Welcome to the Memorial Day Edition of Carol's Corner. Hope all those who celebrate Memorial Day had an awesome day with friends and family. I love my outfit today. Of course I am wearing my favorite color. The blouse is an amazing mixture of soft beautiful shades of color and the style is also amazing. My husband named my outfit. We're calling this”Purple Passions”.

The jewelry is the same mix of soft beautiful shades of colors.

My FitBit combo combines the purple tones with the greens in the blouse. It all just goes beautifully together.

For tonight's topic I have decided to discuss Bariatric (weight loss )Surgeries that are being use in the treatment of obesity. The top three are ; Gastric Bypass, Gastric Banding, and Gastric Sleeves.

We shall start with information from Pritikin.com and an article titled” The Pros and Cons of Medical Weight Loss Procedures”. After going through this I will provide some other links on the same subject.

During the 1960's, medical professionals began to notice significant weight loss in those who had portions of their stomach removed as a treatment for stomach ulcers.

As a result, various weight loss surgeries have been developed and refined over the years, and today there is a wide variety to choose from. The top three types of weight loss surgery are roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, gastric banding, and gastric sleeves. Each has it's Pros and cons; below is a guide to each.

GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY

First developed during the 1960's, this surgery essentially splits the stomach in two. The first stomach collects food and is connected to a lower part of the small intestine. The second stomach's only function is to create digestive fluids to pass on to the small intestine to help digest the food. By creating a smaller stomach, the person feels fuller faster, and since some of the digestive system is skipped, a smaller amount of calories is absorbed from the food.

PROS

This type of bariatric surgery usually leads to the fastest , most dramatic results. In 6 months, as much as 50% of total weight loss takes place and can continue for as much as 2 years. With this rapid weight loss comes rapid recovery from a wide variety of weight-related afflictions, such as high blood pressure,sleep apnea, and even diabetes. Further, the results tend to last.

CONS

Since the food goes through the digestive tract fairly quickly, one runs the risk of not absorbing enough nutrients. Yes, there are fewer calories absorbed by the body, but this also means the amount of calcium, iron, and certain vitamins from the foods will be less. Someone who undergoes weight loss surgery must take supplements to make up for these missed nutrients, and take special care to intake enough calories to be able to exercise safely.

Further, gastric bypass is a major surgery, and as such It carries significant risks, such as blood clots and infections. In some cases, more of the small and even large intestine needs to be removed. Gallstones also tend to occur, less because of the type of surgery than the rapidity of the weight loss, but since there is no more rapid weight loss than that experienced after gastric bypass surgery, this complication must be mentioned when discussing the surgery.

GASTRIC BANDING

The gastric band is an inflatable band surgically placed around the stomach that can ostensibly create a smaller upper stomach and a larger lower one. With this smaller upper stomach slowly passing food through the small channel to the lower stomach, one feels full faster, causing them to eat less.

PROS

Unlike gastric bypass, nothing about this surgery is permanent. If one decides to have the band removed, it is a relatively simple surgery. Also, compared to gastric bypass surgery, gastric banding surgery is safer and can be recovered from faster. There is also some degree of customizability with a gastric band. The band can be made tighter or loosened with the injection or removal of saline from the band by a doctor.

CONS

Compared to gastric bypass surgery, weight loss with a gastric band tends to take more time. This can mean the weight-related afflictions can remain longer after surgery. There are also fairly significant risks that are unique to this surgery. The band may slip or leak, which can cause extreme pain with the only relief coming from further surgery.

GASTRIC SLEEVE

A gastric sleeve, or sleeve gastrectomy, in another form of bariatric surgery. The surgery removes approximately 3/4 of the stomach, and what remains resembles a sleeve which connects the esophagus to the small intestine.

PROS

This type of bariatric surgery is perfect for patients who may be at a higher risk for complications during surgery. Unlike gastric banding, there is no restrictive device left in the body to cause potential complications, slip, or cause infection. Also, a sleeve gastrectomy causes the patient to lose more weight faster than that lost following the gastric band, though not as fast as gastric bypass surgery. 30-50% of weight loss occurs in the first 6 months to a year and can continue for up to 2 years. Finally, this surgery can be followed up with gastric bypass. Therefore, for the extremely obese, gastric bypass can be a dangerous surgery. Losing weight with a sleeve gastrectomy can open the door to gastric bypass for these patients.

CONS

First and foremost, unlike gastric banding, a gastric sleeve is irreversible. Part of the stomach is completely removed, and as such this surgery cannot be undone. The stomach is stapled where it is cut, and these staples can leak, causing a variety of health problems including infection. While the surgery is not reversible, this does not mean weight gain is impossible. The nature of the stomach is that it can stretch, and this does not change post-surgery. With poor dietary decisions, one can stretch the stomach back to it's original size.

So there you have a look into the various forms of weight loss surgeries that are available today and what the pros and cons are for each.

Below you will find additional links to information on the subject of Bariatric Surgery.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/is-weight-loss-surgery-right-for-you Pros and cons of weight loss surgery.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bariatric-surgery/basics/what-you-can-expect/prc-20019138. What you can expect from bariatric surgery.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/weight-loss-surgery-pro-con-08/. Weight loss surgery; pros and cons

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3470459/ Quick fix or long term cure? Pros and cons of bariatric surgery.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/269487.php. Weight loss surgery: Do the benefits really outweigh the risks?

I hope you have found this information to be helpful , especially if you have contemplated one of these procedures for yourself. It is not something I personally would recommend , but that would be between you and your doctor. Till next time, God Bless.