LOS ANGELES, Oct. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- 1 800 GET THIN associates with professionals that provide services specifically designed for individuals suffering from obesity and associated diseases resulting from obesity. Our goal, as well as the goal of the centers and professionals we work with, is to attain a healthier and happier life for these individuals.
Every month, there are hundreds of positive success stories from individuals who have received the Lap-Band after first calling 1 800 GET THIN. Just in the last 9 months, 1 800 GET THIN has assisted more than a thousand individuals to regain their health and livelihood by working with facilities and doctors who specialize in the surgical treatment of weight loss. Our highest priority is to work with facilities and physicians that provide the highest level of patient safety while servicing their communities and patients.
1 800 GET THIN only works with accredited facilities that adhere to a strict surgical and pre-operative regimen where they follow extensive safety protocols that are among the most thorough in the industry. Before any patient is allowed to have weight loss surgery, the patient will undergo a battery of diagnostic examinations designed specifically for their safety. Due to these comprehensive tests, many underlying medical conditions that are directly related to obesity are diagnosed and treated. Due to these tests, not all individuals will qualify for or will be approved for the surgery. All surgical procedures, no matter how minor, have risks. Every facility and physician working with 1 800 GET THIN is required to inform any potential patient of the risks and will also provide a written disclosure for which the patient will sign.
The facilities that work with 1 800 GET THIN help more people through the surgical intervention of weight loss than any other program of its kind in California. The safety record for these centers remains one of the lowest in the Country. These facilities continue to be the leaders in this field of medicine and provide an excellent level of care. Lap-Band surgery remains the safest weight loss procedure available. Alternatives to the Lap-Band procedure, such as gastric stapling or bypass, are more invasive and have up to five times higher risks of significant complications. While the Lap Band is fully reversible, gastric stapling or bypass are not. The facilities and physicians that work with 1 800 GET THIN will explain all of these surgical weight loss options.
According to the United States Surgeon General, obesity kills hundreds of thousands of Americans yearly and is the second cause of preventable death in the United States. Many scientific studies have shown that the majority of obese patients are not able to lose weight and keep it off with diet and exercise alone. For those patients, the Lap-Band procedure remains a very good option. The Lap-Band procedure is a FDA approved surgical procedure performed with the use of general anesthesia where a band is placed around the upper part of the stomach. Hundreds of thousands of obese patients have successfully lost weight and kept it off long-term with the Lap-Band. Studies have shown increased life span after weight loss surgery. It is solely a patient's decision to proceed with surgery having weighed these risks and benefits after full informed consent and discussion with their respective doctors.
1-800-GET-THIN has helped thousands of people to take the first steps to a new, healthier life. For information on weight loss, lifestyle changes and the Lap-Band, call 1-800-GET-THIN or visit www.1800getthin.com . All individuals should consult their physician prior to any weight loss program. Studies indicate that individuals can achieve 30-50% excess weight loss at 3 years.
SOURCE 1-800-GET-THIN