Customer Reviews

The Doctor's Guide to Weight Loss Surgery: How to Make the Decision that Could Save Your Life

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Weight Loss surgery is a tremendously scary subject but this book makes it easy to understand. It was helpful to know that there are different types of surgery that work differently.

The author is one of the leading surgeons in this area and one of the co-authors had the surgery herself.

The best part of the book were the many true-life accounts from real people who've had the surgery and found it changed their lives for the better. And the recipes were great, too!

This book is a must-read for anyone considering weight loss surgery or just exploring treatment options for morbid obesity. It's well-researched, authoritative and easy-to-read. The authors include one of the top WLS surgeons and a writer who had weight loss surgery, so they know what they're talking about. Every question a reader might have is anticipated, and ably answered.

I have read all the books I could find on the subject, since I am having surgery soon. Next to Barbara Thompsons book (Finding the thin person hiding inside you), this is the best. Easily understood, extremely helpful, takes you right through the whole process, and beyond. I love the amount of resources, and the recipes are GREAT. My husband read a lot of it too, so that he is more informed. Great sections to provide info for my employer as well. I got so involved in the reading, was sad when I was done.

If you are considering WLS and need to compare operations and get a basic overview, then this is the book for you. It covers pre-surgery questions as well as post-op concerns. I would recommend giving this book to your surgeon or primary care physician to inform them of the surgery. I work as a library assistant and recommend this book to my patrons. It has been the only book I have found that gives good basic coverage of the subject.

I have read this book several times and it is the only book on this subject that you will need. I have read the others but this book has EVERYTHING you will need to know INCLUDING how to select a surgeon, and even how to get approval for your surgery. A MUST HAVE ITEM IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING WLS.

Recently, a friend of mine underwent Weight Loss Surgery. I gave her Dr. Flancbaum's book as a gift so she could be well informed about the choice she was making. I never gave anyone anything that was so appreciated!

I am the father of a highly overweight adolescent girl, whose furure may include weight loss surgery (WLS). This book explained the many issues involved not only about the surgery itself, but, importantly, about many basic concepts about obesity (including very useful definitions and formulas about what constitutes obesity). The book also clearly discussed the critically important subject of the co-morbid conditions (diabetes II, high blood pressure, e.g.)that can be caused by obesity. The danger of obesity, as mainifested by the presence of these co-morbid conditions, was dramatically described. These issues, as well as the more technical description of the various types of WLS surgeries, was set forth in a manner that was easily understood by this lay person. I felt as if I was involved with a personal consultation with the physician/author, where the surgery was described, and the potential risks and side effects, and benefits, were being explained to me in a very understandable way. The book also contains an ending chapter of Frequently Asked Questions which provided an excellent review of the entire book's contents, and could serve as a condensed version of the book should a reader just wish to address a certain issue, and have the answers presented quickly and directly. The book greatly advanced my understanding of the meaning and problems of obesity, and placed me (and ultimately my daughter)in a substantially more enlightened and informed position to make a potential decision about whether or not my daughter should undergo this surgery.

I depended on Dr. Flancbaum before and after my weight loss surgery in the same way that I depended upon Dr. Spock when my children were small. His book became a dog earred companion on my nightstand--well read and well loved. I would recommend it to anyone considering this surgery!

If you're looking for an authoritative review of weight loss surgery, including how it could actually save your life, this is the book for you.

Morbid obesity is usually diagnosed when someone is 100 pounds overweight or 150% of one's ideal body weight. Dr. Flancbaum refers to this condition throughout the book as a chronic disease and offers a range of surgical solutions, along with the risks and possible complications. For anyone contemplating this route to losing weight, realize that the book leans toward the more invasive Roux-en-y (RNY) gastric bypass surgery. In my opinion, it reflects the 2003 copyright date as well as the experience base of most surgeons, who tend to favor what they know best.

However, RNY surgery is documented as more effective, usually resulting in more weight loss than the less invasive gastric banding (GB) surgery. This is due primarily to the dumping syndrome that causes patients to vomit high fat or sugary foods and the malabsorptive nature of the RNY procedure, which reroutes the small intestine to the new stomach pouch and prevents the normal absorption of nutrients. The book terms this surgery as "more radical," since it involves opening the body cavity and re-plumbing the patient's innards.

Compare this to GB surgery, which is generally performed laproscopically with thin instruments and a tiny tv camera to guide the surgeon through four or five small incisions in the abdomen. The plastic band is inserted around the upper part of the stomach, forming a small pouch that helps the patient feel full on much less food. The band permits a trickle of food through the small opening, which is adjustable to expand or contract for more or less food to pass through according to the patient's weight-loss progress. The book cites some negative issues that occurred early on with this procedure, and tends to write it off. But since the book's publication, GB surgery is gaining popularity primarily because it is adjustable, is reversible (rarely done), is far less invasive, does not cause the dumping syndrome, does not affect the absorption of nutrients and has many other advantages.

Regarding food choices and diet recommendations -- Dr. A. Hawasli, one of the most experienced laproscopic GB surgeons in the U.S. -- makes one diet book a mandatory requirement for his patients. Written by registered dietitian Theresa Malysz, The Duct Tape Diet includes a comprehensive listing of 6200 foods from the USDA database of branded items along with their content of saturated fat, protein, carbohydrates and calories. The book also contains a simple, easy to understand regimen for GB patients to follow so their food selections don't interfere with the intent of the surgery. The title originates from her husband's use of duct tape to wrap up those "diet villains" that often cause people to fall off the wagon -- an amusing technique from a book that employs humor to help those afflicted with curse of dangerous excess weight.

Current estimates of 10 million morbidly obese adults in the U.S. (BMI of 40 or more) constitute about 5% of the population and could reach as high as 23 million if the BMI range extends to 35 or more. Although other books on the subject reflect a lower estimate, the problem is all too common for any western society. The Doctor's Guide to Weight Loss Surgery is one of the best guides to help you make this decision, which is not a magic solution to the problem, but is effective for anyone who can't do it any other way.

The book is great. The Dr's who wrote the book have spent a great deal of time in research and in documentations. I love the patient stories they have placed strategically throughout the book. The sellers delivered promptly and the book was in great condition.
Thanks! JoAnn