Making the decision to lose weight is a big step and the first of many you will experience during your weight loss journey. Next, you will need to decide which weight loss professional you are going to entrust to help you reach your goals.
Most individuals who seek help for weight loss have tried many ways to lose weight on their own but have not been successful. Choosing a qualified doctor who is trained in obesity management can make all the difference. Doctors like Dr. Okeefe Simmons of Simmons MD Advanced Weight Loss Solutions understand the many complexities of struggling with obesity.
Today, we are going to provide you with some information on Dr. Simmons’ office, what you can expect during a consultation, and what services are offered.
Where Is Dr. Simmons’ Office?
Simmons MD Advanced Weight Loss Solutions is located in Aventura, Florida, which is just a short distance from Miami. The address is 2820 NE 214th St., Suite 1002, Aventura, FL 33180.
We offer convenient office hours Monday through Friday 8:00 AM — 5:00 PM and Saturdays by appointment.
Contact us for an in-person appointment or a teleconsult.
What Can I Expect During A Consultation With Simmons MD Advanced Weight Loss Solutions?
The first time you come to Dr. Simmon’s office for a consultation, you will spend about 20 to 30 minutes talking with him so he can get an overview of your background and health history. This is normally guided by a set of specific questions.
There are no labs or tests done during this visit. However, your vitals will be taken and recorded. (Blood pressure, height, and weight).
Dr. Simmons will go over the different weight loss programs and procedures that you would be a good candidate for and explain them in detail. Together, you will create a weight loss program and include elements that will offer safe, effective, and sustainable weight loss for your specific circumstances. Some things that will be taken into consideration are any weight-related conditions you may be suffering from, your overall health, your weight loss goals, lifestyle factors, and your level of commitment to following a weight loss program.
Why Is a Weight Loss Consultation Important?
Obesity is a very complicated disease, and it does not affect everyone the same way, so there is no “one size fits all” solution that can be applied. Ongoing research demonstrates that many factors can affect an individual’s propensity to gain or lose weight.
These factors can be within the patient’s control or out of their control. Things like food choices or whether they exercise or live a sedentary lifestyle are patient-driven, but they also could have underlying issues that they have no idea are contributing to their lack of success in losing weight. Hormone imbalances, genetics, environmental factors, sleep patterns, and stress are just some of the underlying factors that can inhibit weight loss or promote weight gain.
Some of the important elements included in a weight-loss consultation include
- Finding any underlying problems that may be making it hard for the patient to lose weight or causing them to gain weight;
- Determining a plan to overcome any underlying issues;
- Determining how best to support the patient for successful weight loss and ongoing maintenance;
- Suggesting options that will expedite and facilitate the patient’s weight loss;
- Offering the most effective options for weight loss based on patient-specific factors and conditions;
- Working together to choose the best plan of care to achieve sustainable weight loss.
What Weight Loss Options In Miami Does Dr. Simmons Offer?
Simmons MD Advanced Weight Loss Solutions offers non-surgical options to help patients lose weight and keep it off. Losing weight is half of the equation, and maintaining that weight loss is the other half and possibly the most important.
LifeStyle Coaching
Arming patients with the knowledge and strategies they need to make the permanent lifestyle changes necessary to maintain a healthy weight is what their health and lifestyle program is all about.
Typically, individuals are offered guidance through the program for at least 12 months. As their weight loss progress is monitored, patients are encouraged, supported, and have access to expert guidance in nutrition and dietary information, as well as suitable forms of exercise.
Weight Loss Medications
Prescription weight loss injections can help boost your metabolism and also offer the added benefit of suppressing your appetite. Many individuals do not realize that certain foods promote cravings and turn up the volume of the “food chatter” that is running between our brains and our stomachs. Weight loss injections can be used with a healthy diet, exercise plan, and life coaching to help patients lose weight, or they can be used in conjunction with a non-surgical weight loss procedure.
Non-Surgical Weight Loss Procedures
Dr. Simmons offers weight loss procedures that are performed endoscopically, which means they are done without incisions or surgery. A special medical device called an endoscope is passed through the mouth and down the throat to access the patient’s stomach. The procedures are completed from the inside without the use of incisions and are done as an outpatient. The weight loss procedures offered by Simmons MD Advanced Weight Loss Solutions are the Orbera weight loss balloon, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), and endoscopic revision to bariatric surgery.
The Orbera balloon is done while the patient is under mild sedation. A deflated balloon-like medical device is placed in the patient’s stomach and then inflated with a liquid saline solution until it occupies a significant amount of space in the patient’s stomach. This prevents the patient from eating too much, and they also feel like they are partially “full” all the time. Since there are no incisions and no need for general anesthesia, there is no hospital stay required, and recovery is minimal. The balloon is only used temporarily while the patient works to change any unhealthy behaviors into healthier lifestyle habits. The Orbera balloon is accompanied by a year-long supervised program.
ESG is a non-surgical procedure that offers the significant weight loss potential of bariatric surgery. During the procedure, the doctor accesses the patient’s stomach through the endoscope and makes it smaller by folding it into a new shape and holding it in place with stitches. A special small suturing device is used to place the stitches in the stomach from the inside, and no abdominal incisions are made. The procedure normally only takes around an hour, and patients can go home the same day as their ESG procedure. The smaller stomach limits the amount the patient can eat and helps keep them satisfied for a longer period of time.
A revision to bariatric surgery is a non-surgical procedure that is done to restore the restrictive nature of a previous bariatric surgery such as a gastric sleeve or gastric bypass. Often, patients who undergo surgical weight loss experience weight regain because their stomach has stretched out or the connection between the stomach and the intestine has widened. This allows them to eat too much and speeds up their rate of digestion. The doctor can use a special endoscopic suturing device and tighten up those locations to make them function properly and stop weight gain, thus promoting weight loss.
At Simmons MD Advanced Weight Loss Solutions, we are committed to offering our patients the least invasive, safe, and effective weight loss solutions that will help them become healthier.
Our team of professionals provides our patients with the highest level of support so that they know they are not on their own trying to figure things out alone.
If you are struggling with your weight and looking for some help, contact Dr. Simmons’ office today to learn more about which weight loss procedure would be the best fit for you and how we can help you reach your weight loss goals.
