Blog
9th Jul, 2021
The FDA recently approved a new weight-loss drug, called Wegovy, intended for those who are either obese or overweight with at least one weight-related medical condition. And while we enthusiastically welcome any new tools in the fight against devastating obesity and type 2 diabetes, we do have a word of caution about "revolutionary" weight-loss medications. A Reason for Skepticism Wegovy is a "me-too" drug and… Read more »
2nd Jul, 2021
In a new series, we’re debunking persistent myths of weight loss surgery. Read the first and second posts in our series, Weight-Loss Surgery Myths Debunked - You'll Have Terrible Scars, and Weight-Loss Surgery Myths - You'll Probably Gain Back the Weight. The idea that you'll miss out on key nutrients following weight-loss surgery isn't true. But like every myth, underneath is a kernel of truth somewhere, so let… Read more »
25th Jun, 2021
In a new series, we’re debunking persistent myths of weight loss surgery. Read the first in our series, Weight Loss Surgery Myths Debunked - You'll Have Terrible Scars. The idea that you'll probably gain back the weight following weight-loss surgery is another common myth. But is it true? According to the largest, most comprehensive studies around the globe, the answer is no. The Weight Regain Myth… Read more »
18th Jun, 2021
Diet and exercise are enough when you do them right—or so we are told. Just mind your diet and exercise, right? This is something we've heard since childhood. And how could such straightforward, commonsense advice possibly be wrong? Unfortunately, it's the wrong strategy for treating obesity. Here's why the medical management of obesity isn't nearly enough. Widespread Environmental Changes Let us start by acknowledging that the… Read more »
11th Jun, 2021
In a new series, we're debunking persistent myths of weight loss surgery. Is it true that weight-loss surgery will leave you with terrible scars? It's a common misconception, but it's not true. Today, minimally invasive surgery or laparoscopic surgery normally creates four or five small incisions ranging from 5 to 20 mm in length. For most people, the scars fade with time and become very… Read more »
4th Jun, 2021
After metabolic surgery, people report far less hunger and a greater sense of fullness or satisfaction after less food. But how does this occur? It turns out that hunger and fullness are both a lot more complicated than researchers once thought. Some of us feel hungry almost every minute of every waking day, while others only feel their hunger stir with external cues such as… Read more »
28th May, 2021
For teenagers with severe obesity, is metabolic surgery an option now or should it wait until they reach adulthood? What are the risks, and what are the advantages? These challenging questions have been considered by both parents and doctors for many years, and some of the recommendations may surprise you. Obesity in Teenagers Let us start with recognizing the problem. An alarming number of children… Read more »
21st May, 2021
We are sometimes asked if it makes sense to travel to undergo surgery—i.e. medical tourism—and in my field, the question often relates to travel to Mexico for bariatric surgery. There are three considerations someone should make in this scenario. These relate to the risks, the remedy for any complications, and what someone might truly be gaining by traveling to Mexico for the procedure. Many years ago,… Read more »
14th May, 2021
Some of the most common questions that arise after bariatric surgery are listed below with answers that usually hold true for just about everyone. Post-operative questions tend to differ from pre-operative questions because now the surgery has already taken place, and certain things may not be fully in line with pre-operative expectations. In other cases, new concerns arise that were just never covered or addressed… Read more »
7th May, 2021
All too often, people wait far too long to move forward with treating their health. This is especially true for weight loss surgery. I cannot tell you how many times I see people in the office who come to see me once something dreadful has already occurred. Common examples are that an individual has taken a fall, suffered a severe injury to a hip or… Read more »