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Many people with chronic obesity have tried various diets and fitness routines over the years without ever meeting their weight-loss targets.
If weight control has been a long-term struggle for you, the greatest decision you’ll ever make for your overall health and well being is to go through with bariatric surgery. Calgary patients who want to take charge of their life and make obesity part of their past, should use bariatric surgery as a springboard to a healthier future.
There are many bariatric surgery procedures at your disposal, such as gastric bypass or gastric band surgery, which will contribute to the kind of transformational weight loss you need to improve your health over the long term.
With various treatment options at their disposal, like a gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery, as well as comprehensive follow-up care, the medical team at Clinique Michel Gagner can help you change your life through transformational weight loss.
Obesity is a growing problem throughout Canada, and Edmonton is no exception.
Since the 1980s, the number of people affected by major weight issues has increased dramatically, with current estimates suggesting that roughly 2 million Canadian suffer from severe obesity. In Alberta, more than a quarter of adults (28.8%) are considered obese.
These people are at elevated risks for many health problems, and their chances of developing medical problems like type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, will only increase over time.
For people all across Canada, keeping their weight down is important to improve their health outcomes. But for people with severe obesity, drastic weight loss is absolutely essential.
Anyone who has tried unsuccessfully to bring their weight under control through diet and exercise alone should strongly consider finding an experienced doctor who specializes in gastric procedures. Weight-loss surgery will let you take control of your weight and your health!
For someone in Calgary, Alberta who has had long-term weight problems, there are a host of potentially life-changing opportunities for weight loss surgery that should be considered. The fast and long-lasting weight loss caused by this approach represents a watershed moment for people who want to take control of their health.
Keep in mind: Bariatric surgery is recommended only for people suffering from relatively severe chronic obesity, a condition that is difficult, if not impossible, to treat on its own with diet and exercise.
In general, individuals with a body mass index higher than 35, which is around 100 pounds above "normal weight," are those that are more likely to benefit from weight loss surgery.
The term bariatric surgery is used to describe a general category of surgical procedures, which include the following types of weight loss surgeries:
Also known as gastric sleeve surgery, this procedure is performed using a laparoscope, or small camera, that is inserted into the abdomen so the surgeon can create the gastric sleeve using long instruments inserted through a series of small incisions.
The gastric sleeve procedure involves reducing the stomach volume by permanently removing 60-85% of the stomach pouch, which leaves the remaining section in a sleeve-like shape. Weight loss results through gastric reduction, as the patient requires less food to feel full.
This procedure is less invasive and carries fewer risks than other bariatric surgery techniques, which is why it is often used as a first step in surgical weight loss treatments.
This gastric bypass procedure involves creating a small gastric pouch and re-routing parts of the intestines. After cutting the intestine, the lower section is attached to the newly-formed gastric pouch, while the other section is attached further down. Digestive juices from the excluded stomach and Bilio-Pancreatic limb flow into the Roux limb, thus constraining digestion and ingestion further down the intestinal pathway.
Gastric bypass procedures are one of the more popular weight loss surgeries because they are highly effective at achieving major weight loss and reversing diabetes.
Gastric sleeve and gastric bypass procedures are some of the most popular surgeries people have to lose weight, but they aren’t the only options. Learn about other weight loss surgeries offered at the clinic by clicking here.
Dr. Michel Gagner is a globally recognized expert in bariatric surgery. He is widely credited with creating some of the most frequently used weight loss surgery techniques, and universally hailed as one of the world's leading bariatric surgeons.
Patients from all over the world are seeking his services because they are minimally invasive to facilitate quicker healing, minimize stress on the body and shorten recovery time. Dr. Gagner leads a top-notch team of weight loss specialists at his clinic in Montreal, Québec. They can develop a weight loss surgery program that is tailored to your needs and priorities so you can reach your goals, no matter where you’re starting from.
Following an initial consultation, Dr. Gagner’s clinic will determine the best bariatric surgery option for you and map out your path to long-term weight loss.
Absolutely! Patients fly to Montreal from across Canada and the United States to have their bariatric surgery with Dr. Gagner. A life-changing surgery done by one of the finest bariatric surgeons in the world is well worth the journey!
For patients who live outside of Montreal, we request that they be accompanied by a family member or caregiver, since they will require help after their treatment. Traveling patients typically spend a total of five nights in Montreal, two of which are included in the operating fee. This timeline may vary based on the type of bariatric surgery involved, as well as other pertinent medical factors.
No matter where you live in Alberta, a short trip across provincial boundaries could be the first step on a life-changing journey towards years and years of healthy living.
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Frequently asked questions
Your recovery from surgery will take place in the surgery center's recovery room for the first night, and then in our Westmount Square convalescent center for the following night.
When will I be able to return to work? Under normal conditions, patients are able to leave their recovery rooms and return home 48 hours after the surgery.
The time required before returning to work depends on the type of work. For desk work, return times are 1-2 weeks post-op. For physical work, return times are 2-6 weeks post-op.