Which Weight Loss Surgery is Right for You?

Surgery of any kind is not to be taken lightly, but when it comes to weight issues, there are three simple procedures that can, quite frankly, save your life.

If you struggle with obesity, you’re not alone: One in three Americans are in the same battle. Here at Atlanta Body Institute, we understand the incredibly difficult journey that is weight loss, which is why we offer three types of weight loss surgeries to our patients: Gastric bypass, gastric balloon, and gastric sleeve.

These surgeries help you lose weight, and keep it off, giving you a new lease on a healthier, more active life, free from the numerous health complications that come with being overweight.

So, the question isn’t whether we can help you with your weight problem, but how. Here’s what we tell our patients in Buckhead, Loganville, and Atlanta, Georgia, about each of these surgeries to help them decide which one is right for them.

Gastric bypass

While we always caution against shortcuts when it comes to dieting, this is one shortcut that may benefit you. In a gastric bypass procedure, we divide your stomach into two parts: an upper part called a pouch and a lower half. With the lower half sealed off, your “new” stomach holds a very small amount of food — less than one ounce.

To address your digestion, we connect a part of your small intestine to your pouch, so anything you eat will pass from the pouch and into your small intestine. We make this connection somewhere lower along your small intestine, which means you’ll absorb far fewer calories since your food isn’t making the full journey through your digestive tract, which is when it absorbs energy and nutrients.

And with a smaller stomach, you’ll feel full much faster, because a large portion of your stomach has been taken out of the picture, or bypassed, as it were.

Gastric sleeve

With a gastric sleeve surgery, we go in and remove up to 80% of your stomach, which means you will feel fuller a lot more quickly each time you eat, and feel less hungry between meals.

Picture your stomach as a wide C-shaped curve, which rests in between your esophagus and your small intestine. When we perform this type of bariatric surgery, we remove the outer curve of your stomach, along the outside of the C, considerably reducing the size of your stomach.

After your gastric sleeve procedure, you’ll not only feel much fuller after you eat because of the smaller size of your stomach, you’ll feel less hungry because your smaller stomach doesn’t release as many hunger-causing hormones.

Gastric band

A gastric band, or lap band, is one of the simplest procedures we offer. We simply go in and place a band around the upper part of your stomach, which creates a place to hold food that’s a fraction of the size of your normal stomach. The band still allows food to slowly pass through to your intestines, but there won’t be much to speak of since you’ll feel full after eating only small amounts.

We can adjust the band down the road to allow less or more food to pass through, depending upon how your body reacts to the procedure.

Making the choice

Each procedure has its own set of pros and cons, which makes choosing the right one for your situation important. Here at our practice, we review your current health, your eating habits, and your goals. With those in mind, we sit down and review your options.

Each of the surgeries is just that — a surgery. So we need to take into account what type will work best for you. If you have pre-existing medical conditions, we need to choose the least invasive procedure possible, which is the gastric band. If you’re healthy enough to undergo a slightly more invasive and longer procedure, we can discuss both the sleeve and the bypass.

And while these surgeries are life-savers in terms of being able to quickly and permanently address your weight issues, you still need to do your part at home. Get up and move around to help you shed the pounds more quickly. And make sure that the smaller amount you eat is delivering the right nutrients for your healthier, slimmer body.

In very little time after any of these procedures, you’ll have a new spring in your step as your mental and physical well-being is lightened from the inside out.

To explore your options in bariatric surgery, please give us a call. Or you can use the online scheduling tool on this website to request an appointment at one of our three locations.

Can a Tubal Ligation Be Reversed?

Can a Tubal Ligation Be Reversed?

Having your tubes tied is meant to serve as a permanent form of birth control, and it has a remarkably high success rate. But if you had your tubes tied and then changed your mind about having children, you have options. At the Atlanta Body Institute, we may be able to reverse your tubal ligation and increase your chances of conceiving.

Are you a candidate for tubal ligation reversal?

Reversal of your tubal ligation can be a great option if you decide you want to have a child, but it’s not right for everyone. A lot depends on the type of tubal ligation you had and the health of your fallopian tubes.

We are more likely to be able to reverse your ligation if you had your tubes tied with clips or rings, or if your tubes were cauterized, or burned, with minimal scarring. A successful tubal ligation reversal typically requires at least three inches of healthy fallopian tubes to improve your chances of a successful pregnancy.

We also take into consideration your age, health, and fertility, as well as your partner’s fertility, before deciding to go ahead with the tubal ligation reversal. Our goal is the same as yours: to help you get pregnant. And if there are other factors at play that may also affect your ability to conceive, we may recommend an alternate route to pregnancy.

The reversal procedure

If it turns out that we can reverse your tubal ligation, the surgery is performed at the surgical center. The procedure takes about two hours and you can go home the same day.

To keep you comfortable, we perform the tubal ligation reversal under anesthesia. The surgical expert then makes two small incisions in your abdomen, cuts out the sealed portion of your fallopian tubes, and reattaches the ends carefully with very fine dissolvable surgical sutures. We close the incisions and monitor you closely as you wake up from the anesthesia before we send you home.

We recommend you take it easy during the healing process, which takes about one to two weeks. This means you may need to take time off work so you can get plenty of rest. As your discomfort subsides, you can slowly ease back into your usual routine.

We provide very specific instructions on how to take care of yourself following your tubal ligation reversal to improve healing and prevent complications. We also schedule a follow-up after the procedure to examine the incisions and make sure you’re recovering properly.

What are my chances of pregnancy after the reversal surgery?

The likelihood of getting pregnant after a tubal ligation reversal varies from woman to woman. Your health and your age are prominent factors, which is why we take all of that into consideration before recommending surgery. In general, a reversal of tubal ligation is successful 45-85% of the time. Most women with a successful reversal get pregnant within the first year.

If you’re having a difficult time conceiving after your tubal ligation reversal, you might want to consider other fertility options such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), which is when the egg and sperm are combined outside your body and then placed in your uterus.

To learn more about the reversal of your tubal ligation, give us a call or schedule an appointment online for an evaluation and discussion of your options.

What Causes Varicose Veins and How Can I Get Rid of Them?

What are the symptoms of varicose veins?

Varicose veins aren’t always painful. A change in color to a dark purple or blue and veins appearing like they’re twisted and bulging are often early indications. But more common symptoms you might experience include:

• Aching in your legs
• Heavy feeling in your legs
• Burning, throbbing, or cramping in your lower legs
• Swelling of your lower legs
• Worsening pain after standing or sitting for long periods
• Itching around the veins
• Bleeding from the veins

If you do have any of these symptoms, make an appointment to see us at Atlanta Body Institute. We can properly diagnose your condition and run through the treatment options available.

Be aware that if you spot any changes in the color of your skin on your lower legs, inflammation,  or ulcers near your ankles, get immediate medical help, as these are signs of a more serious circulatory problem.

What causes veins to become varicose?

To understand what causes varicose veins, we need to delve into a little basic anatomy. Arteries pump the blood out to your body from your heart, and veins return that blood to start the cycle again. The problem is, veins in your legs have to work against gravity to get that blood up your body to your heart. Muscle contractions in the legs act as pumps to achieve this along with the elasticity of the walls of each vein.

Age is a common cause of varicose veins because the elasticity of the walls that make up each vein can be lost as you get older. This causes the veins to stretch and be less effective at returning the blood to your heart. The blood then pools and collects in your veins, causing them to enlarge and become varicose.

Pregnancy, and the resulting changes to the body, can also cause veins to become varicose. Blood volume increases during pregnancy. But the flow of blood often decreases, especially to your legs and feet. This change to your circulation is to protect and support your baby as he or she grows but can cause varicose veins in the process.

What’s the best way to treat varicose veins?

When you’ve decided that you’ve had enough of those unsightly and painful varicose veins, call us at the Atlanta Body Institute or book online for a full consultation and detailed care plan. We have two options for removing varicose veins that are proven to work well to achieve great results, Venefit™ and Venacure™.

Venefit Targeted Endovenous Therapy is a fast procedure that causes less discomfort and bruising than more traditional varicose vein removal techniques like stripping or surgical removal. Using ultrasound to see inside the veins, we insert a small catheter into a tiny incision behind your knee. This catheter emits a specific radiofrequency to heat the vein and cause it to collapse. The blood then finds a healthier vein to use to return to your heart.

Venacure Endovenous Laser System is similar but involves the insertion of a tiny laser into the vein that emits energy to cause the vein to collapse. Laser treatment has the additional benefit of improving blood flow in that area to prevent other veins from becoming varicose in the future.

If you’re looking for quick and minimally invasive treatment options for your varicose veins, book an appointment with us today.

The Main Differences Between the Gastric Balloon and Sleeve

You may have tried every diet known to man but haven’t been able to shed a significant amount of excess weight. If you’ve been a binge eater, your stomach can hold more than a person who doesn’t binge eat.

Your doctor is on your case, and now you’re ready to take action to get your weight under control. You’re tired of huffing and puffing just walking to your car. Losing that 50 pounds is going to feel like shedding a 50 pound backpack. What a relief. You can’t wait.

You may be trying to decide between two weight loss procedures: a gastric sleeve versus a gastric balloon. Both help you lose excess weight. Which is the right one for you? The following describes the major differences between the two.

Surgery vs. in-office procedure

The gastric sleeve is a surgical procedure. Atlanta Body Institute physicians reduce the size of your stomach by removing some of it. Gastric sleeve is minimally-invasive and is done either via laparoscopy or endoscopy.

The laparoscopy involves a few very small cuts in the stomach area to resize the organ. The endoscopy sutures the stomach into the shape of a small tube. Both procedures make you feel fuller much sooner, so you don’t eat as much.

The most common weight loss surgery in the U.S. is now the gastric sleeve. The surgery has been proven effective, efficient, and safe in a very short timeframe.

In 2010, only 9% of people having weight loss surgery had this procedure. By 2013, 49% of patients having bariatric surgery had the gastric sleeve, and the percentage continues to increase.  

Another weight loss option is the gastric balloon, a noninvasive office procedure. It involves having you swallow a capsule containing a tiny silicone balloon. Once it reaches your stomach, your physician inflates it with saline. It stays in your stomach up to six months while you’re undergoing weight loss treatment.

Permanent vs. temporary

Gastric sleeve surgery is forever. During the gastric sleeve procedure, part of your stomach is taken out permanently, leaving you with a much smaller stomach capacity. No more binge eating!

The gastric balloon is taken out of your stomach through a minor endoscopic procedure within six months; it’s not permanent. The idea is that you’ve learned portion control during that time. You’ve changed your eating habits; you feel full sooner, so that you’re not eating a lot of unhealthy foods that lead to obesity.

Do you believe you can continue your new habits once the balloon is removed? If so, maybe it’s the answer for you.

Cost

Since the gastric balloon is not a surgical procedure, it costs less than the gastric sleeve. However, many insurance companies now provide some coverage for these weight loss procedures, realizing that it should improve your health and cut future costs.

Health status

Your physicians at Atlanta Body Institute review your health and discuss all your weight loss options with you. If you have a condition such as Type 2 diabetes, your physician may recommend a bariatric procedure other than a balloon or the sleeve.

If you’re ready to make a change in your life and improve your overall health, contact the Atlanta Body Institute today. We have offices in Atlanta, Loganville, and Monroe, Georgia for your convenience.

Why it’s the Fastest-Growing Cosmetic Surgery Procedure

If you’re done having children, having a tubal ligation procedure can be a great way to prevent future pregnancies without relying on medicines, implants, IUDs, or other devices. Most women who have tubal ligation never regret their decision. Instead, they embrace the freedom that comes from not having to worry about birth control for the rest of their lives.

But for a very few women, there can be regrets. Life’s circumstances can change, and although they once thought they didn’t want to have (more) children, they find themselves in a position where they or their partner may be having second thoughts. Since tubal ligation is considered a permanent form of birth control or sterilization, it’s really important to make sure you’re completely on board with your decision to have the procedure. Part of that decision rests on knowing the “pros” and “cons” of tubal ligation, as well as fully understanding other available contraceptive options that might be a better choice for you and for your future.

Benefits of tubal ligation

Most women who have their tubes tied do so because they want to be as sure as they can possibly be that they won’t become pregnant in the future. Tubal ligation is well over 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy; still, it’s not 100 percent foolproof. Data show about one out of every 200 women who have tubal ligation may still become pregnant.

The other big benefit of tubal ligation is convenience. Once your tubes are “tied,” you don’t have to remember to take a pill, insert a diaphragm or ring, or have your IUD or implant replaced, and there are no messy spermicides to deal with. And unlike many other forms of contraception, tubal ligation doesn’t use hormones, so you don’t have to worry about potential side effects associated with estrogen and progestin.

Tubal ligation can also be a good choice if you or your partner have a genetic or chromosomal disorder you don’t want to risk passing on to a child, or if you have health conditions that make pregnancy very risky.

Downsides of tubal ligation

The biggest “con” of tubal ligation: It’s permanent. Yes, it can be reversed in some women, but you should not count on being able to “undo” your procedure so you can get pregnant if you change your mind in the future. In many cases, tubal ligations cannot be successfully reversed. If you do get pregnant while your tubes are tied, it could result in an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside the uterus), which means you’d need a surgical procedure to remove the fertilized embryo.

Another disadvantage: It can’t prevent sexually-transmitted diseases. Of course, that’s true of other forms of birth control as well. You’ll still need to use condoms and mouth dams to prevent contracting an STD.

And finally, tubal ligation is a surgical procedure. Even though it’s very safe and straightforward, it still carries some of the same risks as other surgeries, including the risks of bleeding and infection.

Alternatives to tubal ligation

Many women who opt for tubal ligation do so because they want a method that’s convenient (in addition to being very effective at preventing pregnancy). If convenience is what you’re after, but you’re not 100 percent comfortable with the permanency of a tubal ligation procedure (that is, if you have even the slightest thought that you might want to get pregnant in the future), then you may be better off with a different birth control method. 

IUDs and implants provide about the same level of protection against pregnancy as tubal ligation. According to the CDC, about 0.5 percent of women will become pregnant during the first year following a tubal ligation, compared to 0.2 percent to 0.8 percent of women who have an IUD. Women who use arm implants have an even lower chance of becoming pregnant — about 0.2 percent. Of course, if you have an IUD or an implant, you must be sure to have the devices replaced on a regular schedule (determined by the type and brand of device you’re using) in order for it to remain effective. In that regard, these devices are a bit less convenient than a tubal ligation that’s a one-time procedure.

Is a tubal ligation right for you?

If you’re thinking about tubal ligation, be sure to take some time to really consider the implications of the procedure and to consider your options. At the Atlanta Body Institute (a division of Georgia SurgiCare), our healthcare providers will help you review all your options so you can feel confident in the contraceptive method you choose. To learn more about tubal ligation and other forms of contraception, book an appointment online today.