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Weight Loss Surgery

Types of Bariatric Surgery in Alpharetta, GA

#gastric bypass#lap-band surgery#plastic surgery
Dec 30 • 2 minute read
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If you are struggling with obesity or excess weight and have tried dieting and exercise to no avail, surgery may help you attain a healthy weight. Bariatric surgery refers to a procedure that alters your digestive system to help you lose weight. It works in two ways: restriction and malabsorption. In restriction procedures, the surgeon reduces your stomach size so you can feel full by eating less, while malabsorption lowers the number of calories you absorb. Read on to find out the various forms of bariatric surgery that can help you shed excess weight.

What are the Types of Bariatric Surgery?

Bariatric surgery uses various methods, and the option you choose depends on your age, health, and preference. Your surgeon will take you through the available options and help you make an informed decision. Types of bariatric surgery include:

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the most popular type of bariatric surgery. It involves creating a small pouch in your upper stomach and connecting it directly to the small intestine. The remaining part of your stomach is then connected to the other end of the small intestine further down so that it continues producing enzymes and acid for digestion.

With the reduction of stomach size, you automatically eat less. Roux-en-Y also promotes malabsorption as the re-routed intestine bypasses most of your stomach and parts of your small intestine. Roux-en-Y typically offers higher and faster average weight loss compared to sleeve gastrectomy and adjustable gastric band. It can also improve certain health conditions, such as type two diabetes and hypertension.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

Just like gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy reduces the size of your stomach. However, in sleeve gastrectomy, your surgeon removes 80% of your stomach permanently and sews the remaining part to form a sleeve-like pouch. The procedure is minimally invasive and permanent.

Apart from reducing your food portions, sleeve gastrectomy reduces the amount of ghrelin, a hormone responsible for hunger. By sticking to the recommended diet and exercise, you can lose up to 50% of your excess weight in as little as 18 months.

Duodenal Switch

During a duodenal switch procedure, your surgeon removes 80% of your stomach and reroutes your small intestine by bypassing a small portion of it. The first part of your small intestines is divided into two, and one section, known as the alimentary limb, is connected to the stomach pouch.

The second part, known as the biliopancreatic limb, separates the digestive juices produced by the pancreases and gallbladder until the sections meet at a common channel. A duodenal switch works by reducing the amount of food you need to be full as well as the number of calories your body absorbs.

Some of the benefits of a duodenal switch include:

  • It results in weight loss of up to 70%
  • You eventually get to eat normal-sized meals
  • No food restrictions

Duodenal Jejunal Bypass with Sleeve Gastrectomy

This is a modified version of the duodenal switch. Your surgeon removes 80% of your stomach to create a sleeve and reroutes the lower part of your small intestines. The small intestine is divided just before the entry point of digestive juices into the digestive tract.

The lower part of the small intestines is also divided into two and connected to the duodenum to create an alimentary limb. This procedure minimizes malnutrition from a duodenal switch. It also results in more weight loss compared to gastric bypass.

Revisional Surgery

Revisional surgery is the conversion or repair of earlier bariatric surgery. For example, your doctor may change sleeve gastrectomy or adjust the size of connection in a gastric bypass. If you start gaining weight after bariatric surgery, you will require revisional surgery to correct it.

Revisional surgery gives you the chance to lose weight that you may have gained after an earlier bariatric surgery. It is also an opportunity to correct an earlier bariatric surgery that failed to give the desired results.

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding

This type of bariatric surgery involves placing a silicone elastic band around the upper part of your stomach to create two compartments. When you eat, the food goes into the first compartment, which is smaller. Afterward, the food slowly goes through the band’s opening into the larger section for normal digestion.

The band attaches to a balloon and connects to a port under the skin on your abdomen. Your doctor can inject a saline fluid through the port into the tubing to tighten the band or withdraw fluid to loosen it. Constricting the band causes you to eat less as it decreases hunger by slowing the passage of food into the second part of the stomach.

This procedure is reversible, minimally invasive, and does not cause nutritional deficiency. You can also adjust the band without requiring surgery.

Start Your Journey to a Healthy Weight

If you are looking for reliable weight loss treatments in Alpharetta, we are here to help. With a team comprised of our skilled surgeon and compassionate, friendly staff, you can achieve your weight goals through bariatric surgery suited to your unique needs. Contact Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Surgery Institute, PC today to schedule an appointment.

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  • In May 2021 I had a mild stroke(T.I.A) at the age of 39!!!! At the time of the stroke the doctors weighed me in at 335 pounds! The day of the surgery which was March 24th of this year I weighed 305 pounds. It hasn't been 6 months, and I lost 121 pounds! I eat plant-based, no bread, sugar, pizza, soda, fried foods as well as no meat. I was on diabetes medication; I had sleep apnea; I was on 3 blood pressure meds; along with 2 cholesterol meds! I'm no longer a diabetic, so I don't need the medication(You can get rid of diabetes!!) I got off all blood pressure, and high cholesterol meds; as well I no longer have sleep apnea (yes you can get rid of sleep apnea!!!!). As well I had zero complications from the surgery!! People will try to give you horror stories about people they know or heard of who had the surgery. HAVE THE SURGERY ANYWAYS!!!!!! Special thanks to Dr. Michael Williams, and his team (Michael Andrews, Dr. Curtis, and Tiffany)! Dr. Michael Williams performed the surgery!

    LLevi I

  • If you're thinking about getting a Bariatric surgery done, I certainly recommend Dr. Williams and Dr. Curtis. They are very knowledgeable and will guide you through your journey.

    I opted to get the sleeve done. My insurance required that I have a 6 month diet plan prior so I went to see Dr. Williams and Dr. Curtis every month to complete this.

    The ladies in the office are also ALL fantastic. They answer any questions you have and make you feel comfortable. I loved getting to see them monthly. They got to know me and my baby (she had to tag along for a lot of the visits) and have made this process an easy one. Rose, who handles the insurance and scheduling of the surgery has also been absolutely wonderful. She helped me to make sure that I could have surgery when my family would be in town.

    Before going anywhere else, make a visit. You certainly will not regret it! It could be the best decision you've ever made. It was for me.

    AAshley N.

  • Dr. Michael Williams is here to help in every way.. He’s extremely confident in his skilled surgical procedure. He puts you at ease and completes his job with excellence...I love the staff and the results! Dr. Michael Williams is the best practice.

    GGeorge C.

  • My bariatric surgery was the best thing I ever did for myself. I went from 252 lbs. to 130 lbs. Went from a size 32 to a size 6. My A1C has been staying in the normal range and I have been able to stop several meds. My GP practically does cartwheels when I come in because I have kept the weight off since 2014

    JJan

  • I had gastric bypass surgery on March 31 2008 and, not to sound cheesy, but it's one of the BEST decisions I've ever made. I was actually pretty healthy prior to having surgery - minus being about 110 lbs over weight - so, as silly as it may seem, my motivation for the operation was about 80% fashion based and 20% of just plain ole tired of being fat! I've always loved clothes and fashion but I absolutely hated shopping. There were only 2... maybe 3 stores I could find clothes in my size. I wanted to be able to walk into any mall and shop in any and every store in the building.

    When people ask me am I happy with the results I can honestly say "Yes!!!". I am now able to do what I wanted to accomplish. My dream was to be a size 12 and I have exceeded my own goal and have maintained my weight for the last 5 months. When you set a personal goal you have to make sure it's just that - personal - because if you base your decision to have this surgery to make someone else happy or if your decision has something to do with an aspect that YOU cannot control, no matter how small you get, you may never be satisfied with the results.

    The first few weeks are hard with all the protein shakes, sugar-free this and that, baby sips, chicken broth, dry mouth, and constant worry if you made the right decision. But, it's SOOOO worth it! I PROMISE! I use to have a pair of size 14 jeans hanging on my wall; they were my "motivation" jeans. I had to give them away to Goodwill last year because they were to big - THAT was my "WOW" moment. I encourage you find one for yourself...

    Weight prior to surgery: 273
    Clothes size: 22
    Shoe size: 11
    Bra size: 40 C/D

    Weight post surgery: 148-151
    Clothes size: 6 or 8
    Shoe size: 10 or 9 1/2 (amazing!!!)
    Bra size: 34 B (not so amazing *sad face*)

    AAnonymous

  • My name is Sharon Clark and for 5 years I struggled with obesity, I was on medications for high blood pressure, diabetes, and my mobility was limited due to severe knee problems.

    I met with Dr. Michael Williams in September of 2019 and he explained the weight loss options available to me and we decided that the gastric sleeve was the best option for me. I had my surgery on December 30, 2019, and I must say that this was the best decision I could have made for myself.

    To date, I have lost 109 pounds, I no longer have high blood pressure, or diabetes, and I am able to walk without any assistance, this surgery has truly changed my life. I would like to thank Dr. Michael Williams and his staff for their support during this journey.

    SSharon Clark

  • I have been a patient of Dr. Michael Williams for almost 7 years and I have always had the best care and outcome from him.

    In September 2013 I had the gastric sleeve procedure. I weighed 300 lbs, had sleep apnea, and high blood pressure. My blood sugar was also high. After the surgery, I was on 3 weeks of a liquid diet then I slowly added soft foods. I have lost 100 lbs and have kept it off. My sleep apnea is gone, I have no more high blood pressure and my blood sugar is normal.

    I'm very grateful to Dr. Williams for giving me a second chance at a healthier life. I have referred several of my friends to him, and they have all had a successful outcome from their surgeries.

    If you're thinking about having a weight loss procedure done, I would highly recommend Dr. Michael Williams.

    LLinda

  • I’m simply going to say that I’ll be looking forward to being able to enjoy some extra years with my beautiful and loving wife of 43 years.


    MY JOURNEY

    22-Mar-2007:
    K305-0 / W314-0
    Had lap-band surgery.

    2-May-2007:
    K270-35
    My band was tightened to 4.0cc and I have lost a total of 35 lbs. since 22-Mar-2007.

    8-Jun-2007:
    W276-38
    My band was tightened to 6.0cc.

    17-Jul-2007:
    W269-45
    My band was tightened to 7.0cc.

    17-Aug-2007:
    K255-50
    My total weight loss is now 50 lbs. I have definitely changed the type of food that I eat and the quantity of such. I can really eat anything that I want, but I seem to gravitate to ground steak, fish & chicken with a small amount of vegetables.

    04-Oct-2007:
    K250.0-55.0
    My total weight loss is now 55 lbs. and I have stayed there for the past 6-weeks. I’ve gone from a size 3XL shirt to a size XL. My waist size is now 44” – down from 52”. My blood studies look great. I’m no longer Diabetic! My recent Stress Test was outstanding for my age.

    07-Nov-2007:
    W256-58
    It was decided that another 0.5cc (7.5cc total) should be added to my band. Now if I eat too fast, my small stomach will hurt for about a minute or less. However, I can still eat a normal restaurant sized meal, if, I skip the salad & bread. My blood pressure is now normal – 115/70 to 130/80.

    03-Mar-2008:
    K245-60 / W253-61
    It was decided to add another 0.5cc to my band. Dr. William says that I now have 8.5cc total. I now notice that I’m belching more and seem to be eating smaller food portions.

    22-Apr-2008:
    I had a facelift, eyelid & browlift surgery - $14,000! No question about it, I look 15 years younger from the front and 68 from the rear. My 03-Mar-2008 tightening has not made any change in weight loss.

    11-Jun-2008
    K247-58 / W260-54
    I put on 5 lbs. during the past 2 months, so another 0.5cc was added to my band, for a total of 9.0cc. 10cc is normal and the band can be overfilled to a max of 12cc. My weight gain has been caused by eating too many calories – that simple. I notice that I’m now belching after I swallow a mouthful of water. The extra added 0.5cc hasn’t had any affect on my weight loss.

    20-Aug-2008
    K262-43 / W266-48
    At this point in my life, it’s very obvious that the Lap-Band is nothing more than a tool to help me loose weight. Because of lower-back problems, I have not been exercising on a regular basis. So, I end up sitting in front of my computer all day and snacking. Today Dr. Williams is going to add another 0.5cc to my band for a total of 9.5cc.

    20-May-2009
    K255-50 / W262-52
    A decision was made to add more Saline to my lap-band. My total is now 9.65cc. I now notice that I’m belching a little more than usual and eating a little less. I’m told that belching is good. Dr. Williams is talking about going to the normal 10.0cc level, but I’m not sure I want to do that. When I question his reasoning, he just smiles and ask me how often how often do I vomit – I don’t know what makes him think that I want to start... 19-Sep-2009 - Since this last adjustment, I have not loss or gained any weight. It's basically because I'm not being selective when it comes to the type of food that I'm shoving in the orifice below my nose...

  • Dr Williams is a wonderful surgeon. I'm so very grateful for all the time, hard work, and effort he made in order to become a physician and help save lives. I had a ruptured appendix and peritonitis and he took excellent care of me. Just prior to my surgery, I had multiple nurses tell me that he is the surgeon they would pick for their loved ones and that he is awesome. I agree completely. He personally checked on me every day I was in the hospital even on the weekend. For the follow up, I had no wait time. Please keep in mind the nature of his job, emergency surgeries become priority and could affect wait times which would not be his fault.
    Thank you, Dr Williams. I appreciate you and will keep you and your family in my prayers. I am extremely grateful that you helped save my life.

    JJen Gillespie

  • Dr. Williams is a very skilled surgeon. While I was at Northside Cherokee many nurses discussed he would be the one to do their surgery. I had a gastric sleeve. Don’t expect a fabulous bedside manner, he is not talkative. But he is more than willing to answer your questions without seeming rushed. I am five daysPost surgery and have really had no complications Related to the surgery. I was surprised though that neither of the hospital nor the doctors office have called to see how I am.

    SSuzanne F.

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