Originally published July 18 2005
Gastric bypass and other weight loss surgeries can have deadly results
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
As many as 1 in 100 people who undergo bariatric surgeries, such as gastric bypass surgery, will die as a result, according to estimates by Virginia Commonwealth University, and Boyd D. Lyles, Jr., Medical Director of LA Weight Loss Centers and Director of the Heart Health and Wellness Center in Dallas, Texas recommends avoiding such procedures for several reasons.
Surgery should always be the last resort for any injury, condition or disease.
It's a mistake for anyone to abandon -- or, worse, sidestep -- the proven behavioral solutions of exercise and a balanced diet.
The risks of invasive bariatric surgeries (such as gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding, duodenal switch, etc.) are substantial.
Mortality rates for bariatric surgical procedures can be as high as 1 in 100, according to estimates by Virginia Commonwealth University.
The survivors can expect months of difficult recovery, common complications -- such as vomiting, ulcers, hernias and internal bleeding -- and the surgery's dirty little secret: the cruel irony of a nightmarishly strict diet for the rest of their lives.
Most patients are restricted from eating certain foods ever again (which vary depending on the person).
In addition, patients are often required to take a variety of supplements and medications to combat "predictive malabsorption," a serious side-effect that stops the body from digesting crucial nutrients.
After gastric bypass, naughty indulgences that contain excess fats and sugars can become life-threatening transgressions, because they take up crucial stomach space but have no nutritional value.
Sadly, many of these patients could lose their extra weight without surgery, given a well-designed fitness program that includes diet, exercise and proven behavior modification techniques.
In over twenty years of treating obesity, I've rarely recommended bariatric surgery, and when I have, it has only been in the very most extreme cases and with great trepidation.
Even in the most extreme cases, behavioral therapies can be as effective and rewarding as invasive procedures.
And behavioral programs are always more flexible -- not to mention safe.
With a well-planned approach and the help of a medical professional, anyone can lose their excess weight, without losing the freedom of a normal lifestyle.
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