A common fear for patient’s who have undergone bariatric surgery is hair loss. For most of us, our hair is important as part of our self-image but is not very important to our bodies. After surgery, the body is forced to make a choice on where to send the nutrition that is going into the body. After surgery, the body will shift nutritional stores to vital organs like the brain and heart and away from hair thus resulting in hair loss.
Hair loss has many causes. The most common type of hair loss after weight loss surgery is a loss known medically as telogen effluvium, which can have both nutritional and non-nutritional causes.
For most of our life, we are always in the process of growing and losing hair. Human hair follicles have two states: a growth state and a dormant state. All hairs begin in the growth state and then shift to the dormant state, which lasts 100-120 days. After this many days, the hair will fall out. At any given time, about 90 percent of hairs are in growth state and 10 percent are in a dormant state.
Specific types of stress can result in a shift of a higher percentage to the dormant state. These stresses include: high fever, severe infection, major surgery, acute physical trauma, chronic debilitating illness (such as cancer or end stage liver disease), acute weight loss, crash dieting, hormonal disruption, anorexia, low protein intake, iron or zinc deficiency, heavy metal toxicity and some medications.
Bariatric surgery patients have two major risks for hair loss: major surgery and rapid weight loss. These two are likely to account for much of the hair loss after surgery. In the absence of a nutritional issue, hair loss will continue until all hairs that shifted into the dormant phase have fallen out. Hair loss will rarely last for more than 6 months in the absence of a dietary cause. Patients can be reassured that with time, patience and keeping up good nutritional intake, hair will grow back.
Hi everyone, it’s Lorie. You know we all have good and bad days and wonder if it is all worth it. I know myself I have had a rough couple of weeks, and today I read this inspirational story that was sent to me in an e-mail by Mike Kramer. It was perfect for me and I thought I would share it with all of you. I hope you get something out of like I did. Enjoy.
The world can be a beautiful place, full of possibilities and life. You can feel invincible and in control. But it’s not always like that, is it? The world can also be a stressful, upsetting, confidence-crushing place. At times, it seems like even something as clear-cut as weight loss is harder than it really needs to be. Is it worth the trouble, you ask. Why am I banging my head against the wall? Is it really doing any good?
You’re darned right it is!
When life and your mind are full of troubles, when things seem out of control, you’ve got to take control of what you can. When confidence is low, that’s exactly when you need to be at your healthiest, your strongest, your most energetic. There’s no better time to create your own little corner of sanity and positive feeling. The best way you can do that is to stick with those small daily weight loss goals.
You can be the hammer, making things happen, or you can be the nail that sits there and gets pummeled over and over. If you’re starting to feel like a nail, it’s up to you to keep your program moving forward. Gather yourself together, draw a line in the sand and refuse to give in to the doubts and temptation to give in or quit.
You’ve probably heard this story before, but since you’re here, it’s worth retelling: A frog, hopping around the farm, minding his own business, fell right into a pail half-filled with cream. Swimming frantically, he found the sides too steep and too high. Determined not to give up, he continued to struggle. He kicked and squirmed, kicked and squirmed until at last his churning had turned the cream into a block of butter – allowing him to hop right out. He never gave up!
Here’s how your story and his intersect. If he only saw the hopelessness of his situation and started feeling sorry for himself, he would have sunk to the bottom. But instead he kept kicking. He kicked not because he knew it would help him escape, but because he was compelled to, he had no choice. He kicked because the alternative was no alternative at all.
From the frog’s point of view, all he was doing was treading water (or cream), doing what he could in a bad situation. If you keep kicking, even if it just seems like you’re treading water, you’re actually causing real change that will make a huge difference later on. There will be good days; there will be bad days – sometimes several in a row. There will be lazy days and discouraging days. But there will also be days of revelation, days of making a breakthrough, days of being proud of whom you are becoming, days of wanting to climb on top of your success and reach for the stars, because you just know that anything is possible.
These are the days that make it all worthwhile. These are the days that let you deal with those other, not-so-great days. Once you know those bad days will be there, it’s easier to accept them at face value and deal with them. But you have to keep kicking on those bad days to get to the good ones. If you’re not kicking, you’re sinking.
Don’t let the world or your own doubts take away one of the most positive things you have going for yourself – your determination to create a healthier, more energetic, more vibrant, more wonderful YOU.
Throughout the past few days, media reports have been buzzing with United Airlines’ new policy that targets passengers who are affected by obesity. This policy has already been enacted and requires obese passengers who do not fit in United Airlines’ seats according to their restrictions to purchase a second additional seat if the carrier is not able to make accommodations otherwise. Full text of the policy, which clearly affects
obese individuals can be found by clicking the link.
The Obesity Action Coalition wants to hear from you! Here are a few questions that will help us know where you stand:
- What are your thoughts on this new rule? Is it fair, unfair, discrimination?
- Do you feel it affects your ability to travel?
- Have you ever had an instance where you were asked to move from your seat due to your weight? If so, how did that make you feel?
- If you are an obese/morbidly obese individual, do you already purchase a second seat? If so, why and have you faced any challenges?
Take a few moments and share your thoughts with us on United’s new policy. You are also welcome to email the OAC at info@obesityaction.org.
In my last blog post, I talked about how happy our Indiana post-bariatric surgery patients are about the excess energy they have. This time I want to talk about some of the more entertaining comments I have heard.
For most of us to tie our shoes is not an exciting thing, it is commonplace and does not give us any cause for celebration. However, I have learned that for a morbidly obese person this is not generally the case.
More than once in my year at
Clarian Bariatrics I have heard from a patient how very exciting it is that they are now able to tie their own shoes! Now every time I tie my shoes I get an excitement and joyful feeling that I have helped someone have a reason to celebrate.
Do you underhandedly believe you will always gain your weight back regardless of what type of food plan you are trying to follow? Your old habits/beliefs may hinder your current behavior and eliminate your continual success of weight loss. Even if this was true for you in the past it does not mean you can not change your future!
I have no will power! Does that statement sound familiar? Do you continually make that comment therefore use it as an excuse to overeat? Instead of assuming that you don’t have willpower revisit the thought of making choices. Sometimes we eat because we miss a particular taste or texture. Ask yourself why am I truly eating? What is missing? How do I feel? What do I need?
Have an additional question about causes of obesity and weight loss surgery? Then leave a comment below or send a confidential email to bariatric@clarian.org and I will be happy to respond!
Interesting article about how physical education is being decreased at schools across the country and how it is one of the many factors that are contributing to the growing obesity rates among children. Click the link to read full text on this
cause of obesity from the
Washington Post.
The gym at Eberhart Elementary School is bright and spacious - with high ceilings, several basketball hoops, even a large, colorful climbing wall.
But for much of the day, the gym doubles as a cafeteria where the school's 1,800-plus students are offered breakfast and lunch.
There's another gym on the fourth floor, but it's so old it has basketball hoops attached to ladders. Time and space limitations mean each class gets physical education just once a week for 40 minutes.
In the fight against childhood obesity, getting kids moving is one of the most effective ways to combat the problem. But only Illinois and Massachusetts require P.E. classes for all kids in kindergarten through 12th grade. And, as Eberhart's example shows, even those requirements sometimes are not enough.
We have received a lot of questions about how obesity can affect different races. I did some research and found that all human bodies, regardless of race/ethnicity, respond to surgery basically the same way. There are some perceptions that African-Americans have less desirable outcomes, but that may be more a matter of culture than race.
Regardless, there are some health issues related to obesity that do affect ethnic groups in different ways. The following article from
Weight Loss Surgery magazine highlights one such issue related to sleep disorders.
People who get too little sleep are at risk for obesity, and for blacks the risk is greater than for whites, New York researchers have found. Studying the connection between short sleep duration and obesity, researchers analyzed national data from 29,818 adults aged 18 to 85. The study found that 52 percent of blacks and 38 percent of whites were obese (body-mass index of 30 or higher). Rates of short sleep duration (five hours or less per night) were 12 percent for blacks and 8 percent for whites.The adjusted obesity/short sleep duration odds ratio was 1.78 for blacks and 1.43 for whites, which shows that blacks have a 35 percent greater risk of obesity associated with short sleep duration, the researchers said.
"Compared to white Americans, black Americans had a greater prevalence of short sleep and a greater prevalence of obesity. Both black and white Americans who were obese tended to have short sleep duration," study author Girardin Jean-Louis, an associate professor at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center at the Brooklyn Health Disparities Research Center, said in a news release.The findings suggest that short sleep time may be a contributor to the obesity crisis in the United States, Jean-Louis said. Previous research has found that people who sleep for less than seven hours a night are at increased risk for obesity. The study was to be presented Monday at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies annual meeting, in Chicago.Do you have a question about causes of obesity, Indiana bariatric surgeons or the different types of weight loss surgery? Then join us at a FREE informational seminar. Information can be found by clicking on the image at the right of this page or by visiting this
Web site.
The following factors will be considered in determining if you are a candidate for bariatric surgery:
- You have tried to lose weight by changing your eating habits and exercise and are still severely obese.
- You are unable to perform routine daily activities without being seriously affected.
- You understand the procedure and the lifestyle changes you will need to make after bariatric surgery.
- You are motivated to make a lifelong behavioral commitment that includes well-balanced meals and physical exercise.
- You understand that this surgery won't solve all your problems, but can make you healthier -- and probably much happier.
Before patients undergo surgery for morbid obesity, they must qualify for our bariatrics program. Our basic program guidelines are:
- Being 100 pounds or more over your "ideal body weight," according to the established weight charts.
- Having a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 40 with no co-morbidities or greater than 35 with serious co-morbidities.
- Being able and willing to make the necessary lifestyle changes.
Learn more by attending a FREE informational session. Sessions are held at Clarian Bariatrics' Indianapolis location and include discussions with surgeons and weight loss specialists about the types of bariatric surgery - including Lap Band and Gastric Bypass - and the costs associated with surgery. Visit our
Web site for more information and for dates and times.
While I think this article raises some interesting points, it only skims the surface of what really constitutes a successful weight loss surgery outcome. Can the type of insurance a patient has be a pre-cursor to how successful they will be in a bariatric weight loss program? Maybe.
I think more telling is how willing they are to make a commitment to a healthier lifestyle. That is, how many support groups will they attend? Can they give up the unhealthy eating habits and focus on intake? Are they committed to a regular exercise routine? In my opinion, it doesn't matter if you have commercial insurance, a government funded plan or a self-pay option, if you have the will...there will be a way!
Click here to read the quick article.
If you are interested in learning more about causes of obesity and how you can have a successful surgery outcome, then join us at a FREE informational seminar. At the seminar you can hear from past patients and listen to Indianapolis Weight Loss Surgery Doctors talk about the process. Click on the image at the right of this page to view dates.
Be prepared for your family to ask questions about bariatric weight loss and be ready/willing to answer them. Know that you may not receive the reaction you thought might occur. Make sure you are ready for negative and positive comments.
Prepare yourself mentally for what may happen and have a plan of how you will handle those situations. The more prepared you are, the less anxiety you will feel which will help give you a sense of calmness. Understand that your family may need some time to let the information soak in. Remember that you didn’t make the decision to have surgery overnight. Give your family the opportunity to absorb the information, think about it and come back to you with questions.
Clarian Bariatrics is here to help you. Encourage a family member to attend a FREE informational weight loss seminar or support group with you. At the seminar they can learn about Indianapolis Bariatric Physicians, causes of obesity and the lifestyle changes that this life-altering procedure can bring. Visit our Web site at
www.ACallToChange.org for all upcoming event dates times and locations or click on the "Free Surgical Weight Loss Seminar" photo on the right side of this page.
Bariatric surgery is now accepted as the best and most effective treatment for morbid obesity. About 65 percent of all bariatric surgery patients are able to lose their excess weight and keep it off for more than five years.
When you consider that only approximately two percent of nonsurgical treatment patients are able to lose and keep off their weight for more than a year, you can appreciate these surgical results.
Health problems resolved or improved after surgery:
- 86 percent diabetes
- 70 percent high cholesterol
- 78 percent high blood pressure
- 84 percent sleep apnea
Expected weight loss (weight loss occurs for 18-24 months after surgery — mostly in first year):
- Lap-band surgery — 40-48 percent excess weight loss (national avg. = 47 percent)
- Gastric bypass surgery — 65-80 percent excess weight loss (national avg. = 62 percent)
- Duodenal switch — excess weight loss (national avg. = 70 percent)
Learn more about how weight loss surgery can change your life, by attending a FREE Indianapolis surgical weight loss seminar. Dates and times can be found by clicking on the image at the right of this page.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
It doesn’t matter what time of the day, the rules don’t apply anymore. Just because it is breakfast time are we are supposed to consume “breakfast” type foods? What exactly does that mean?
Since my Indianapolis weight loss surgery, I find that it doesn’t matter what time of day it is but what I am consuming! My breakfast of champions may be my leftovers from dinner the night before.
The main focus is of nutrients for patients who have undergone morbid obesity surgery is protein! If your meal is full of protein the rules of eating it at a specific time of day no longer apply. There is nothing wrong with eating breakfast type food at dinner time or dinner type food at breakfast time. Be creative with your foods and try new things!
What types of foods are you consuming? Have any protein packed recipes you’d like to share?
If you have questions, please feel free to contact me confidentially and directly at bariatric@clarian.org or 317-275-7010/877-275-2555.
Following up on a post from Wednesday, below are the benefits of weight loss surgery discussed by Dr. Gonzalez in a recent news article in a medical journal. Cardiovascular BenefitsCompared to patients undergoing conventional dietary regimens, patients undergoing bariatric surgery have lower incidence rates of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and high blood triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
Type 2 DiabetesThe first reports that weight loss through bariatric surgery improves type 2 diabetes were published in 1982. Improvement occurs in over 80 percent of patients, depending on the type of bariatric operation performed. An interesting phenomenon was described following gastric bypass surgery: diabetes disappears even before substantial weight loss is achieved. This triggered investigations regarding hormonal changes occurring following the intestinal disconnection, one of the most promising fields in the search for the cure of diabetes even in non-obese people.
Obstructive Sleep ApneaObesity is the single most important factor for developing obstructive sleep apnea, a disease characterized by limited oxygen supply and diminished pulmonary ventilation resulting in pulmonary hypertension and respiratory insufficiency. Bariatric surgery reduces the incidence of sleep apnea to less than one third before surgery.
Risk of Developing CancerObesity is responsible for at least 20 percent of cancer-related deaths in women and 14 percent in men, which represents over 90,000 people every year. A recently published study showed that patients undergoing weight loss surgery reduce the risk for developing cancer in up to 80 percent of the times. The benefits were greatest in breast cancer (85 percent) and colon cancer (75 percent). Others significantly reduced were pancreas, skin, uterus, and non-hodgkin lymphoma.
Overall Mortality and Quality of LifeObesity is second only to smoking as the most common preventable cause of death. It is estimated that life expectancy in obese patients is shortened between 10 and 20 years. Quality of life is also significantly affected. Resolution of obesity-associated diseases following bariatric surgery not only improves the quality of life, but also lengthens patients’ survival.
Join the staff at Clarian Bariatrics at a FREE informational seminar and find out how weight loss surgery can help improve your life. Visit our
Web site to view upcoming dates. We look forward to meeting you!
From their very first visit at
Clarian Bariatrics, all patients receive extensive education about the incidence of obesity, the presumed causes of the epidemic rise in obesity, the medical, psychological, social and economic consequences of obesity, and the keys to maintained successful weight loss. These educational sessions are conducted by physicians, nurses, nutritionists, psychologists and other experts.
The sessions are also attended by former patients who provide a personal perspective of their experience and describe the challenges they faced after weight loss. Attendees are also provided with a tour of the facility and are given numerous references for further research.
At about two weeks prior to surgery, patients attend a "preoperative visit," during which the major technical aspects of the operation are discussed, in addition to the required preparation at home, the details of the hospital stay and tips on how to optimize recovery at home.
The educational process continues through into the postoperative period. At each postoperative encounter, patients are seen by a physician and a nutritionist. These meetings are valuable opportunities for continued reinforcement of feeding and lifestyle guidelines. We adhere to the principle that all our efforts are essentially a form of behavior modification, and we understand that success is only gained through repetition and progressive cultivation and strengthening of our relationships with each individual patient.
The Clarian Bariatrics support group meeting for gastric lap band patients was held on Wednesday, May 20. This month's topic was "Developing a Positive Self Message."
Most self talk is negative. Negative self-talk may cause you to doubt yourself, create uncertainty, and perpetuate poor self esteem and poor self confidence. Since self-talk is mostly negative, this will work against you in the long run.
Change your self talk to positive self message. Changing to positive self-talk will give you a new message to help you overcome long-time fears and obstacles. You will become more confident around others and feel more in control. All you have to do is learn to talk to yourself and with a positive self message!
Create awareness of what and how you talk to yourself. Write down when you are self critical, negative, and judgmental. This will increase awareness when you becoming demeaning to yourself. Replace negative thoughts with positive and flexible messages.
Focus on what you can control!
Write down all negative self-messages and reword to make into positive self-message. For example - Negative self-message – “I will never be able to lose weight and keep the weight off.” Positive self-message – “I will take one day at a time and overcome difficulties the best that I can.”
Clarian Bariatrics is composed of staff and surgeons who specialize in the advanced surgical treatment of clinically severe obesity, a condition recognized by medical authorities as a major health problem in the United States today. In fact, obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States, surpassed only by cigarette smoking.
The surgeons of Clarian Bariatrics are highly skilled, experienced professionals backed by the vast network of Clarian specialists, affording you the latest in proven medical techniques. These include laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery, resulting in shorter hospital stays; advanced pain management techniques; and long-term support and follow-up. Patients can and do achieve major weight loss, a healthful and vigorous body and long-term weight control.
Want to learn more? Then join us at an upcoming FREE informational seminar.
Click here to learn about upcoming seminar dates.
The inflammatory headline is what initally caught my attention, but after reading the article posted in the United Kingdom's version of
Marie Claire magazine, I definitely see the point they are trying to make. Below are the first few paragraphs:
Greed, rather than laziness, is the major cause of the obesity epidemic across the developed world, research has shown.
A study comparing data from the US from the 1970s and the early 2000s found that over the past 30 years average calorific intake has increased by at least 500 calories a day, while exercise levels have changed little. While we at Clarian Bariatrics understand that obesity is caused by more than just diet and exercise, this article does paint a pretty accurate picture of how "a few extra pounds" can turn into a serious issue.
Click here to read full text.
An interesting article from Reuters that you may or may not find surprising. The first two paragraphs are below and you can
click here for the full text.
Obese children and adolescents are 26 percent more likely to have some kind of allergy, especially to food, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
They said it is not clear from the study if obesity causes allergies, but it suggests controlling obesity in young people may be important for lowering rates of childhood allergies and asthma.Are you struggling with weight loss and health problems associated with obesity? Then please join us at a FREE informational seminar where Indianapolis Bariatric Surgeons will discuss treatment methods and costs related to bariatric surgery. There is hope to break the cycle and achieve sustainable weight loss.
Click here for more information.
“The support of family, friends and medical professionals is crucial to the success of patients,” Samer Mattar, MD, FACS, Medical Director for Clarian Bariatrics, said. “It is important that these individuals understand that morbid obesity is a disease and they can be part of the treatment through positive thinking before and after the procedure.”
The comparisons between car racing and bariatric surgery are plenty. Think of the patient as a car in disrepair. A surgeon – or mechanic – can come in and fix the inside to improve function, but without dieticians – or fuel specialists - to provide proper education the work would be for naught. Additionally, exercise consultants and psychologists need to be available to help the patient adjust to a new life and habits, just as the tire changer rotates wheels for optimal performance.
Similar to race car drivers, patients are members of a team, which includes other post-surgical patients. It is essential that individuals regularly participate in team building exercises, like support groups and cooking classes, as a way to share struggles and success stories. They can also rely on their friends and family as their cheering section.
Mattar suggests that patients should attend at least four support group sessions each year post surgery, meet with a family physician regularly and visit with his or her weight loss surgeon at least once a year depending on how long the person has been post-operative.
“Just as if a patient owned a race car, they should regularly visit with ‘mechanics,’ undergo maintenance checks and get tune-ups if needed,” he said. “This way, potential problems are diagnosed early and any difficulties that a patient may have, whether medical, mental, social, financial, domestic or spiritual, can be addressed.”
Click on the "Victories at the Track" image at the top right to learn more about the pit crew concept.
One of
Clarian Bariatrics' success stories is about a lovely lady who entered her first 5K run recently. She was in the office the other day and we could feel her exuberance. She sent this detail in an email:
“I ran about ½ mile total of the 3.1 miles and I ran on every street we were on. I am very proud of myself to have even entered, let alone finish. To think that just one year ago I weighed almost 400 lbs and smoked 1-2 packs of cigarettes a day! We are all truly blessed.”This is a TYPICAL scenario for many people who have undergone weight loss surgery. They regain their lives…and then some! This woman would never have dreamed of accomplishing what she did the other day. I invite you to share your stories or dreams of a healthier, better life.
Are you ready to do something you never thought possible? Then join us at a FREE informational session to learn about bariatric surgery costs, problems caused by obesity and how weight loss surgery can save your life. Click on the image at the top right of this page to see upcoming dates!
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