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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Virtual gastric band weight loss - does it require surgery?

    Related Topic
    Obesity
    I was told that I would go into surgery as if I was going to have the gastric band operation.
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    Dr Katie Richard

    Clinical Psychologist, Psychologist

    I'm a USA-trained clinical psychologist with over 22 years post-doctoral clinical experience working primarily in the areas of Binge Eating Disorder, Weight Management and Nicotine … View Profile

    Virtual Gastric Banding does definitely NOT involve actual surgery. It is performed by a trained hypnotherapist rather than a surgeon. That's why it's called "virtual" - your body will respond as if it had the actual surgery. You save on medical costs and hassles.

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  • Dr Jason Wong

    Bariatric (Obesity) Surgeon, General Surgeon, Laparoscopic Surgeon, Upper GI Surgeon (Abdominal)

    Jason Wong is a skilled Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgeon with expertise in sleeve and gastric bypass surgery, gallbladder, hernia, endoscopic pilonidal, antireflux and emergency general … View Profile

    The "virtual gastric band" is hypnosis and does not involve any surgery.

    It is a way to market it as an alternative to surgery and on the internet you will see many of the websites stating things such as "no scars!" etc.

    This particular method of weight-loss hypnosis has jumped on the "lap band bandwagon" to sound more marketable than just "weight-loss hypnosis".

    I am not aware of any comparative trials comparing lap band surgery vs hyponosis and it probably would not be ethical nor possible to randomize such a clinical trial.

    The fact that this technique works for some people, highlights the importance of psychology in weight-management AND post-bariatric surgery care.  There is still a definite role for bariatric surgery such as the sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass which also has additional METABOLIC EFFECTS including medical comorbidity resolution - effects which hypnosis will not have.

    Dr Jason Wong

    www.yoursurgeon.org

    www.lapsurgerybrisbane.com.au

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    Catherine Glover

    Hypnotherapist, Psychotherapist

    My name is Catherine and I am a Clinical Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist. I am the owner and principal practitioner of Eternal Balance Mind and Body … View Profile

    Virtual Gastric Band is a non-surgical technique where the therapist retrains you to be satisfied with smaller amounts of food and changes how you think about food. The program gives you very safe and very predictable results. Because you are convinced that your stomach is small you definitely start eating less.  It is not a “diet” so you do not change what you eat. You only change the amounts that you eat yet you will not feel deprived, hungry or miserable. You have total control over yourself. And you lose weight! This is safer and more effective than surgery and “diets.”

    If you feel like you’re addicted to food or looking to lose weight naturally so that you feel healthier and happier, you should consider the power of Weight Loss hypnosis.

    https://www.eternalbalance.com.au

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