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At Colorado Bariatric Surgery, we find that patients who participate in bariatric surgery and the recommended diet and exercise programs enjoy healthier lifestyles without the restrictions they have been living with for years—or even their entire lives. In addition to social and convenience benefits, our patients also experience reduction in medical complications.
Below are a few conditions* that can result from obesity and how they can be resolved with an appropriate treatment plan.
- High Blood Pressure often can be alleviated or eliminated by weight-loss surgery; within the first year after surgery, most patients are able to stop taking their high blood pressure medications.
- High Blood Cholesterol can be alleviated or eliminated in 80 percent of patients in as little as two to three months post-surgery.
- Heart Disease While there is no statistical data to prove weight-loss surgery reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, reduction in weight can reduce a patient’s risk of heart disease.
- Diabetes Mellitus often can be resolved. Based on numerous studies of diabetes and the control of its complications, it is likely that the problems associated with diabetes will stop progressing when blood sugar is maintained at normal values. Some patients may even be able to stop taking their blood sugar medications before leaving the hospital post-surgery.
- Abnormal Glucose Tolerance (sometimes called Borderline Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes) is even more likely reversed by gastric bypass. Since this condition often becomes diabetes, weight-loss surgery frequently can prevent diabetes, as well.
- Asthma sufferers may find that they have fewer and less severe attacks or even none at all. When asthma is associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), we see a significant benefit from the surgery.
- Sleep Apnea Syndrome sufferers often find dramatic results. Within a year of surgery, many find their symptoms are completely gone, and they even stop snoring completely! In addition, about 70 percent of patients who had used sleep apnea machines are able to stop using those after the first year post-surgery.
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) sufferers often can be relieved of all symptoms within just a few days of surgery.
- Gallbladder Disease can be surgically handled at the time of the weight-loss surgery if your doctor has cause to believe that gallstones are present.
- Stress Urinary Incontinence responds dramatically to weight loss, usually by becoming completely controlled. A person who is still troubled by incontinence can choose to have a specific corrective surgery later, which will have a much greater chance of a successful outcome is the patient carries a significantly less amount of weight.
- Low Back Pain, Degenerative Disk Disease and Degenerative Joint Disease can be relieved with weight loss, and greater comfort may be experienced even after as few as 25 pounds lost.
*Please note that every patient responds differently to weight-loss surgery and these benefits are simply a representation of what we have seen in a majority of patients.
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