Gastric banding is a surgical procedure performed for weight loss purposes. Reduce the size of the patient’s stomach by placing an inflatable band around the upper part of the stomach. This is supposed to decrease the patient’s appetite after surgery, leading to weight loss. However, gastric banding is not always safe and does not always lead to the results that patients expect. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons to better understand where it can go wrong as a weight loss strategy.
Advantages:
Compared to other methods of weight-loss surgery, gastric banding has a mortality rate of only 1 in 2,000. The changes made are not permanent, since the gastric band can be removed and patients are less pain-free and have a shorter recovery time. Also, since the intestines are bypassed during the procedure, the patient does not have to worry about malabsorption problems.
Cons:
The fact that gastric banding is safer than other forms of weight loss surgery does not mean that it is 100% safe. It can still lead to painful ulcerations in the stomach, internal bleeding, and infection. There is also the possibility of the stomach eroding and allowing the gastric band to slip through the membrane, a very serious condition that needs to be treated urgently.
Gastric Banding Misses at the Heart of the Weight Loss Issue
Above are descriptions of the physical pros and cons associated with gastric banding, but as a method of weight loss there is one glaring problem that can render the procedure ineffective: it is not habit-forming. It’s like a quick fix. It is a surgical solution that seeks to correct weight problems, but if the patient does not address the problems underlying their extreme weight gain, then it will not be effective. Weight management is all about habit management. If you don’t have good eating habits and good exercise habits, how can you hope to maintain a healthy weight? Today, many people are looking for a quick way to fix their problems, when the truth is that quick fixes often never get to the heart of the matter. It takes willpower to develop healthy lifestyle habits, and if you don’t combine willpower and self-reflection, it’s hard to maintain a healthy weight. The gastric band is a tool that can be helpful for someone who is approaching obesity, but if it is not combined with some type of therapy that conditions the formation of healthy habits (such as hypnotherapy), the patient will ultimately have a difficult time doing the necessary changes for a healthier life. In short, gastric banding alone will not solve your weight problem. Only you have the power to do this by creating and forming healthy habits and beliefs about yourself and your body.