Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 @ 04:22 PM
When considering a LAP-BAND weight loss surgery, the first question many people ask is: how much does a lap band cost?
Even if your insurance plan does not cover bariatric surgery, and you have to pay cash for or finance your band, you may find that weight loss surgery can help you save money in the long run.
Here are five of the hidden costs of obesity:
- Grocery and dining costs - Consider that someone with a lap band can get full on only 1/2 to 1 cup of food and think about what impact that could have on the grocery or restaurant bill.
- Missed days of work - A 2007 study showed that overweight women were 61 percent more likely to miss work time than women with healthy weight. For morbidly obese women, the figure was 118 percent.
- Other weight loss programs - Can you calculate how much you've personally spent on diets? As a country we spend $42 billion each year. How many of those worked?
- Gasoline - Did you know an extra 100 pounds in your car can reduce its fuel efficiency by 2 percent? That can really add up over the years, especially as fuel prices increase.
- Other medical expenses - If you're struggling with diabetes, hypertension, depression, joint pains, gastric reflux or any other obesity related ailment, you will likely be able to substantially cut your medical and prescription expenses by losing weight.
If you're struggling with obesity, go ahead and put together your own budget to figure out how much your finances are being weighed down.
And while that cost might not be equal to the surgery cost in the first year, consider that the surgery cost is a one-time expense, but the obesity costs above are cumulitive over time and can often get worse.
If you're interested in learning more about weight loss surgery and how it works to improve your health - and potentially your finances - download our free weight loss surgery information kit today!
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Mon, Jul 19, 2010 @ 03:56 PM
When you first start investigating the LAP-BAND System or the REALIZE Band Solution for weight loss, you'll hear a lot of terms that might not make much sense at first. One of those terms is lap band fill center.
A laparoscopic band fill center is a place people with adjustable gastric bands can go to get band adjustments (commonly called fills) made.
Generally, an adjustment is called a fill because a healthcare provider will inject saline into the band through a port, filling the band tighter to help restric the flow of food. More detail an be found about this on our post about lap band fills.
Normally, your surgeon's practice will perform adjustments to your band, and a busy surgeon will likely have nurse practitioners or physicians' assistants who can use their expertise to educate patients and free up the schedule for more sureries.
It may be difficult to swich surgeons or practices, though, if you do not have a good relationship. To help those people, some general practices have set themselves up as independent lap band fill centers, and some surgeons may see other surgeons' patients in some cases.
There are some important questions to ask before selecting your surgeon regarding after-care:
- What does care look like after surgery here?
- How quickly can you get on the schedule for an adjustment?
- What sort of backup does the healthcare provider have to perform fills if they become unavailable?
- What happens if I have a problem outside of office hours?
- Does this practice have fluoroscopy to check my band for problems?
If after those questions are answered, you don't feel confident your surgeon's practice is committed to follow-up care, you should either find a surgeon who is or begin early to identify a practice that can give you the best care in the long term.
At Weight Loss Surgical Center, we have gastric band clinics that operate as lap band fill centers in Kansas City, Independence, Springfield and St. Peters, Mo.; Overland Park, Wichita and Topeka, Kan.; Omaha, Neb.; and West Des Moines and Council Bluffs, Iowa.
To learn if adjustable gastric banding is right for you, download our free lap band information kit today.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Mon, Jul 12, 2010 @ 02:53 PM
Breakfast, it is often said, is the most important meal of the day. This is even more true for lap band patients.
It's also important for people to eat plenty of protein at each meal to provide enough nourisment for healthy muscles and hair. Protein also helps curb hunger throughout your day.
Unfortunately, many breakfast items from cereal to waffles are all carbohydrates and no protein.
So what can someone with a lap band eat for breakfast and still get plenty of protein without too many carbs?
- Bacon: it has a lot of protein, and these days it even comes in precooked form for a breakfast on the run.
- Eggs: another great protein source, though some people with a lap band say they sometimes get stuck in the band. Try different ways of cooking to see what might work for you.
- Sausage: it's tasty and it's loaded with protein.
- Sugar-free yogurt: there are so many flavors and varieties, you might never get bored. Just be sure to watch that you're getting more protien than carbs when you make your choice.
- Cheese: it's not a traditional breakfast item, but if it can go on your omelete, why not eat it alone, too?
- Cottage cheese: if you're a fan, this is a really easy breakfast item.
- Pork chops: if your band tolerates these well, you could upscale your breakfast with some quality meat.
- Ham steaks: another tasty meat for breakfast, again, if your band can tolerate it.
- Milk or soy milk: it is higher in carbohydrates than you would think, but it's better than sugary alternatives from a protein perspective. Just be sure to drink it before you eat solid foods.
- Protein shakes: there are so many shakes on the market that it's hard to give a recomendation. Just be sure to try several and check to make sure you're getting as few carbs as possible while maximizing your protein intake.
If you do not have a lap band but are considering weight loss surgery to drop pounds and get healthy, download our free kit of weight loss surgery information to learn more.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 @ 02:06 PM
Weight Loss Surgical Center recently revised its discounted cash price for LAP-BAND System or REALIZE Band Solution surgery to include follow up care for 12 months.
This means that cash patients who get an adjustable gastric band through Weight Loss Surgical Center get a full year of follow-up care included in their cash price, in addition to our 3-month surgery guarantee.
Most Weight Loss Surgical Center gastric band patients pay for their surgury through their insurance coverage and are only responsible for their co-pays, deductable or coinsurance as described in their plans. Insurance plans normally provide for 90 days of post-surgery follow-up care.
For those who choose to pay for their bands without insurance, the new price model gives them that extra year of care, included, as another benefit on top of any tax breaks they may recieve for the medical expense.
People considering weight loss surgery also should consider that Weight Loss Surgical Center offers a variety of financing options, and many people notice appreciable cost savings once their pharmacy, other medical and grocery bills begin to shrink along with their waistlines.
If you're considering an adjustable gastric banding surgery to lose weight, get healthy and get more of life, make an appointment to begin your insurance verification process to see if your insurance plan covers adjustable gastric bands.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Wed, Jun 16, 2010 @ 10:25 AM
A graphic from a new study sent to us this morning from our REALIZE Band representative supports their claims that people who frequently use the online weight loss tools at REALIZE mySUCCESS have greater average weight loss than people who don't use the tool.
The chart, below, shows the average weight loss for people using REALIZE mySUCCESS frequently compared to a group who uses the tool infrequently.
Those who use the online journaling tool recorded an average of 15% better excess weight loss over 18 months.
Patients who frequently used REALIZE mySUCCESS achieved an average of 64% excess weight loss, and patients who frequently used REALIZE mySUCCESS achieved an average of 15% more excess weight loss.
The tools available in REALIZE mySUCCESS are an important component to tracking, maintaining and improving success with a REALIZE adjustable gastric band.
REALIZE mySUCCESS:
- Allows you and your medical team to set goals and continuously watch your progress together - especially for the first three years
- Enables your medical providers to step in precisely when needed to keep you on track
- Is designed to help you establish a tailored progress plan and develop new healthy habits
- Is a personalized and interactive online tool available day and night includes digital body contouring visualization tools
If you're interested in learning more about the REALIZE Band Solution and REALIZE mySUCCESS and how it can help you lose weight and keep it off for good, download our free kit of REALIZE Band information now.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Tue, Jun 08, 2010 @ 09:20 AM
Weight Loss Surgical Center has reintroduced our Live LAP-BAND and REALIZE Band Seminars this summer in the Kansas City area. The first available live seminar is Saturday, June 19 at 10 a.m. in the lobby of our surgery center at 8101 W. 135th St. in Overland Park, Kan.
We were the first gastric band surgery facility to host our seminars online to help serve more people from more of our clinics as we expanded through our nine locations in four Midwestern states.
Many people find the free, online adjustable gastric band seminar useful because it is available any time, from the comfort of your own home, and it can be viewed multiple times at your leisure.
This summer, Dr. Lawrence Drahota has asked to do a series of live seminars at our Overland Park, Kan., office so he can answer questions in person from people who are considering a REALIZE Solution or LAP-BAND System surgery.
In keeping with our personal approach, we are not hosting this lapband seminar in a large auditorium or hotel space. This seminar will be in the lobby of our surgical center and will be limited to 20 people so that everyone can have the opportunity to ask Dr. Drahota questions.
At the conclusion of the seminar at 11 a.m., visitors can stay for our Overland Park Weight Loss Surgery Support Group, which begins immediately after the seminar. At the support group, patients discuss their weight loss surgery successes and struggles and help each other as they lose weight and get more of life.
Remember that registration is required, as attendance is limited to 20. Registration is now available for the June 19, July 17 and August 21 seminars. Register now for your free lap band seminar.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Fri, May 21, 2010 @ 01:45 PM
As you may recall from a previous blog post, we are a sponsor of this year's Country Stampede, and one of our REALIZE Band Patients has given us a great opportunity for you.
(For those of you not already doing so, I would recommend you also check out Wayne's weight loss surgery blog.)
Today, we open up our exclusive Behind the Scenes at Country Stampede Contest.
The grand prize winner and a guest will receive:
1. Special private escorted backstage tour for a look at what happens "behind the scenes" at Country Stampede on Saturday, June 26th (tour time to be determined)
2. Two Saturday VIP tickets - includes two professionally catered meals, inclusion in the VIP hospitality area, up close parking and two seats in the VIP seating section.
3. Two seats in the on-stage upper deck seating area for one artist's concert on Saturday, June 26th. Watch the artist's entire performance from the stage! (Artist to be determined)
4. Memories that will last a lifetime!
If you aren't familiar with the event, check out the Country Stampede website to see details about the event in Manhattan, Kan., from June 24-27, 2010. Performers include Mongomery Gentry, Tracy Lawrence, Suzy Bogguss and Keith Urban, plus many more.
Ready to stampede, sign up for the contest here.
Weight Loss Surgical Center will draw and identify the winners by June 16, 2010 and will give away any remaining tickets on a first-come, first-served basis. No purchase is necessary to enter the contest. A limited quantity of second-prize winners will win general admission tickets to Sunday's show.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Thu, May 20, 2010 @ 12:05 PM
Everyone has heard of weight loss plateaus. Even LAP-BAND and REALIZE Band Patients experience what appear to be setbacks on the scale as they move toward weight loss success.
At this week's Weight Loss Surgical Center Provider Conference - where our gastric band specialists meet twice a year in person to exchange ideas, experience and get the latest training - Dr. Patrick Nemechek of Nemechek Consultative Medicine spoke about what can be behind a weight loss plateau and how to get around it.
One of the more interesting examples Dr. Nemechek gave was about when people say that they are not losing weight, but their clothes are feeling more loose. He said this can often be attributed to a process called body shaping, and it should be encouraging, not discouraging.
Consider three people going through a plateau: William lost only two pounds this month, Lois stayed flat, and Sally actually gained two pounds.
Using a special scale that measures fat and muscle density, though, Dr. Nemechek was able to reveal more interesting information:
Willy really gained a pound of fat but lost three pounds of muscle.
Lois lost five pounds of fat, but gained five pounds of muscle.
Sally lost eight pounds of fat, but gained ten pounds of muscle.
Can you see how the average scale can hide the true story?
Even though at first glance, Sally looked like she may have been misbehaving, she actually lost the most fat and gained the most muscle.
When you're losing weight, your goal should be to lose fat, not muscle, if it can be avoided, which is why we tell our LAP-BAND and REALIZE Band Patients to begin their three daily meals with protein.
Adjustable Gastric Band patients can get full after only a half-cup or a cup of food, so it's very important to make sure and eat the right things, like protein, before they get full.
For people who don't have a band, protein is every bit as important, so you should be sure to eat plenty with every meal. And as an added bonus, protein can help cut down your cravings later in the day.
If you're interested in learning from the weight loss professionals at Weight Loss Surgical Center about how an adjustable gastric band and a healthy diet can work together to improve your health, schedule you first lap band consultation today.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Sun, May 16, 2010 @ 02:04 PM
If you have not yet caught one of Allergan's new commercials for its LAP-BAND System, you can view all the versions of the ads here.
They have four versions:
- Absolution talks about what people did to lose weight before they got LAP-BAND Surgery for lasting weight loss success.
- Band vs. Bypass discusses the differences between gastric banding and gastric bypass and why patients choose LAP-BAND, including safety, not having to staple your stomach, and quick recovery.
- Cost reveals that insurance covers the cost of LAP-BAND Surgery for some patients.
- Health talks about how the band is not just about weight loss, but about improving health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea and joint pain.
If you're interested in learning more about the LAP-BAND System for weight loss, please download our free LAP-BAND Materials to learn more.
Posted by Adam Yarbrough on Fri, May 14, 2010 @ 10:47 AM
Yesterday, Allergan, makers of the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band, launched a national public awareness and advocacy campaign called C.H.O.I.C.E. It stands for Choosing Health over Obesity, Inspiring Change through Empowerment.
The campaign is focused on healthcare professionals, consumers and Congress, encouraging them to work together to address America's obesity epidemic through prevention and treatment.
In one of the more inspiring bits of their announcement, they state that the campaign aims to develop understanding that obesity is not a choice made by those struggling with excess weight, but a serious disease that is the second leading cause of deaths preventable deaths in the United States.
The campaign's initiatives are descibed on the C.H.O.I.C.E. website:
- A petition to Congress asking the body to acknowledge that diet and exercise alone cannot solve the epidemic.
- A Facebook Cause, with a goal of 250,000 C.H.O.I.C.E. Cause members.
- A Twitter feed (@CHOICEcampaign) for the latest news.
- The Voice My C.H.O.I.C.E Contest Program to select twelve winners to hand-deliver the petition to legislators.
- Social Media Tools to help spread the campaign.
Below, you'll find links to the contest, the Facebook cause, the twitter feed and blog:
