At the Obesity Society’s national meeting, there was a presentation about the history of obesity drugs. The Obesity Society is a scientific society, committed to advancing research on the causes and treatment of obesity. The annual meeting includes worldwide leaders in research and obesity experts.
The presentation outlined the methods used to treat obesity from the 17th century through today, starting with the earliest recorded treatments for obesity, which included bleedings and recommendations such as drinking vinegar to dissolve fat and engaging in ‘violent exercise’. Hundreds of years later, during the time of World War II and beyond, quite a few weight loss drugs were developed. These drugs, however, were found to cause too many negative side effects, so their usage was intermittent or stopped completely. The next significant milestone in obesity treatment was in the 1990’s, with the drug Fen-Phen. It had record-breaking sales, but was recalled in the late 1990’s when it was linked with heart valve problems. Since the recall of Fen-Phen, there have been numerous efforts to create safe and effective obesity drugs; however, currently there are only two drugs that are approved for obesity treatment. The challenge in developing and getting obesity drugs to the market, explains Dr. Mark Fusco, a bariatric surgeon in Florida, is that “they need to demonstrate a significant safety profile to win approval from governmental agencies that are increasingly risk averse.”
Because of the challenges in finding pharmaceutical treatments, surgery and procedures, like POSE, continue to be the most effective in treating obesity. POSE is a new minimally invasive weight loss procedure designed for patients that want to lose 20-70 pounds. The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana are at the forefront of this new technology and are amongst the most experienced at the procedure in the world. Dr. Michael Thomas explained that no matter what procedure you choose, POSE or surgery, “the most important thing patients can do is go to an experienced bariatric surgeon to get the best results. After that, it’s very important that they follow-up with their doctor to make sure they stay on track and have life-long healthy weight loss.”
Surgical Specialists of Louisiana offers a comprehensive weight loss program that involves life-long care for the whole continuum of patients whether they want to lose 20 pounds or 400 pounds.
Have you recently gained weight? Does anyone in your family have diabetes? When was the last time you had blood work completed?
I have been going to dog-training classes. My dog is not the problem. I am. I can’t seem to be consistent in my approach to Ruby, so in her confusion she misbehaves.
Allergan, makers of the LAP-BAND System are extending their C.H.O.I.C.E. campaign to include a “Live My C.H.O.I.C.E.” LAP-BAND contest. Three winners will be chosen to receive the LAP-BAND, plus 12 months of follow up care. The winners will have access to health educators who will support them during their initial year post surgery. The educators will assist winners in finding local support groups and provide one-on-one counseling via telephone. The winners will also share their weight loss story with others throughout the 12 months to educate, and inspire those struggling with obesity. Obesity is a nationally recognized disease that has serious health related consequences. The LAP-BAND has been proven to help those 80 to 100 pounds overweight to effectively lose weight and keep it off.
Imagine that your job in life is to swim across a fast-moving river carrying a bag of rocks. People often fill their bags with too many rocks, including rocks that don’t belong to
The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana would like to provide you with tips for dining at your favorite resturant. But, first, it’s Summertime and it’s hot! Are you looking for a way to cool off without stopping at the closest snowball stand? Try one of these great recipes.
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