Tipping the Scales Toward Health
by Kate Vanskike Smith
Obesity is hitting epidemic proportions in our country—especially as compared to other nations where a healthy weight is the norm. In addition to the emotional inflictions that accompany carrying around “extra baggage,” being obese creates serious health issues, like high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
Unfortunately, people who suffer from obesity have often tried every miracle pill, fad diet and new exercise routine (and maybe even alternative therapies), only to fail time and time again.
For many of those individuals, there is another option—a safer and proven method that has helped thousands of people nationwide resolve their weight and health concerns.
Early in 2007, the Weight Loss Surgery Program offered by Sacred Heart Medical Center and Rockwood Clinic surgeons R. Andrew Bright, MD, and Mathew Rawlins, MD, earned status as a Bariatric Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (the term bariatric literally means “medical care for the overweight”) in conjunction with the Surgical Review Corporation. This designation is a “seal of approval” that ensures patients are receiving the highest quality care possible.
- Obesity causes more than 30% of all cases of hypertension.
- The prevalence of obesity among adults in the U.S. continues to rise. Today, one-third of the population is obese.
- As estimated 11.5 million adults will be candidates for bariatric surgery in 2009.
Weight Loss Surgery
The term bariatric literally means “medical care for the overweight.” Bariatric surgery, then, can refer to a variety of surgical methods intended to help a person achieve a healthy weight. In years past, you may have heard of “stomach stapling” or more recently, “gastric bypass.”
The Rockwood Clinic surgeons who perform gastric bypass at Sacred Heart use a method called Roux-en-Y (roo-en-Y) gastric bypass, which reduces the stomach (from the size of a football to that of a golf ball) and bypasses a portion of the small intestine. This results in patients eating very small, healthy meals frequently, which is actually the healthiest way for any of us to eat.
Often, this surgery is performed by laparoscopy—a minimally invasive technique achieved through incisions that are much smaller than those required for the traditional “open” surgery technique. Smaller incisions typically allow for faster recovery and less chance of infection.
Another type of weight loss surgery—the “Lap Band”—is gaining in popularity. While recognizing that some patients may benefit from this and other techniques, Rockwood Clinic surgeons believe the majority of patients requiring weight loss surgery are better served by the Roux-en-Y procedure.
“We prefer the laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass since it results in greater weight loss and higher rates of resolution of the medical problems that go along with obesity, such as Type 2 diabetes,” says Dr. Rawlins, who serves as the medical director of bariatric surgery at Sacred Heart.
Through the Weight Loss Surgery Program at Sacred Heart and Rockwood Clinic, patients receive months of pre-surgery education, nutrition assistance, counseling and referrals to appropriate services before they are officially accepted as candidates for weight loss surgery. Prior to surgery, individuals are required to attend an informational meeting with the bariatric surgeons where they may ask questions before making the life-altering decision to have surgery. Once the decision is made, staff members help patients understand the pre-authorization process for insurance payment, then order appropriate laboratory, radiology and psychological exams.
“Though the process is lengthy and in depth, it is important that participants demonstrate their commitment to healthful behaviors,” says Crystal J. Johnson, bariatric coordinator at Sacred Heart. “This is because weight-loss surgery is not the cure itself, but rather just one part of the solution.”
She adds, “We want patients to understand that achieving and maintaining a proper weight is not going to result from a surgery alone. The combination of surgery, lifelong healthy food and activity choices is what helps reverse the medical problems caused by obesity and improves patients’ quality of life."
And this, according to Dr. Rawlins, is the way “success” should be measured. “Many surgeons arbitrarily define a weight loss of 50 percent or greater as success, and well over 90 percent of patients achieve this after gastric bypass,” he shares. “But I feel success is more meaningfully defined as the prevention or resolution of major medical problems associated with obesity, plus improved quality of life.”
Life-Changing Results
Scott Cross*, pastor of Olive Branch Community Church in Spokane, first considered bariatric surgery back in 2001. At just 42 years old, he weighed 440 pounds, his diabetes was out of control, he was suffering from joint problems and was nearly at the point he could not do the work he loved.
“I had limited time,” Scott admits. “I was either going to be disabled or I was going to die soon.”
Unfortunately—despite his real medical conditions—his insurance was not going to cover the cost of weight loss surgery. He says that made his preparation time longer and more difficult. Now, four years after surgery, he is doing things he had only dreamt of before, including completing Bloomsday and even starting a new church.
"I am ALIVE!" - Scott Cross
“Having surgery has allowed me to serve others in many more ways, and given me the hope of being around to see my daughter grow up.”
Carol Pielli*, the bariatric coordinator for Rockwood Clinic, has personally assisted hundreds of patients in the process of having bariatric surgery. But her real understanding of the surgery’s challenges and benefits comes from having gone through it herself.
“This is a life-altering surgery, not to be taken lightly,” she advises fellow patients. “And it must be done out of concern for real health issues. The fact that you can go from a size 28 to a size 8 is just icing on the cake.”
"I feel great!" - Carol Pielli, Rockwood Clinic
Carol encourages interested individuals to educate themselves about the options. She provides them with the most current information and guides them through the process, but expects them to do some of the work on their own. And, she is most certainly quick to share with them the joys of life after surgery.
“I feel great!” she says. “I’ve had many new adventures like parasailing (at the one-year anniversary of my surgery) and snow sledding and golf for the first time in 40 years. I have so much energy and am able to totally enjoy my new grandbabies and my 12- and 13-year-old grandchildren who now say they can hardly keep up with me!”
For Kristine*, a 35-year-old recreation therapist, the need for bariatric surgery had just as many emotional implications as it did physical.
Her medical conditions were not as severe as many other patients, but there were mood swings she felt were definitely tied to being nearly 400 pounds—and her emotional health was impacted.
"Life after surgery is literally exhilarating!" - Kristine
While the weight loss came with challenges of the everchanging wardrobe size and excess, baggy skin, Kristine says, “Most difficult was learning to manage my emotions in a healthy fashion—after all, bariatric surgery did not change the reasons I ate.”She continues, “Daily challenges still exist, but I feel better equipped to handle them, physically and emotionally.” “Life after surgery is literally exhilarating!” she adds.
*These stories are featured in the Spring 2007 issue of HeartBeat magazine.
To learn more, contact:
| Sacred Heart Medical Center Crystal Johnson, coordinator johnscj@shmc.org (509) 474-2172 |
Rockwood Clinic |
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