Weight Loss

Question
I am 31 years Male from India.  My Height is 185 Cms (6 Feet & 1 Inch) & my Weight is 108 Kgs.  I am into Sales Training & due to excessive travel, I never get time to go for Jogging or to Health Clubs.  

My legs are normal, while my Stomach, Chest part is fatty.  My Physician has adviced me to go for Bariatric Surgery.  

Kindly Advice, is there any Medicine that can control my Weight.  Or If I have to go for the Surgery, Is there any Risk or Side Effect for the Same?  

Kindly advice

Answer
Hi Vivek:

Your BMI is only 31.6, which is just barely in the obese category.  I wish there was an effective obesity med out there, but unfortunately there isn't.  At best, one can hope for a 10% weight loss over 6 months--so 10 or so kilos--but usually that's about it an one has to stick on the meds.  Basically right now, one can try orlistat or an amphetimine like product (phentermine).  Meridia (sibutramine) was removed form the market throughout the world due to its increase in strokes and heart attacks.  Orlistat works by having a portion of the fat you eat go through the intestines undigested.  

As for surgical options, although you're just obese, both the Lap-Band and Sleeve Gastrectomy have been used on people with your BMI.  Both have been successful.  I tend to lead towards the Sleeve Gastrectomy as patients report a higher quality of life, a wider variety of foods they can consume, less side effects, and slightly greater weight loss.  The Lap-Band also has a relatively high failure rate.

Any surgery carries the risk of death--although it is rare with both operations (similar to a gall bladder operation).  With the Sleeve Gastrectomy, you would be required to take sublingual B12, iron, vitamin D, calcium, and a good multivitamin for life.  For the Lap-Band, the supplemental needs are more individual.  

I suggest you talk this over with a bariatric surgeon experienced with both surgeries.  S/He may council you not to have surgery and try a conventional diet or pharma approach, or may steer you towards one of the surgeries.  If you are Type 2 diabetic, or glucose-impaired, I can tell you that the sleeve gastrectomy has shown very good, maintained diabetes resolution in people with a BMI of 30-35.

Good luck.

Peace,
Karla

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