Bariatric Care and Weight Loss Management Patient Success Stories

♪ [music]

♪ - [Dr. Weiss]

The vast majority of people, I think, the main issue when they finally come to weight loss surgery is their quality of life is poor. Unfortunately, your life expectancy is cut about 15 to 20 years if you're morbidly obese.

- [Elizabeth]

In high school, I had gained so much weight that I had to quit marching band, and I was unable to do so many activities that all of my other friends were able to do.

- Here at Baptist Health Lexington, we offer a comprehensive weight loss surgery program. There's been a lot of changes to weight loss surgery in the last several years. The technique I use mostly is for a procedure called the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. And I do that through a laparoscope, which is a small video camera, or a robotic.

What I'm able to do through that, in about an hour and a half, is remove the outer portion of your stomach, turning your stomach from about a liter and a half bag to a banana-sized tube that holds one tenth the size of what your stomach used to hold. It's not uncommon to lose 30 to 50 pounds in the first month, you know, depending on where you start, and be down over 100 pounds by six months.

- I went from a size 24, that I was squeezing into, and I now wear size 4s, and I sometimes cannot believe that I wear a size 4. ♪ [music]

♪

Baptist Health expertly delivers surgical weight loss treatments along with comprehensive support for healthy living. From your first visit, through surgery and follow-up care, we are fully dedicated to helping you achieve your goals.

In fact, our patients consistently lose weight and improve their overall health – two accomplishments we delight in as much as our patients do. Nothing makes us happier than seeing you find a renewed sense of health and happiness.

Undergoing weight loss surgery not only helps you lose weight, it also has the potential to change the course of your life. After surgery, many of our patients regain their independence, find freedom from health problems and get so much more joy out of their everyday lives.

Here are some of their stories:

It Only Took an Hour and a Half to Change Elizabeth’s Life Forever.

“I went from a size 24 that I was squeezing into, and I now wear size 4’s.” – Elizabeth, Baptist Health Lexington patient

Watch Elizabeth's story in the video at the top of this page.

Kristina Is Half Her Size.

Kristina lost her mom to a stroke at a young age and always had weight issues. So when she reached 300 pounds, she knew something had to change. The 32-year-old mother of 3 put herself on a diet. But after losing 90 pounds, her progress stalled. She knew she needed help.

After attending an information seminar through another program, Kristina came to Baptist Health Lexington. One visit with surgeon G. Derek Weiss, MD, FACS, FASMBS, was all it took to convince her that Baptist Health was right for her. “It was day and night. Dr. Weiss’ staff was amazing,” she said of her experience.

One year after surgery, Kristina had lost 147 pounds – half her previous weight. She is now a licensed Zumba® instructor and is working on getting her personal trainer’s license. She’s even recommended Dr. Weiss to some of her friends.

Leicole Lost 20 Pounds and Is Confident She’ll Keep It Off.

Baptist Health is often among the first programs in Kentucky offering innovative new treatments, such as the ORBERA balloon. This non-surgical treatment is available to patients who cannot have or do not wish to receive surgical treatments.

Leicole was the first patient in Louisville to receive ORBERA, and she couldn’t be happier with the progress she’s seen in just a few short months. "Every day when I get home from work, I get on the treadmill for at least 30 minutes," Leicole said. "I never did that before. I didn't have the motivation ... I was tired all the time."

ORBERA works by taking up room in your stomach so you feel full after eating smaller portions. During a non-surgical procedure, we slide the balloon down your throat and into your stomach. After six months, we remove the balloon through a similar non-surgical procedure.

Thanks to the comprehensive support she’s receiving from our team, Leicole is confident she will be able to lose a few more pounds and maintain her weight loss. "Six months of doing the same thing every day, it kind of trains your mind and your stomach," Leicole said. "It's not hard because you start losing weight and you start feeling good and you start having a lot of energy. I mean, it just feels great."

Terry Now Feels in Control of His Health.

Terry had been overweight his whole life and couldn’t stop gaining weight. After passing 500 pounds, he started having health issues. He was tired all the time and was showing the early signs of heart disease. Even worse, he was thousands of miles away from home in Spain when half his face went numb. He later learned that he had not had a stroke, but this incident convinced him that something needed to change.

Terry came to Baptist Health on the recommendation of a friend. He was impressed with the level of support he received before having gastric sleeve surgery. His Baptist Health nutritionist guided Terry as he adopted healthy eating habits that helped him reach his pre-operative nutrition goals. Those early victories helped his confidence grow. “You feel a sense of taking control over something that has had control of you for a long time,” he said.

After surgery, he participated in a Baptist Health support group to continue changing his relationship with food. The information and encouragement he received made a big difference. Terry’s weight dropped to 336 pounds, but to him, the benefits went beyond changes in his physical appearance. According to Terry, bariatric surgery at Baptist Health “has taken me from a place of hopelessness to thinking I’m on the right path for a better quality of life.”