The Shame of Shaming

It's amazing but, in this day and age, there are still people who believe we can socially stigmatize our way to a reduction in obesity. Those of us involved in weight loss surgery, and those of us who are dealing with weight issues understand one fact that people who are not intimately involved with weight issues might never come to understand: eating is nothing like smoking or drug use.

It's true that a certain amount of social stigma has been helpful in combating such substance addictions as cigarette smoking and perhaps alcoholism too. However, there is one major and glaringly obvious difference between these addictions and chronic overeating -- you can theoretically stop overeating, but you can't stop eating entirely. Moreover, without treatment, the urges only get stronger as you lose weight. No surprise then that a new study published in the journal, PLoS ONE, shows that the more obese people feel discriminated against for their weight, the more likely they are to remain obese.

The reason treatments like sleeve gastrectomy surgery have become necessary is that overeating might be similar to an addiction, but it simply can't be dealt with in the same way. We're all "addicted" to food in the sense that we need it to live and our body is constantly driving us to eat. What appears to be happening is that overweight people seem to have more persistent, harder to resist signals being sent to them.

Even here in looks-conscious Los Angeles, even the most well-off, and well-motivated, obese celebrity with access to the best trainers and nutritionists in the world might find weight loss next to impossible without a lap band in Beverly Hills. Clearly, then, shaming and discrimination is not what obese people need to help them lose weight. Most of them have plenty of that already. What overweight people need to lose weight is pretty simple: help.

Hospitals that Perform the Most Bariatric Surgeries Have Fewer Complications

A recent article in the Los Angeles Times discussed a study on bariatric procedures recently released by Healthgrades, an "independent healthcare ratings company based in Denver."  The article suggests that hospitals have varying rates of complications when it comes to bariatric surgery, as opposed to some procedures where the risks are similar across the board. It was also noted that hospitals that perform the most bariatric surgeries have the lowest rates of complications. The implication, then, is that those seeking bariatric surgery should go to a place that does more than other hospitals.

This is no surprise as surgeons like Dr. Feiz are constantly learning more and more about new aspects of surgeries for weight loss in Los Angeles. For example, Dr. Feiz takes advantage of the many types of bariatric surgeries and gives his patients the personal care to match the required surgery for their needs. He's also a practitioner of the innovative, and less invasive, laparoscopic sleeve surgery that uses smaller incisions. Visit his website for a consultation and to see his schedule of free presentations on surgeries like the lap band and gastric bypass.

Allegations of Negligence Elsewhere in the Weight Loss Industry Draw a Reaction from a Reputable Bariatric Surgeon

Dr. Feiz & Associates reacts with dismay to news that other surgical centers have been accused of negligence during the popular LAP-BAND procedure

Dr. Feiz & Associates is encouraging more accountability and transparency in the weight loss industry. This plea from a bariatric surgeon with a reputation for high safety standards comes as workers at other centers are coming forward with allegations of serious negligence and a possible cover-up after the death of a patient undergoing the LAP-BAND procedure. If true, this behavior does a genuine disservice to people struggling with morbid obesity and looking for proven solutions, because in the hands of capable and responsible surgeons, the LAP-BAND can be a powerful tool for weight loss.

The surgery centers in question were associated with a marketing campaign that has already drawn fire from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for allegedly misinforming the public about the potential risks of the LAP-BAND procedure. A recent lawsuit alleges that, among other things, a patient's oxygen tube shut off in mid-operation, that a tube delivering pain medication to the patient's bloodstream was dislodged, and that alarms reporting the patient's dangerous drop in blood pressure were ignored. Moreover, the lawsuit alleges that attempts were made to replace the faulty equipment before an investigation into the patient's death could be made, and that people involved were asked by their superiors to withhold vital information.
These allegations underscore how important it is for patients to be diligent in choosing where they go for the LAP-BAND procedure. There are weight loss surgery centers, like Dr. Feiz & Associates, that have a proven track record with bariatric surgeries ranging from the LAP-BAND to Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy and Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass. Of course, there are always possible complications when it comes to major surgery, and any responsible physician will first outline all the potential benefits and risks, not just for the LAP-BAND, but for all possible treatments. Nevertheless, serious negligence of the kind alleged in this lawsuit is totally unacceptable, and frankly, totally avoidable. Patients deserve better, and they can find better, with surgeons with reputations for consistently exceptional patient care.
ABOUT DR. FEIZ & ASSOCIATES
Dr. Feiz & Associates is one of the safest and most consistently successful multidisciplinary bariatric surgical programs for the treatment of obesity and associated diseases. All surgeons at Dr. Feiz and Associates are Fellowship Trained Surgeons who are certified in the field of Bariatric Surgery.  The doctors at this medical center place a priority on pre-operative medical and cardiological assessment and clearance, in addition to pre- and post-operative behavioral modification. Dr. Feiz & Associates has a sterling record of consistent safety and consistent success. Their doctors have performed thousands of these procedures without a single mortality, and maintain a complication rate of less than 1%, substantially lower than the national average of 3-4%. For more information, visit www.drfeiz.com.