As a bariatric surgery office, we perform surgery for the treatment of obesity that helps to improve overall quality of life, as well as medical problems related to obesity such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, acid reflux, weight-bearing joint pain, and sleep apnea.
Improvement in related medical conditions including:
- Asthma
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Gastroesphoageal reflux disease
- Sleep apnea
At Foothills Weight Loss Specialists in Knoxville, three areas that often have a high likelihood of improvement following bariatric surgery are diabetes, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea.
Diabetes
According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, many individuals who undergo bariatric surgery show improvement in their diabetic state.
For those with type 2 diabetes, nearly 90 percent of patients saw lowered blood sugar, the ability to reduce their dosage and type of medication used to manage the disease, and an improvement in diabetes-related health problems. Because surgery may cause the disease to go into remission, bariatric patients are in a high percentile (78 percent) for blood sugar level reduction and may no longer rely on diabetes medications.
High Cholesterol
High cholesterol is often a co-morbidity in those suffering from obesity. When patients undergo a pre-surgery plan, combined with bariatric surgery and maintaining a newfound active, healthy lifestyle, they often see an improvement in cholesterol levels. Because bariatric surgery alters the way your body metabolizes, controls appetite and results in significant weight loss, high cholesterol decreases with time.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a common disorder that causes breathing to stop and start while sleeping. Those with sleep apnea may experience pauses in their breathing sometimes in intervals of 30 pauses or more per hour, some of which may last anywhere from mere seconds to minutes, making it a potentially dangerous disorder.
Weight loss, including weight loss after undergoing bariatric surgery, may result in improvement or resolution of symptoms associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. According to the ASMBS, weight loss between 10 and 20 percent has been associated with improvement of symptoms.
Learn about our weight loss surgery options available at Foothills Weight Loss Specialists or call the office at (865) 984-3413 to speak with one of our experienced staff members.