Weight Loss Surgery Specialist

What is weight loss surgery?

Weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, refers to surgical procedures aimed at helping you lose weight and keep it off. These procedures work by altering the size of your stomach, so you fill up faster, eat less, and lose weight. 

The experienced team at Lakeland Surgical Clinic, PLLC, features Jonathan Adkins, MD, who is currently the only fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon in Central Mississippi. He and the team specialize in weight loss surgery and utilize some of the most advanced and effective procedures that ensure long-term weight loss success. 

What are the most common weight loss surgery procedures?

The specialists at Lakeland Surgical Clinic, PLLC, can review your weight loss options with you during your surgical consultation. The most common weight loss surgeries the team performs include:

Gastric sleeve

The gastric sleeve is a weight loss surgery that removes 80% of your stomach, creating a banana-shaped pouch. Your smaller stomach helps you feel full faster, so you eat less and lose weight. 

In addition to decreasing your stomach size, your surgeon also removes the portion of your stomach that produces ghrelin, which is the hormone often referred to as the “hunger hormone.” Without ghrelin, the gastric sleeve also helps decrease your overall desire to eat. 

You can lose up to 60% of your excess body weight within two years following your gastric sleeve procedure.

Gastric bypass

A gastric bypass is a form of weight loss surgery that involves both your stomach and small intestines. During the procedure, your surgeon removes most of your stomach, leaving you with a walnut-sized pouch. Your surgeon then bypasses the first portion of your small intestine, known as the duodenum, and reattaches your stomach pouch to your jejunum, the next part of your small intestine.

The gastric bypass supports weight loss by limiting the amount of food you can eat at one time due to the decreased size of your stomach. It also reduces the number of calories your body absorbs by bypassing a portion of your small intestines.

Weight loss results vary significantly, but most people lose 10-20 pounds a month during the first year after gastric bypass surgery. By two years, you may lose 50% or more of your excess body weight.

Gastric bypass is considered the “gold standard” for weight loss surgery. 

Am I a good candidate for weight loss surgery?

During your consultation, your surgeon determines if weight loss surgery is the best choice for you. Your body mass index (BMI) is a major factor the team takes into consideration. Weight loss surgery is only recommended if your BMI is 40 or higher, or your BMI is 30 or higher, and you have health conditions that would improve after weight loss, such as heart disease, sleep apnea, or diabetes. 

But it’s not just your weight that the team takes into consideration when determining if you’re a good candidate for surgery. Weight loss surgery requires a significant lifestyle change, and the team wants to make sure you’re committed to eating a healthy diet and engaging in regular exercise before you undergo any procedure.

Weight loss surgery can help you reach your weight loss goals and improve your health. Call Lakeland Surgical Clinic, PLLC, or use the online booking tool to schedule your weight loss consultation today.