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Weight Loss Drugs and Surgeries

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There are weight loss medications available that can be taken as a part of weight loss treatment. There are several categories of medications available:

• Appetite suppressers – Sibutramine, also known as Meridia, is the only approved medication for long-term use. This medication when used with a reduced-calorie diet helps you lose weight and keep it off. This medication is for the seriously overweight who have other issues, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. This drug suppresses your appetite by boosting levels of the chemical messengers, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the nervous system. Your body mass index must be at least 30 before taking this medication. Dry mouth, headache, insomnia, anxiety, irritability, nervousness, bleeding, easy bruising, seizures, and constipation are all possible side effects of this drug.
• Metabolism changers – Orlistat, also known as Xenical, alters your bodies response to fat intake. Fat absorbers work by preventing your body from breaking down and absorbing fat that you intake through your meals. The unabsorbed fat is eliminated through your bowel movements. Stomach cramps, gas, body aches, chills, irregular heartbeat, painful menstruation, and swelling of the body, feet or ankles are all known side effects.

There are many hormones and other substances that are said to reduce your appetite but they are still in the research process and have not yet been approved as drugs to take for obesity.

There are two forms of surgery for obesity that are being used for obesity treatment. Both surgeries are performed to treat only the severely obese. The cost of surgery is approximately $15,000 to $24,000 depending on where the surgery is performed. Obesity surgery is not typically covered by medical insurance.
Liposuction is not a choice for obesity treatment. Liposuction removes fat cells for cosmetic reasons but does not correct the causes of obesity.

The following are obesity treatment surgeries:

• Gastric bypass surgery – A small stomach pouch is created and connected to the second portion of the intestines. Food will then bypass the upper part of the small intestine and stomach and goes into the middle part of the small intestine through a small opening. Bypassing the stomach limits the amount of food that can be eaten. The food is unable to move through the pouch at a very fast rate due to the small opening. Infection, leaking, blockage in a lung artery, gallstones, and malnutrition are all possible side effects.
• Gastroplasty – Surgical reduction of the size of the stomach by using staples to divide the stomach into two parts. The upper part limits the space for food which empties into the lower pouch through a small opening. A band is inserted around the opening so it does not stretch. This is a less extensive surgery than the gastric bypass but also less effective. In a small percentage of cases, stomach juices have leaked into the abdomen. Other risks include, the bands breaking and wearing away, infection or death from complications.

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