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What are your treatment options?

Lifestyle changes

No matter what weight management option you choose, to lose weight and keep it off successfully, you will need to change your lifestyle by eating less, eating healthy and exercising.

Oral treatments

Doctors can prescribe various prescription weight loss medications for those who have tried to change their lifestyle and still find it hard to lose weight and also for individuals with health risks due to obesity.

Medications for weight management are classified as the following:

  • Satiety Enhancers
    – Prevents overeating by helping users feel full sooner with less food
    – Maintains metabolic rate associated with weight loss
    – Common side effects: Dryness in mouth, constipation and insomnia. Generally not serious and improves after a few weeks of treatment
    – Taken once daily
  • Fat Absorption Reducers
    – Lowers fat absorption from food by up to 30%
    – Common side effects: Oily spotting, flatulence, faecal urgency or incontinence, fatty or oily stools and increased defecation
    – Taken 3 times a day before meals
  • Appetite Suppressants
    – Suppresses appetite i.e. no desire to eat
    – Common side effects: Increased blood pressure, palpitations, insomnia, trembling, headaches and restlessness
    – Taken once daily
    – Recommended for short term use and available only in selected countries
Action of Anti-obesity Drugs
 

Surgical treatments

Surgical treatments are usually reserved for the most severely obese people with BMI measurements above 37.5kg/m2, and 32.5kg/m2 for those facing medical co-morbidities or complications. Surgery carries risks and complications such as infection and excessive bleeding.

  • Laparoscopic Adjustment Gastric Band (Lapband)
    – An adjustable band is placed around the stomach to restrict food intake.
  • Gastric bypass
    – The stomach is made smaller by creating a small pouch at the top using surgical staples or a plastic band. The smaller stomach is connected directly to the middle portion of the small intestine (jejunum), bypassing the rest of the stomach and the upper portion of the small intestine (duodenum) hence decreasing the absorption of food.
  • Intragastric Balloon (non-surgical treatment)
    – A soft and expandable silicone balloon is inserted through the mouth and later inflated with saline. The balloon is removed and replaced every 6 months.


 

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