Beverly Hills Physicians Bariatric Program Commands FDA Action Against Misleading Lap Band Advertising

Beverly Hills Physicians Bariatric Surgery Gropu supports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to investigate and take action against misleading advertising for the Lap Band Surgery, an FDA-approved medical implant used for weight loss. The FDA issued warning letters to several southern California entities that have allegedly misled the public regarding the possible risks of the LAP BAND procedure.

The LAP BAND is an adjustable gastric restrictive device that has been proven to be an effective tool in aiding weight loss. However, the LAP BAND should be viewed as one of many components that comprise a broader, complete weight loss prgram like the one offered by Beverly Hills Physicians. A safe and successful treatment plan for morbid obesity requires meticulous patient selection (since not all surgical procedures are suitable for all patients), as well as life-long follow-up of the patients health and success.

Los Angeles Weight Loss Surgeons have an obligation to consult with patients and inform them about possible side-effects and contraindications associated with LAP BAND surgery. Moreover, it is the duty of the program to inform patients not just about the risks and benefits of the LAP BAND, but also about all possible treatments. These include non-surgical and behavioral treatments, as well as surgical treatments such as laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy  and laparoscopic gastric bypass , in addition to the LAP BAND. This is in keeping with the fundamental guiding philosophy of surgeons at Beverly Hills Physicians & Associates. Without a thorough education about all the various options, a patient cannot possibly make an informed decision on the safest and healthiest course of action.  

The FDA’s commendable decision to take action underscores the need for patients to seek LAP BAND surgery and other treatment options only with well trained and qualified surgeons who are Fellowship trained in the field of Bariatric Surgery and accredited by the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). The simple truth is this: LAP BAND surgery can be a safe procedure, but only when performed by qualified and responsible medical professionals.

About Beverly Hills Physicians Bariatric Program:

With 10 locations and a huge network of physicians, BHP  is one of the safest and most consistently successful multidisciplinary bariatric surgical programs for the treatment of obesity and associated diseases. All surgeons at BHP  are Fellowship Trained Surgeons who are certified in the field of Bariatric Surgery.  The doctors at this medical center place a priority on pre-operative medical and cardiological assessment and clearance, in addition to pre- and post-operative behavioral modification. BHP has a sterling record of consistent safety and consistent success. Their doctors have performed thousands of these procedures without a single mortality, and maintain a complication rate of less than 1%, substantially lower than the national average of 3-4%.

Weight Loss and Lap Band Surgery Reduces Mortality in Obese Patients

Photo of a Lap Band

Patients undergoing Lap Band or Weight Loss Surgery had a significantly reduced rate of subsequent myocardial infarctions and strokes and significantly increased survival, compared with similar, morbidly obese patients who had other types of surgery, in a retrospective cohort study of more than 9,000 U.S. patients. In his study of bariatric surgery patients in South Carolina during 1996-2008, the combined rate of MIs, strokes, and deaths was 52% below the rate in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery, and 28% below the rate of those who had orthopedic surgery – both statistically significant differences. The results also showed significant drops in each component of the combined end point (MIs, strokes, and deaths).

The new study used hospital in-patient records collected during 1996-2008 through the South Carolina Office of Research and Statistics, and death data collected by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The analysis included morbidly obese patients aged 40-79 years who underwent nonemergency surgery (4,747 patients who had any form of bariatric surgery, 3,066 patients who underwent joint replacement or spinal surgery, and 1,327 patients who had a cholecystectomy, hernia repair, or lysis of gastrointestinal adhesions). Those with a history of prior MI or stroke were excluded.

Patients were followed for an average of 14 months after lap band surgery, 25 after orthopedic surgery, and 26 months after gastrointestinal surgery.

In a multivariate analysis that controlled for age, sex, race, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, coronary artery disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and a history of transient ischemic attack, patients undergoing bariatric surgery had a significant 41% reduced rate of first MI compared with the orthopedic surgery patients, and a significant 51% lower rate compared with the gastrointestinal surgery patients. Mortality in the weight loss surgery Los Angeles patients dropped by a significant 19% and 55% relative to the orthopedic and gastrointestinal patients, respectively, and the stroke rate was also significantly lower following bariatric surgery compared with the rates in each control group. The magnitude of these event-rate reductions was consistent with prior reports of risk reduction. Notably, bariatric surgery “reduced cardiovascular events, as opposed to obesity-drug treatments that may actually increase the risk for cardiovascular events,” he noted. “Bariatric surgery has been rigorously tested and [proved] over the past 20 years, and it has a dramatic effect on all aspects of patient health. [Most] medical treatments for obesity don’t have 20 years of data, and some medications actually cause heart problems. We don’t know how bariatric surgery reduced myocardial infarctions and strokes, but it’s probably several factors: weight loss and resolution of diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea. The spectrum of returning patients to a more normal, baseline state probably leads to less morbidity and mortality,” said one the best weight loss surgeon

What is the deal with all the Lap Band billboards?

Obesity is an alarming medical problem and is affecting over 1.5 billion people worldwide. A large portion of the morbidly obese patients are in United States. There are several procedures that fall under general bariatric surgery in Los Angeles area and here are a few :

The Sleeve Gastrectomy  induces weight loss by reducing the size of the stomach. Our Oxnard Gastric Sleeve patients undergo a procedure where 75% to 80% of the stomach is removed surgically laparoscopically. The remaining part of the stomach is roughly the size and shape of a banana and holds a little more than 3 oz. Since this operation does not involve any ‘cutting’ or ‘rerouting’ of the intestines, it is a simpler operation than the Gastric Bypass. Unlike the Adjustable Gastric Band (also knows as Lap Band Thousand Oaks to some of our patients), the Sleeve Gastrectomy does not involve a foreign device. For certain patients, particularly those who are super morbidly obese, the Sleeve Gastrectomy may require a second surgery such as of our Ventura gastric bypass patients who had an BMI of 65; she had to undergo two stage surgery in order to loss massive amount of weight.

Another option for restricting the amount of food that can be taken in is the Adjustable Gastric Band. Using this procedure, surgeons at the Beverly Hills Physicians Bariatric Surgery Oxnard  place an inflatable band around the upper portion of the stomach. This band creates a new, smaller pouch that is about one ounce in size. The small pouch makes you feel full with just a small amount of food.

The rate of loss is controlled by the size of the opening of the band. Doctors can adjust the size of the opening by inflating the band’s bladder with saline. Since we can adjust gastric band in the Thousand Oaks Lap Band patients, your rate of weight loss can be controlled so that it is healthy and doesn’t become disruptive to leading a normal life as you lose weight.

One of the advantages of the Adjustable Gastric Band as it is also known, is that there’s no cutting or stapling required. The band is added laparoscopically by surgeons at the institute, so it is minimally invasive. Instead of one large incision, the band is applied through several small incisions. This greatly reduces the recovery time and allows you to start losing your excess weight more quickly.

The weight loss and weight management experts at the Beverly Hills Physician’s Simi Valley Bariatric Surgery Center are actively involved in addressing the alarming rate of obesity in the world and members of our team participate in global sessions addressing the many health and lifestyle issues caused by obesity, which affects an estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide.

Kristie Alley’s Massive Weight Loss

So the former lead actress of Cheers and runner up of Dancing With Stars, Kristie Alley just revealed her latest photo; and what a shock!!! She has undergone a 100lb weight loss in the last few months. There were speculations that she have had a weight loss surgery procedure such as lap band Los Angeles, gastric sleeve Beverly Hills or gastric by-pass surgery. But according to Ms. Alley, she has not had a bariatric surgery or even a plastic surgery procedure. She tipped the scale at 228 lb a couple of years ago and after that underwent up and down weight change; for a while, she was the spoke person for Weight Watchers. This time, looks like she did it on her own. Now let’s see if she is going to keep the weight off. I wish her much luck.

Kristie Alley's Dramatic new body

Candid Information about Weight Loss Surgery

Bariatric surgery is an operation that can be done to help you lose weight when other treatments for severe obesity have not worked. The aim of surgery is to change the gastrointestinal (GI) tract so it restricts the amount of food you can eat. It will cause you to feel full more quickly when you eat, which means you will eat less.

Severe obesity is defined as the condition of being more than 100 pounds overweight or having a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher. The BMI is a measure of your weight relative to your height. You can find your BMI from a chart. Severe obesity is also sometimes called morbid obesity.

Obesity is a serious condition because it increases your risk of poor health and major illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.

Obesity can also affect your relationships, employment, self-esteem and mental health. If you are severely obese, it can be deadly.

Surgery to manage obesity may be considered only after careful weighing of the risks and benefits. The surgery is often risky.

When is it used?

Usually weight loss surgery is done only if:

• You have severe obesity.
• Other treatments, including low-calorie diets and more exercise, have been tried and have failed.
• You are suffering from complications of obesity.

To be considered for surgery, you should meet the following criteria:

• no signs of mental illness, depression, or alcoholism
• no self-destructive tendencies
• no heart, liver, or kidney diseaseno metabolism problems
• enough financial support or PPO Insurance to pay for the surgery and follow-up care.

How do I prepare for Weight Loss Surgery Los Angeles?

Plan for your care and recovery after the operation. Arrange for someone to drive you home when you are discharged from the hospital. Allow for time to rest and try to find people to help you with your day-to-day duties.

Follow your provider’s instructions about not smoking before and after the procedure. Smokers heal more slowly after surgery. They are also more likely to have breathing problems during surgery. For this reason, if you are a smoker, you should quit at least 2 weeks before the procedure. It is best to quit 6 to 8 weeks before surgery. Also, your wounds will heal much better if you do not smoke after the surgery.

Follow any other instructions your provider gives you. Eat a light meal, such as soup or salad, the night before the procedure. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight and the morning before the procedure. Do not even drink coffee, tea, or water.

How is it done?

Before the procedure you will be given a general anesthetic, which relaxes your muscles, puts you to sleep, and prevents you from feeling pain.

Examples of procedures that may be done for severe obesity are:

• Gastric bypass: Much of the stomach, which is normally the size of a football, is stapled closed and thus bypassed. A small pouch of stomach, about the size of an egg, is left connected to the small intestine. Some of the small intestine is also bypassed so that when food passes from the stomach to the intestine, less food can be absorbed. The surgery can be done “open” with a large abdominal incision. Or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) can be done through a smaller incision. In this case, a camera and tube are put into the incision. The laparoscopic procedure is a more complex surgery, but it usually results in less pain and quicker recovery.
• LAP-BAND: Your surgeon makes several tiny incisions and puts a hollow silicone band around the stomach that can be inflated or deflated, or removed. It makes the available space in the stomach smaller but does not reroute the flow of food through the intestines. People with this procedure must eat smaller amounts of food, but they can digest what they eat normally, so their food choices are not limited and they have less of malnutrition.
• Gastric Sleeve surgery: Part of the stomach is surgically removed during the surgery. The stomach which is normally is the size of a football is excised and the shape of the stomach is turned in to a narrow, banana shape organ. The result is a smaller pouch which will hold smaller content.

What happens after the surgery?

Depending on the type of procedure you have, you will stay at the hospital 1 to 6 days. You may be able to return to your normal activities in 1 to 5 weeks.

Follow-up after the surgery is necessary for diet management and postsurgical care. Your healthcare provider will check you for vitamin deficiencies, amount of weight lost, and speed of weight loss. Your provider may also continue to check you for high blood pressure and diabetes.

Depending on the procedure, your diet may need to change in the following ways:

• You will have to eat very small servings (at first just a few tablespoons at a time, a little over half a cup at the end of a year). If you eat too much, you will vomit.
• You may not be able to eat foods containing a lot of refined sugar because your body may not be able to digest it as well as it used to. A lot of sugar may make you feel sick and cause diarrhea.
• You will need to track what you eat to be sure you get enough protein.
• You must take vitamins and calcium supplements to help avoid malnutrition.

What are the risks of bariatric surgery?

There are a number of risk for weight loss surgery Beverly Hills, including:

• infection
• bleeding or blood clots
• narrowing where the stomach pouch is attached to the small intestine
• bowel obstructions
• gallstones
• stomach leaks
• malnutrition because your smaller digestive system cannot digest as many nutrients, which could cause problems such as anemia (lack of red blood cells) or osteoporosis (thinning of the bones).

Some of these risks can be life threatening.

What are the benefits of the procedure?

Usually Los Angeles lap band surgery helps people lose quite a bit of weight. The loss of weight can help treat or prevent other serious health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes. It can also allow you to get more exercise and improve your lifestyle in other ways.

Oprah Winfery’s Weight Loss Battle

Its new year again and time for new year resolution. Oprah has started the whole debate about her weight and speculations about her weight loss battle, weight loss surgery rumors and so on. On her show, host Oprah Winfrey had on special guest Geneen Roth. Ms. Roth appeared on the program to discuss her book: Women, Food & God.  Oprah credits this book with changing her attitude toward dieting and life. While talking to Roth, Oprah shared a story about her obsession with food. Oprah discussed how for years, she felt “lost” because of her eating habits. Winfrey said that her reaction to stress was to overeat, and that she didn’t even realize what she was doing. “I didn’t have any stress … I ate the stress. Any stressful moment I would’ve had, I ate it.”
Winfrey then declared that she has come to understand this problem and her obesity but did not talk about how she lost the weight: whether diet, lap band or weight loss surgery . She said that winning this battle can help women return to the “sacredness” of themselves.

Profile: Nancy Kaneshiro tried weight loss and exercise, then lap-band surgery

Profile: Nancy Kaneshiro tried weight loss and exercise, then lap-band surgery.

Former Dallas Cowboy Star Has Undergone Weight Loss Surgery

At his heaviest, Nate Newton weighed 401 pounds. He was so big during his playing days that he forced the Dallas Cowboys equipment manager to rearrange his entire ordering system (and earned the nickname “The Kitchen” because of it). He used to joke about his size, saying that when he retired from the NFL he was going to get into the weight-gaining business because “I know all the wrong things to do.”
The Dallas Morning news reports that in February, Newton underwent a new weight loss surgery called “vertical gastrectomy,” also known as gastric sleeve surgery-an operation which removes up to 75 percent of the patient’s stomach and staples the remaining portion. Today, he weighs 220 pounds. It’s the thinnest he’s been since eighth grade.
As opposed to traditional gastric by pass surgery, the vertical gastrectomy operation is usually reserved for people who are too heavy to undergo other forms of weight-loss surgery. At this point, it’s an uncommon procedure because few doctors perform it and most insurance companies regard it as experimental. Newton’s doctor insists it’s safe, but the extreme weight loss the former NFL star has experienced isn’t normal. Newton has resumed working out and is training like he did in the old days, sometimes going for as long as two hours per day. He eventually hopes to get down to 196 pounds, which would be 200 less than when he started. Even at 220, he looks like a new man. Deion Sanders, who recently had coffee with Newton, said he could hardly believe his eyes when he saw his old teammate.
“I’m happy for him because I know I’m going to have him for another 70, 80 years,” Sanders said. (That’s an optimistic life expectancy expectation from Deion; in 80 years, Newton would be 128 years old.)

Drew Carey Weight Loss: How Did He Do It?

Fans of Drew Carey know that the “Price is Right” host lost a lot of weight in recent months, dropping a whopping 80 pounds since January.But some audience members were astounded to see his amazing metamorphosis when the show’s 2010 season kicked off earlier this year.According to People magazine, Carey, 52 went from a size 44 pants to a 33-34. And he did it the old-fashioned way – diet and exercise  although some suspect weight loss surgery or lap band surgery.  He cut back on simple carbs, snacked on fruit, and drank lots of water. He also hit the gym, doing cardio for at least 45 minutes a day, according to the magazine.Not only did he lose weight, he lost his type-2 diabetes. “I’m not diabetic anymore,” he told the magazine. “No medication needed.”"It sucks being fat, you know,” he said  at a party in Beverly Hills. “I like being skinny,” said Carey. “I was sick of being fat on the camera. Really, I just got sick of it. Once I started losing weight, again, like once I started dropping a couple pant sizes, then it was easy ’cause once you see the results, then you don’t wanna stop.”

Weight Loss Surgery Tax Deductible?

According to IRS, you can claim a weight loss program for tax deduction, including weight loss surgery if the surgery is to treat a specific medical condition such as diabetes, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea and so on. You cannot claim a lap band surgery or weight loss surgery if done for cosmetic reasons. You also cannot include the cost of diet food and beverage substitute as a deductible claim because the diet food and beverages substitute for what is normally consumed to satisfy nutritional needs.