Tennova Healthcare Lists Five Reasons to Consider Weight Loss Surgery in the New Year
11/14/2018
KNOXVILLE, TN (November 14, 2018) – As 2018 winds down, millions of Americans will make New Year’s resolutions in an effort to improve the quality of their lives. For those battling severe obesity, Tennova Healthcare is sharing compelling reasons to put weight loss surgery at the top of that 2019 “to do” list.
“In the medical community, we’ve known for a long time that being overweight increases a person’s risk for many serious health conditions,” said Stephen G. Boyce, M.D., a bariatric surgeon and medical director of the Tennova Center for Surgical Weight Loss at Turkey Creek Medical Center. “Despite that understanding, some individuals—no matter how dedicated they are to shed those extra pounds—just haven’t been successful. Obesity, in their case, is less about lifestyle or eating habits and more about heredity and metabolism.”
Here are five reasons to consider bariatric surgery for a happier, healthier you:
1. Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease and Certain Cancers
Studies show a positive relationship between weight loss surgery and reductions in an individual’s risk of heart disease and the likelihood of experiencing hormone-related cancers.
“The research indicates that obese individuals—especially those who are 100 pounds over their ideal weight—should give thoughtful consideration to bariatric surgery,” Dr. Boyce said. “Weight loss surgery should not be considered as a last resort, but rather as something that has the potential to dramatically enhance their life.”
2. Reduce Your Dependency on Medications for Chronic Conditions
Weight loss surgery improves, and in some cases resolves, obesity-related diseases for most patients, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). These illnesses include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), asthma, arthritis, and fatty liver disease.
“Procedures like gastric bypass surgery or sleeve gastrectomy can also lead to an improvement—or even a remission—in Type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Boyce said. “This is a disease that was not-too-long-ago considered to be progressive and incurable. In these cases, weight loss surgery has the potential to provide long-lasting benefits to a patient’s health and quality of life.”
3. Sleep Better and Have More Energy
Obesity is one of the leading factors in the development of sleep apnea, a disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. It can lead to an irregular heartbeat, stroke, driving or work-related accidents, and more.
“Studies show that weight loss surgery is effective in preventing, treating and even resolving sleep apnea,” said K. Robert Williams, M.D., a bariatric surgeon with the Tennova Center for Surgical Weight Loss at Turkey Creek Medical Center. “Reductions in weight can lead to a better night’s sleep, a reduced reliance on a CPAP machine, and improvements in a patient’s energy levels.”
4. Improve Fertility and the Likelihood of a Healthy Pregnancy
Research has found that obese women are more likely to have trouble conceiving, and that even moderate weight loss can improve fertility and pregnancy outcomes. Losing weight before you become pregnant can impact your overall health and reduce complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
“Choosing to have weight loss surgery can make it easier for you to get pregnant,” Dr. Williams said. “And while that means you will have to delay adding to your family for a little bit, having the surgery in advance can also lower your risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, a form of high blood pressure that sometimes occurs during pregnancy.”
5. Live a Longer, Healthier Life
Obesity-related conditions like cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes are among the leading causes of death. However, there is evidence to suggest that weight loss surgery has the potential to do more than just reduce one’s risk for these conditions. It may also increase lifespan.
“A study published earlier this year shows that patients who had particular bariatric surgeries had half the death rate of those who had traditional medical treatment over a 10-year period,” Dr. Boyce said. “So, not only does weight loss surgery have a positive impact on a patient’s health and quality of life in the near term, there’s evidence that gastric bypass surgery and sleeve gastrectomy—two weight loss procedures—help obese patients live longer, and that’s significant.”
If you’ve failed to lose weight through conventional methods, Tennova invites you to attend a free seminar to find out if you are a candidate for weight loss surgery. The seminar outlines the steps that must be taken to proceed with surgery and offers you an opportunity to meet with the surgical weight loss team to answer any questions you may have.
For more information or to register for an online or in-person seminar, call 1-855-TENNOVA (836-6682) or visit TennovaWeightLoss.com.
About the Tennova Center for Surgical Weight Loss
The Tennova Center for Surgical Weight Loss at Turkey Creek Medical Center is accredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) as a Comprehensive Center with Adolescent Qualifications. Turkey Creek Medical Center is also designated as a Blue Distinction Center for bariatric surgery/gastric banding and as a Blue Distinction Center+ for bariatric surgery/gastric stapling by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. These accreditations and designations mean Tennova Healthcare’s weight loss surgery program has been evaluated for maintaining high standards and its surgeons have access to all the resources necessary for optimal patient care, including skilled and experienced bariatric nurses, specialized equipment and accommodations that help provide a safe and comfortable hospital stay. Learn more at www.TennovaWeightLoss.com.
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