Patients who suffer from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD, often find that their symptoms are immediately and dramatically improved after receiving the gastric band.Many of them no longer need to take daily medications like Nexium, Prilosec, and Protonix.It seems that the restriction of the band helps prevent the backflow of acidic fluid made in the stomach to aid digestion from refluxing back into the esophagus.Also, if our patients have a hiatal hernia, which most of the patients with GERD do, we can easily repair the hernia defect at the time of surgery with just a few minutes added onto the operation time. If you have questions about your reflux and potential for improvement after surgery, be sure to ask at your consultation visit, or give our physician assistant, Melissa Moyer, a call at 702-313-8446.
One of the latest potential weight loss techniques currently being evaluated in clinical trials is the TOGA System by Satiety, Inc.Recent news articles have raised awareness about the device and early results show at least some initial benefit following the procedure. The transoral gastroplasty is done by inserting a stapling device through the mouth into the stomach and creating a smaller pouch to hold food.The advantage of this technique is the avoidance of the tiny laproscopic abdominal incisions needed to perform gastric banding, bypass, and sleeve gastrectomies.However, like the other procedures, general anesthesia is still currently required with the TOGA procedure.
Whereas the durability of the weight loss from bypass, gastric band, and sleeve gastrectomy is well documented, whether this will hold true for the TOGA procedure is still very much undetermined.The TOGA procedure is most similar to the gastric stapling procedure, which was abandoned 20 years ago because the majority of patients regained their weight as the staple lines eventually reopened.This does not occur with a properly performed sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass as the stomach is completed divided, not just stapled.
It is still too soon to tell if the TOGA procedure will have long term benefits.As we have always done, Dr. Atkinson and I will continue to monitor the newest weight loss techniques to decide if they can be of benefit to our patients in Las Vegas.
Several patients were in the office today who have done very well with their weight loss using the gastric band.Losing the last 15-20lbs is usually more about food choices, exercise and avoiding high calorie snacks than it is about finding a perfect band “adjustment.”Most patients learn this by having their bands adjusted too tight and needing a little bit taken out.When I see patients undergo a series of tiny fluid adjustments and complaining of stagnant weight loss, usually they are depending too much on the band and need to depend more on their food choices.Our support groups and Mindful Eating classes, taught by our nutritionist Prudence Ticknor, are a great way to refocus for those last few pounds.To sign up for the Mindful Eating series or to find out more about our support groups, give us a call at 702-313-8446.
After several months and many, many short run/walks, group run/walks and strength training sessions, Team GBI crossed the Half Marathon finish line December 6, 2009. Excitement, accomplishment and even a little relief were felt as each GBI patient finished the 13.1 mile Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon course. Below are some photos from race day.
On Friday, December 11, 2009, Dr. Atkinson, Dr. Soong, Marathon Coach Prudence Ticknor and Team GBI gathered to celebrate and share stories about their marathon training and race experience. Food, support and friendship were shared at this congratulatory event! Below are some photos and a video from the dinner.
Congratulations team and good luck in your future trainings and races!
Congratulations on completing your half-marathon training for this year’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon on the Las Vegas Strip! We are very proud of you, your weight loss success and your dedication to healthy lifestyle changes. That’s what Gastric Band Institute’s philosophy is all about.
Remember to have fun on race day and keep your friends and family close by for extra support. Also, be sure to share your training and marathon success stories with others.Your journey is an inspiration to us all.
Deciding to walk/run in this year’s Las Vegas half marathon is a great feat to accomplish.So, don’t be shy and be sure to ask your friends and family for support on race day.You will want the encouragement of the crowd cheering you on.What will be better than seeing a friendly face in that crowd?!It will be a lot of fun for the spectators (and us) because this year the Las Vegas Marathon is being put on by Rock n’ Roll Marathons who will be organizingmusic stations on/near the marathon path.
Here are some tips to help guide your friends and family so they can make sure that they see you during the race.
Start/Finish Line:
This year’s race will be starting at Mandalay Bay.The start line is actually located on Las Vegas Boulevard in front of the hotel casino.The race will also finish at Mandalay Bay in the parking lot at the south end of the property.So, for early or late risers this is a good spot to show their support!
Las Vegas Strip – Between Reno and Sahara:
This year’s course is set up so that spectators will be able to catch half marathon runners anywhere along the strip, not once, but twice!Your friends and family can pick their favorite spot on the strip and they will have the opportunity to see you heading northbound and then southbound when headed toward the finish line.
Las Vegas Strip – Southbound at Spring Mountain Road:
At this point in the race, the half marathon participants will have less than three miles remaining to the finish line!Less than half a mile north of this location there will be a band stage on the Desert Inn overpass.This is a great spot for spectators to catch some music while also showing their support on race day!
Also, be sure to tell your friends and family that Las Vegas Boulevard is CLOSED for the race.If they are coming from west to east or east to west they will need to find a parking spot on that particular side of the Strip.Parking will most likely be jammed so be sure your friends and family have a game plan in place before leaving the house!
The race is only one month away.Keep up the good work and be sure to share this blog with your friends and family!
Recently, United Healthcare has become the first major insurer to recognize the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy as a proven, not experimental, bariatric surgical procedure. I suspect that other insurers will soon likely follow suit. This will open up further choices and options for our patients. We have been performing the Sleeve Gastrectomy with great success over the last few years and as more insurance companies start covering it, I’m sure the procedure will rise in popularity.
Many marathon runners go through mental, physical and emotional exhaustion post race day. This is what they call the “post-marathon blues.”This is when many runners fall into a funk after the race with no motivation to exercise. It is important to plan your mental recovery to minimize the sense of loss you may feel after race day. For months you are focused, planning your life around your trainings, being motivated by the excitement of the unknown and completing the race. Then it’s just over - or is it? It’s up to you to decide!
After the marathon, you’ll need to continue to listen to your body.Your body will need time to rejuvenate and replenish. Be mindful of your internal dialogue. Your thoughts may be saying “Rest is your reward for this great accomplishment.” Remember that while you rest, it is important to bask in your great accomplishment instead of the fact that training has come to an end. Talk about your success, journal about it and delight in the fact that you completed your goal with great intention and focus. Finishing is a great accomplishment, but address the definition of rest in your mind as well as how you will reward yourself. Taking the time to decide to sleep in until 9 am instead of getting up at 4 am is resting. Many people want to reward themselves with food after they have exercised; the voice is they deserve it. If you reward yourself with food make sure it is the 1oz of ice cream, candy or whatever goes with your meal. You may also want to think about buying a new pair of shoes, going on a mini vacation or giving yourself a weekend off to read the book you never have time to read. There are so many ways to reward yourself!
While resting, keep in mind that the longer you step out of your training/exercising schedule, the harder it is to get back into it. Think about cross training activities you may want to do or continue doing, i.e. swimming, spinning, yoga, etc. You may not continue to train for distance and time but keep up the exercise days that have been working for you. Possibly sign up for another marathon or a shorter distance race to assist in keeping the motivation going. Have a plan and be thinking about what you want to accomplish next. Your goal may be a faster time on another half marathon or something completely different. For example, in my mind I know of a sprint triathlon in April that I am already thinking about, talking about and getting excited about. I find this helps keep the motivation going and prevents the post training blues.
Remember that for most people, exercise time decreases after race day. If you have increased your caloric intake for your current training it will have to be adjusted after race day.You will not need the additional calories after the race - although you may have gotten used to consuming them. However, keep in mind that you may have gained muscled during the training and therefore your caloric intake might need to be lower than it was during training, but more than it was before training began. The key is to listen to your body; it will tell you what it needs.
The bottom line is plan ahead and be mindful.Listen to what your body is telling you but also decide whether what it is telling you is supportive of your future goals and intentions.
Hopefully, we’ve all been mostly injury free up until this point – maybe only a few blisters here and there and, of course, sore muscles.As we move up to 9 miles this week, let’s be more mindful than ever of how our bodies feel and how we can prevent any serious injuries from taking place. Below are three anti-injury technique categories that I’d like us to focus on.
Stability
Stability in your workouts will help you avoid injury. It becomes more and more important as our long walks/runs increase to keep up a consistent training schedule.
Continue to build up your mileage at the same rate each week. If you miss a long run, don’t jump to the next mileage level without catching up for the week you missed first. However, still be sure to give yourself several days between long mileage sessions.
Preventative
Taking notice to how your body feels will also help you stay injury free. If something doesn’t feel right during a workout, don’t push it. It’s always OK to stop, rest and recover. Stretch before any workout. When stretching, don’t bounce. Hold the stretch for about 10 counts. Be sure to focus on the muscles that will be most used during your training – running day stretches and cross training stretches may be different. Prevent dehydration by drinking fluids 30 minutes before your workout.
Recovery
After a tough training session consider taking an ice bath. Your muscles are inflamed from the workout so try to avoid taking a hot bath or sitting in a hot tub. If an ice bath is too cold, try putting an ice pack or a frozen bag of veggies on your sore muscles.
Now that your trainings are getting more vigorous, it’s important to work on proper breathing techniques while walking/running. Proper breathing can improve your endurance and help you to enjoy your training more. Breathing incorrectly can affect your performance by causing fatigue, which in turn, shortens the distance that you are able to complete. Added stress on your body can also be a result.
There are several universal breathing techniques that can be helpful. Learning breathing techniques while walking/running may be difficult or feel unnatural at the beginning. However, like with most things, with practice it will become easier. Start off by choosing one technique at a time and practice it while seated. Work on that specific technique until it feels natural and then incorporate it into a training session.Find your favorite and most useful technique and stick with it! The following are some breathing techniques:
1.Breathe through both your nose and mouth
This practice will assist in increasing the amount of oxygen taken into your air passages.
2.Breathe from your diaphragm
Close your eyes. Put one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly. Just breathe normally. Which hand is moving?The hand on the chest or the hand on the belly? Take time to focus on moving the belly while breathing instead of the chest. If you are moving the belly you are breathing from the diaphragm and your breaths will be more complete.
3.Maintain a 3:2 breathing ratio
Inhale for 3 steps, then exhale for the next two steps. This will assist in deeper controlled breaths. A 3:2 breathing ratio is suggested for people who do a light jog pace or less.
Check out this short video on breathing for additional information:
