If you want to have lap band surgery, you have to be aged between 18 and 60, and be at least 100 pounds overweight. If you are considered obese, then surgery is a good option for you. However, it is still surgery, and this means that there are risks attached to it as well. So what are the advantages and disadvantages of the lap band?
The Advantages of the Lap Band
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You get to lose weight, which is what the procedure has been designed for. This means you will look better, and that you will be healthier as well. In fact, a lap band may just save your life. If, for instance, you are morbidly obese, then you will generally suffer from various comorbidity disorders as well, such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. By losing weight quickly, you can put those conditions into remission.
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When you look better and become healthier, you will be happier and live longer as well. Additionally, you will be able to do things you weren’t able to do before, such as play sports.
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It helps you to change your lifestyle. So long as you follow the advice of your doctor, you will lose weight. While this may be difficult at first, you will find that it starts to become natural over time.
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The lap band procedure is a laparoscopic procedure. This means that recovery time is very quick, and scarring is minimal. Additionally, while there are always some risks with surgical procedures, they are seriously minimized thanks to the minimally invasive nature of the procedure.
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It is easy to adjust the lap band. This means that, if you lose too much weight, it can be loosened, allowing you to put a bit of weight back on, or stop you from losing as much. Or, if you were to fall pregnant, you could loosen the band to allow for the additional nutrition you need to provide.
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The surgery is reversible. It can be removed in full. Although this does require further surgery, if there are ever reasons why you shouldn’t restrict your food intake anymore, this would be possible.
The Disadvantages of the Lap Band
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You may not be eligible for the lap band. Not everybody who is overweight will be considered. Usually, you have to have a BMI of at least 40. Additionally, you have to be able to demonstrate that you are committed to making all the necessary lifestyle choices to become and remain healthy.
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The cost can be a disadvantage as well. Some insurance companies do cover the procedure to some degree, particularly if you can demonstrate that it is for health reasons. However, you do have to be able to afford the time off work and any excess and pre and post-operative care that the insurance company may not cover.
Overall, clearly, the lap band procedure is an excellent procedure for those who want to lose weight.