Category: Bariatric Surgery

No matter your age, obesity can be difficult to deal with. While it certainly affects people physically, in multiple different ways, it can also cause negative mental and emotional side effects. In this day and age, it can be difficult for teenagers to navigate the daily pressures placed on them by what they see at school, on TV, and on social media. But it can be even more troubling for those who are overweight. Many obese teenagers suffer from depression, anxiety, negative emotions, and feel isolated by their peers.

In recent years, research has proven that obesity is a medical condition, not just a weight management problem. our team offers several different types of bariatric surgery at his Tijuana, Mexico, practice for severely overweight patients who have been unsuccessful losing weight with traditional methods. He understands the pressures that teenagers face and that obesity is a serious medical condition. Below he explains bariatric surgery for teens to help guide parents and their children through what this procedure involves and the benefits it provides.

Teenage Obesity

Teenage obesity is a serious condition that has only continued to grow. In the last three decades, obesity has quadrupled among adolescents aged 12 to 19. It is estimated that close to one-third of adolescents are overweight or obese.

Teenagers who are obese have a 50 percent greater chance of suffering from this disorder as an adult and facing severe health problems later on. While obesity can certainly cause fatigue, it has also been linked to:

• Diabetes
• Acid reflux
• High blood pressure
• Joint and back pain
• Sleep apnea
• High cholesterol

Does Your Teen Need Bariatric Surgery?

If your overweight son or daughter has been dieting for months without seeing positive and long-lasting results, it may be time to consider bariatric surgery. Weight loss surgery should not be viewed as a quick fix for losing weight, but instead as a lifestyle change. Before surgery, our team of specialists will work with your teen to help develop a personalized exercise and nutrition plan so that in the days and weeks after, they can make healthy decisions.

Bariatric Surgery for Teens

We hold ourselves to the highest standards of excellence in order to help patients achieve positive outcomes. While we know surgery may be drastic, you can rest assured knowing that he has performed thousands of bariatric surgeries with successful results. It is his desire to help your teenager improve their appearance and live a healthier and happier lifestyle. With a less than one percent complication rating, bariatric surgery for teens is considered safe and effective.

To help improve your teenager’s results, we encourage the entire family to get involved in living a healthier lifestyle. This creates a positive support system and motivates them to stick with their plan so they not only lose weight, but also lower their risk for other serious medical conditions. Together, cut out fast food and high-calorie meals, and find a physical activity you can do as a family.

Learn More

If your teenager has a BMI over 30, you may want to consider bariatric surgery. To learn more about the weight loss surgeries we provide and which one would be best suited for your son or daughter, please contact our office today.

Bariatric surgery is an excellent way to help patients lose weight. In most cases, patients recover well and go on to live a healthier, more fulfilling life. Occasionally, patients may not see the results they expected.

This can be due to a number of reasons. Some patients gradually resume their old eating habits. Others may have a medical reason why they are gaining weight.

Fortunately, our doctors in Tijuana, MX can perform bariatric surgery revision after regaining weight. Today, we will discuss bariatric surgery revision and explore options for patients considering this treatment.

The Emotional Aspect of Bariatric Surgery Revision

Many patients who are considering revision surgery feel ashamed of their weight gain. It is important to understand that obesity is a disease that is not cured simply because you had surgery.

At Tijuana Bariatrics, we are here to provide support for you. We do not believe that weight regain indicates failure. Weight loss is a journey, and we are here to help.

Preparing for Bariatric Surgery Revision

Before undergoing your revision surgery, we recommend that you begin adapting your lifestyle. Plan healthy meals, and eat a well-balanced diet every day. Incorporate an exercise routine, as well. When it comes to activity, frequency is more important than intensity.

It is also important to tend to your emotional needs during this time. Many of our patients find support groups invaluable to their progress. It is a good idea to have a trusted circle of people in place before you undergo your surgery.

Your Revision Options

When it comes to choosing a revision option, the appropriate treatment will depend on your specific situation. During a consultation, our doctors can help you determine which procedure will be most beneficial for you. The most common revision options are:

• Lap Band to Sleeve: During this procedure, the original band and port are removed along with any existing scar tissue. The gastric sleeve will then be performed. This will involve removing more than half of the stomach. The remaining portion will be approximately the size of a banana, helping you feel fuller much faster and lose weight successfully.
• Sleeve to Bypass: In this procedure, the stomach will be downsized to a smaller pouch so that you can feel fuller faster. The small intestines will be rearranged in order to bypass part of the digestive system. As a result, you will not absorb as many calories or nutrients as you did before, resulting in weight loss.
• Bypass to Duodenal Switch: During this procedure, even more of the intestine is bypassed. This will result in fewer calories and nutrients absorbed, and should aid in further weight loss.

How Do I Know if Revision Surgery Is an Option for Me?

No matter what previous procedures you have undergone in the past, or which surgeon performed your treatment, we are happy to talk with you about your options for revision surgery.

Because each patient is unique, treatments can vary. After a consultation with our doctors, they can design a fully personalized plan that will give you the best chance at reaching your weight loss goals.

Learn More about Bariatric Surgery Revision

If you are interested in learning more about revision surgery, schedule a consultation with us. You can call us toll-free at (800) 308-3607 or contact us online anytime.

Bariatric surgery helps obese individuals lose a significant amount of weight so that they can improve their health and overall well being. The majority of patients who undergo bariatric surgery experience rapid weight loss in the months following surgery. On average, gastric bypass patients end up losing about 70 percent of their excess weight.

Unfortunately, in rare cases, a patient fails to see the weight loss results they expect after surgery. Bariatric surgery revision alters the size of the stomach and makes necessary adjustments to provide patients with the weight loss results they desire.

Bariatric surgery revision for failure to lose weight is available at our Tijuana, Mexico clinic. We are happy to evaluate each patient’s case to recommend the best surgical technique for a secondary bariatric procedure.

Bariatric Surgery Revision Candidates

When a patient fails to lose a significant amount of weight following bariatric surgery, it is important to determine why the expected results have not been achieved. In some cases, it may be due to the decisions and actions of the patient.

For optimal weight loss results, it is vital that the patient alters his or her diet and follows recommended exercise guidelines. If the patient has followed all post-surgical instructions and is still not losing weight, or lost weight initially, but has begun to regain weight, the patient may be an ideal candidate for bariatric surgery revision.

Bariatric surgery revision may be necessary in the following situations:

• A LAP-BAND® device has slipped or eroded
• The stomach has stretched out
• The patient is better-suited to a different bariatric surgery technique

Revision Options

Our doctors understand how frustrating it can be to undergo gastric surgery only to fail to see a significant change in the body. We will discuss all bariatric surgery revision options with our patients and help each one choose a technique that is most likely to address their unique concerns and allow them to lose the weight they desire.

In general, bariatric surgery revision will involve either correcting issues with a previous surgery, or performing an alternate bariatric technique.

• Surgical adjustments: In some cases, patients can benefit from an adjustment to their previous bariatric surgery. For instance, LAP-BAND® patients may need their sleeve to be tightened or repositioned so that the stomach is adequately restricted. Patients who have undergone gastric sleeve surgery or gastric bypass surgery may need to have a portion of the stomach removed, as it is possible for the stomach to stretch or expand over time. By making these adjustments, we can help patients drop a significant amount of weight.
• Alternate bariatric technique: In many cases of bariatric surgery revision, we recommend an alternate bariatric technique for the secondary procedure. A patient who has undergone LAP-BAND® surgery is likely to get greater weight loss results if we perform gastric sleeve surgery to resize the stomach. Similarly, if a gastric sleeve patient has failed to lose weight, the patient may benefit from gastric bypass, which reroutes the digestive tract to reduce the number of calories that the body absorbs. Our doctors are happy to recommend the surgical technique that they feel will be most beneficial to each patient.

Contact Us

If you have undergone bariatric surgery and have not experienced the weight loss you expected, you may be an ideal candidate for bariatric surgery revision. To learn more about your options regarding bariatric surgery revision, contact us at your earliest convenience.

Obesity is a serious medical condition that places excess stress on the joints and organs of the body. Although most people understand how dangerous it can be to carry around so much extra weight, it can be difficult to lose significant weight through diet and exercise alone. Those who are obese are often limited in their physical capabilities, making the weight loss journey that much more difficult.

Bariatric surgery alters the size of the stomach and can reroute the digestive system to make it easier for the patient to lose a great amount of weight in a relatively short amount of time. Bariatric surgery can be extremely effective for obese patients who have been unsuccessful in losing weight on their own.

However, it is important that patients are prepared to change their lives in the months following surgery. Here, experienced surgeons offer a guide to your first year after bariatric surgery at our Tijuana, Mexico surgical center.

The Weeks Immediately after Bariatric Surgery

The first several weeks immediately following bariatric surgery will be the most difficult for patients. Along with recovering from a serious surgical procedure, patients will be adjusting to their new diet restrictions. Patients are advised to maintain a liquid diet for the first two weeks after surgery, after which soft, pureed foods can be added to the diet.

It is common to feel worn down or fatigued during this initial stage of recovery, but it is important to get active as soon as possible. Strenuous activities should be avoided, but it is important to walk daily. Patients can start with short walks, but should gradually build up to 30 minutes a day. This is the beginning of a healthier and more active lifestyle.

One to Three Months after Bariatric Surgery

After the first month of recovery, patients can begin eating solid foods again. However, they should keep in mind that the body can only tolerate small amounts of food. Even though patients may still crave larger portions, overeating can result in nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. The body also may not tolerate certain foods. It is best to introduce one food at a time to avoid feeling ill or uncomfortable. Nutrition is also vital. Since less calories and nutrients are taken in, patients will need to supplement with vitamins and minerals. Our doctors will recommend appropriate supplements.

By this point of recovery, incisions should be healed and patients can focus on increasing activity levels. Patients should consider aerobic activities such as swimming or jogging. The key is finding an activity that is enjoyable so that the habit will stick. Many people find that it is helpful to exercise with a friend. We also recommend joining a support group with other bariatric surgery patients, who can provide tips and encouragement as the body continues to change.

Six to Nine Months after Surgery

Following bariatric surgery, it is common to lose a pound or two a week. The average patient will have lost close to 50 pounds at this point. By six to nine months out, most have adjusted to their new diet and learned how to eat smaller, more frequent meals to avoid discomfort. Nutrition will remain a concern, so we will check vitamin levels at the six-month post-surgical follow-up appointment to see if any supplement adjustments need to be made.

One Year after Surgery

A year after gastric bypass surgery, many patients are close to their ideal weight. We will schedule another follow-up appointment to ensure that patients are continuing to see expected weight loss results. Once weight loss goals are achieved, it is important to continue to follow nutrition guidelines, as well as to make exercise a regular habit. These healthy practices will ensure the long-term success of bariatric surgery.

Contact Us

If you are obese and weight loss seems out of your reach, it may be time to consider bariatric surgery. Contact us at your earliest convenience to learn more about the bariatric techniques offered at Tijuana Bariatrics. We look forward to helping you achieve your health and weight loss goals.