Weight-Loss Surgery

Bariatric surgery is a development in obesity treatment that has changed countless lives, helping patients to lose a drastic amount of weight and regain control of their health. The fundamental goals of weight-loss surgery are to help patients to have a healthier future, alleviate obesity-related disease and discomfort, aid mobility, and improve overall quality of life. Excess weight can cause our health to decline, and conditions such as type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease can pose significant risks. But, with weight-loss surgery such as the gastric bypass and the sleeve gastrectomy, patients can reverse these conditions or improve them significantly. ⁽¹⁾

Weight-loss surgery could be the key for you to achieve safe, sustainable weight loss and reach your much desired medical and aesthetic goals. If your non-surgical weight loss efforts have been mostly unsuccessful, it may be time to consider bariatric surgery. At Southern Nevada Bariatrics, board-certified bariatric surgeon Mustafa Ahmed, MD, and his experienced Las Vegas-based weight-loss team are available to evaluate your health, help you prepare for a successful procedure, and guide you through surgery and recovery. To start exploring your options, don’t hesitate to call us at (702) 626-0499 or go online to book your first consultation today.

Making the Choice

Losing weight is one of the primary reasons people change their diet. ⁽²⁾ But it can be frustrating when limiting or altering our food intake doesn’t seem to make a dent in our weight. Although exercise can improve our mood and help us to shed some pounds, significant weight loss is hard for many to achieve. Troublesome areas, particularly in the abdomen, flanks, and thighs retain fat, as it’s what our bodies were designed to do!

Depending on your age, your sex, your overall health, and your genetics, even your best efforts can seem futile when the bathroom scales reveal little change. And, for patients who fail to see significant changes, bariatric surgery can help them achieve meaningful weight loss and better health. Oftentimes, procedures are performed laparoscopically, offering a speedy recovery and minimal scarring. But, if you’re thinking about weight-loss surgery, it’s not something to be taken lightly. Patients must be committed to following precise nutritional guidance and continue to exercise daily to reap the benefits. 

Treating Weight-Related Disease

Treatments at Southern Nevada Bariatric contribute significantly to patients feeling physically better on the inside and looking better on the outside. In fact, the vast majority of bariatric patients are motivated by the fact that they are working proactively to overcome obesity-related conditions. Such conditions, which can be life-altering or life-threatening, include the following.

Dr. Ahmed and his team can help you fight back against excess weight with the most effective weight-loss procedures. Contact our intake team today to book your initial consultation.

What Does the Data Say?

Combined with a nutritious diet and a reasonable amount of exercise, weight-loss surgeries like the gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy produce striking results. Studies show that the most significant weight loss occurs rapidly, in the first year after surgery, ⁽³⁾ with many patients continuing to lose weight long afterward. And, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, around 90% of patients lose 50% of excess body weight, with enduring long-term results. ⁽⁴⁾

Candidates for Weight-Loss Surgery

Bariatric surgery has no absolute contraindications. As a matter of course, Dr. Ahmed will consider patients with a body mass index (BMI) over 40. Patients with a BMI between 35-39 may also find weight-loss surgery beneficial if they have coexisting conditions that limit their quality of life. So how does each procedure work, and what outcomes can you expect?

Medical Weight-Loss includes bariatric devices that limit food intake and help patients feel fuller faster, like the gastric balloon and laparoscopic gastric band. But two of the most popular and effective surgery types, the gastric sleeve and the gastric bypass take further measures to bring patients into a healthy weight range.

Gastric Bypass

Considered the gold standard bariatric procedure, the Gastric Bypass can achieve massive weight-loss for individuals who want to get to a healthier weight. Dr. Ahmed uses a surgical technique that reduces stomach size to that of a large egg. This small pouch is then connected to the second part of the small intestine, completely rerouting the digestive tract around the first section of the small intestine.

Gastric Bypass Facts

What Do Patients Say?

Life transforms for many who undergo gastric bypass surgery. A decrease in comorbid symptoms can limit the need for medication and improve energy levels. And a lot of the time, it’s the little things that make the real difference. Being able to wear the color and cut of dress of their dreams, finding relief from diabetes, to better blood work and vitamin levels, to gaining more day-to-day freedom, our patients are quick to note how much better they feel about how they look, and how much better their health is overall!

Get more details about gastric bypass surgery by scheduling a bariatric consultation with Dr. Ahmed!

Sleeve Gastrectomy

Sleeve gastrectomy, or the creation of a gastric sleeve, is another bariatric procedure that results in safe, speedy weight-loss. It limits food intake by taking away a large portion of the stomach and stops patients from feeling hungry by removing an area of the stomach that produces hormones. By removing the fundus (at the top of the stomach), levels of the “hunger hormone” ghrelin decrease, along with a patient’s frequent urge to eat. Additionally, the gastric sleeve can cause an increase in peptide production, which is thought to increase insulin levels, decrease inflammation, and help patients attain mental acuity (sharpness). ⁽⁶⁾

Nutrition After Bariatric Surgery

One of the biggest changes after a bariatric procedure is what you eat (and how you eat it). Similar to other bariatric procedures, recovery after a sleeve gastrectomy involves a personalized nutritional plan. Typically, this includes the following

Daily vitamin supplementation and regular vitamin B-12 shots limit nutritional deficiencies. And importantly, patients must ensure they continue to use dietary supplements from this point onward, for the rest of their lives. But for the rich rewards of good health and a slimmer profile, most patients agree that these changes are well worth making!

A Special Gift for Our Patients

Considering cosmetic surgery to create smoother contours and enhance your weight-loss results? Dr. Ahmed is not only an authority in bariatrics, but is also a successful cosmetic surgeon. Southern Nevada Bariatrics patients automatically receive a discount at his cosmetic surgery center Las Vegas Body Sculpting, so consider undertaking your entire weight-loss journey with him. See our Post Surgery page for more details!

Book a Consultation with Dr. Ahmed

Excess weight can have many negative effects, and bariatric procedures were created to alleviate them safely and effectively. As it’s considered a major surgery, all the necessary planning must take place beforehand, the first stage of which is a personal consultation. Dr. Ahmed will ask you about your experience with excess weight, review your medical history, and conduct the necessary physical examinations and tests to ensure surgical weight loss is right for you. He will then discuss the benefits and risks associated with each procedure. From there, he will devise a tailored treatment plan to provide you with the best achievable results!

Cost of Weight Loss Surgery in Las Vegas, NV

The cost of your treatment will depend on your circumstances. Dr. Ahmed will be happy to discuss costs once he has gathered information from you at your consultation. We also accept cash pay and financing for qualified candidates. Don’t let excess weight get in the way of enjoying your life and living it to its fullest! Contact Southern Nevada Bariatrics today to start your medical weightloss journey by calling (702) 626-0499.

Read our blog for details about post-bariatric nutrition, myths and facts about bariatric surgery and more! You can also like and follow us on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.

References

1. Wolfe BM, Kvach E, Eckel RH. Treatment of Obesity. Circulation Research. 2016;118(11):1844-1855. doi:10.1161/circresaha.116.307591
2. Poraj-Weder M, Wąsowicz G, Pasternak A. Why it is so hard to lose weight? An exploration of patients’ and dietitians’ perspectives by means of thematic analysis. Health Psychology Open. 2021;8(1):20551029211024406. doi:10.1177/20551029211024406
3. Courcoulas AP, Yanovski SZ, Bonds D, et al. Long-term Outcomes of Bariatric Surgery. JAMA Surgery. 2014;149(12):1323. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2014.2440
4. Benefits of Bariatric Surgery | ASMBS. American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. https://asmbs.org/patients/benefits-of-weight-loss-surgery 
5. Seeras K, Philip K, Baldwin D, Prakash S. Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass. PubMed. Published 2022. Accessed October 12, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK518968/#:~:text=Patients%20can%20expect%20to%20have 
6. Climaco K, Ahnfeldt E. Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2021;101(2):177-188. doi:10.1016/j.suc.2020.12.015