and diet changes when you're temporarily forced into eating smaller meals -- in many cases, you'll be able to stick to these smaller meal sizes even after the balloon is removed. 

Banding surgery

Another weight loss option ideal for those who don't want to permanently change the size of their stomach (or the position of their intestines) is banding surgery. This surgery is similar to gastric balloon surgery, except that a section of your stomach is cordoned off with a plastic band rather than filled with a saline balloon. Like gastric balloon surgery, the banding procedure can be accomplished with endoscopic surgery that shouldn't require a hospital stay or significant recovery time. 

As you begin to lose weight and make healthier diet choices, your doctor may opt to loosen your band to allow you to consume a greater volume of food at once. After you've demonstrated a commitment to maintaining your weight, your band can be removed. In other cases, you may opt to have it fully loosened but kept in place so that it can be tightened if you find your weight starting to spin out of control. Talk to a doctor, like Belly Balloon Texas, for more.

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