Overview
Our team is here to help you achieve your health goals. Our comprehensive approach to treating obesity includes options such as surgery, medications, nutritional education and lifestyle coaching with compassionate care. We’ll be there for you through every step of the journey!
Awards & Recognition
At TidalHealth, we are committed to providing quality care to our patients. This commitment begins with our staff and the leadership of surgeons. We continuously improve to enhance the outcomes of our programs.
TidalHealth Peninsula Regional
- First hospital on the Eastern Shore to be named a Center of Excellence by both the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric surgery; it is designated a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield; and it has been named a Bariatric Institute of Quality by Aetna.
- First on the Eastern Shore of Maryland to offer bariatric surgery.
TidalHealth Nanticoke
- Distinguished as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
- Received the Center of Excellence award from Robard Corporation for its New Direction medical (non-surgical) weight loss program.
- Distinguished as a Blue Distinction® Center for Bariatric Surgery by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware as part of Blue Distinction® Specialty Care program.
The Importance of Weight Loss
Obesity is a complex chronic disease that is more than eating too many calories and lack of physical activity. Obesity is an imbalance in the signals for energy storage in fat tissues in our bodies.
Excess fat tissue can cause chronic health complications such as:
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Atherosclerosis
- Heart disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Sleep apnea
- Cancer
Obesity tends to run in families, suggesting that genetics may play a role. However, family members also tend to share the same diet and lifestyle. Environment also plays a role in obesity. Environmental factors impacting obesity include what and how often a person eats, a person’s level of physical activity and behavioral health factors. Obesity can also be the result of treatable medical conditions.
Calculate Your BMI
Visit the National Institute of Health page to calculate your BMI.
Normal weight: 18.5–24.9
Overweight: 25–29.9
Obesity: 30-34.9
Severely Obese: 35-39.9
Morbidly Obese: 40+
Treatment Options
Obesity treatment options vary from person to person. Our providers offer a personal solution for each patient, including medical and surgical management of obesity. It is important for providers to address the issue early in patients that are considered overweight (BMI over 25 kg/m2 but below 30 kg/m2) in order to delay complications, prevent obesity and kick start their journey to a healthy weight. For patients, it is important to talk to your physician about your weight and develop an intervention plan.
Weight Loss Surgery
Bariatric (weight loss) surgery is helping thousands of people achieve their weight loss goals across the nation and here on Delmarva.
Weight loss surgical procedures help us lose weight by restricting the amount of food the stomach can hold, causing malabsorption of nutrients or a combination of both. Decreasing stomach size and decreasing the amount of nutrients and calories absorbed by our gastrointestinal tract leads to weight loss.
Benefits of Weight Loss Surgery
With severe obesity there are many resulting problems that affect most organs in the body. Most of these problems can be improved, or completely resolved, with successful weight loss. Most people see this, at least for short periods of time, when they diet and lose weight. However, the benefits are often lost if the weight returns and, unfortunately, weight loss from dieting doesn’t often last for most patients.
Weight loss surgery provides you with long-term, sustained weight loss. Depending on which surgery you get, you will lose 50-90% of your excess body weight and keep that weight off for your entire life.
Medical conditions that may greatly improve after surgery include:
High Blood Pressure
At least 70% of patients, who have high blood pressure, and take medication to control it, are able to stop all medications. Patients usually have a normal blood pressure within two to three months after surgery. When medications are still needed, the dosage can often be lowered, also reducing the accompanying side effects from the medication.
High Cholesterol
More than 80% of patients develop normal cholesterol levels within two to three months after the operation.
Heart Disease
Although there is not definitive proof heart disease is reduced through this surgery, the improvement in conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes suggest that risk for heart disease is lowered. In a recent study, the risk of death from heart disease was found to be significantly reduced in diabetic patients.
Diabetes
More than 90% of Type II diabetics have excellent results from surgery. Usually within a few weeks after surgery they experience normal blood sugar levels, normal Hemoglobin A1C values, and often no longer need medications including insulin injections. In fact, most patients who get a gastric bypass or duodenal switch surgery are discharged from the hospital with no diabetes medications.
Asthma
Most asthmatics find they have fewer and less severe attacks, or sometimes none at all, after surgery. When asthma is associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastric bypass is particularly beneficial.
Respiratory Insufficiency
Improvement in exercise tolerance and breathing ability usually occurs within a few months after surgery. Patients who are barely able to walk without losing breath find they are able to participate in family activities, sometimes even sports.
Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Dramatic relief from sleep apnea happens as patients lose weight. Many patients report that their symptoms are gone within one year of surgery. Some even stopped snoring completely. Many patients who need an accessory breathing apparatus to treat sleep apnea no longer need it after the weight loss from surgery.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
For most patients, relief of all symptoms of reflux usually happens within a few days of surgery.
Gallbladder Disease
When gallbladder disease is present at the time of surgery, the gallbladder can be removed during this operation. If it is not removed, there is increased risk of developing gallstones after surgery.
Stress Urinary Incontinence
This condition is dramatically improved with weight loss and is usually well controlled after surgery. If patients still have trouble with urinary incontinence after surgery, they may choose to have a corrective procedure done later. The weight loss from the bypass often increases the chance of success for this secondary procedure.
Lower Back Pain, Degenerative Disk Disease, and Degenerative Joint Disease
Patients usually experience considerable relief from pain and disability after surgery. This tends to occur early, within the first month or the first 30 pounds of weight loss. If there is nerve irritation or structural damage already present from these conditions, weight loss may not reverse the damage and some pain may continue.
Misconceptions of Weight Loss Surgery
"Misconceptions of Weight Loss Surgery" reprinted with permission of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. © 2015, all rights reserved.
Misconception: Most people who have bariatric surgery regain their weight.
Truth: As many as 50 percent of patients may regain a small amount of weight (approximately 5 percent) two years or more following their surgery. However, longitudinal studies find that most bariatric surgery patients maintain successful weight-loss long-term. ‘Successful’ weight-loss is arbitrarily defined as weight-loss equal to or greater than 50 percent of excess body weight. Often, successful results are determined by the patient, by their perceived improvement in quality of life. In such cases, the total retained weight-loss may be more, or less, than this arbitrary definition. Such massive and sustained weight reduction with surgery is in sharp contrast to the experience most patients have previously had with non-surgical therapies.
Misconception: The chance of dying from bariatric surgery is more than the chance of dying from obesity.
Truth: As your body size increases, longevity decreases. Individuals with severe obesity have a number of life-threatening conditions that greatly increase their risk of dying, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and more. Data involving nearly 60,000 bariatric patients from ASMBS Bariatric Centers of Excellence database show that the risk of death within the 30 days following bariatric surgery averages 0.13 percent, or approximately one out of 1,000 patients. This rate is considerably less than most other operations, including gallbladder and hip replacement surgery. Therefore, in spite of the poor health status of bariatric patients prior to surgery, the chance of dying from the operation is exceptionally low. Large studies find that the risk of death from any cause is considerably less for bariatric patients throughout time than for individuals affected by severe obesity who have never had the surgery. In fact, the data show up to an 89 percent reduction in mortality, as well as highly significant decreases in mortality rates due to specific diseases. Cancer mortality, for instance, is reduced by 60 percent for bariatric patients. Death in association with diabetes is reduced by more than 90 percent and that from heart disease by more than 50 percent. Also, there are numerous studies that have found improvement or resolution of life-threatening obesity-related diseases following bariatric surgery. The benefits of bariatric surgery, with regard to mortality, far outweigh the risks. It is important to note that as with any serious surgical operation, the decision to have bariatric surgery should be discussed with your surgeon, family members and loved ones.
Misconception: Surgery is a ‘cop-out’. To lose and maintain weight, individuals affected by severe obesity just need to go on a diet and exercise program.
Truth: Individuals affected by severe obesity are resistant to long-term weight-loss by diet and exercise. The National Institutes of Health Experts Panel recognize that ‘long-term’ weight-loss, or in other words, the ability to ‘maintain’ weight-loss, is nearly impossible for those affected by severe obesity by any means other than metabolic and bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgeries are effective in maintaining long-term weight-loss, in part, because these procedures offset certain conditions caused by dieting that are responsible for rapid and efficient weight regain following dieting. When a person loses weight, energy expenditure (the amount of calories the body burns) is reduced. With diet, energy expenditure at rest and with activity is reduced to a greater extent than can be explained by changes in body size or composition (amount of lean and fat tissue). At the same time, appetite regulation is altered following a diet increasing hunger and the desire to eat. Therefore, there are significant biological differences between someone who has lost weight by diet and someone of the same size and body composition to that of an individual who has never lost weight. For example, the body of the individual who reduces their weight from 200 to 170 pounds burns fewer calories than the body of someone weighing 170 pounds and has never been on a diet. This means that, in order to maintain weight-loss, the person who has been on a diet will have to eat fewer calories than someone who naturally weighs the same. In contrast to diet, weight-loss following bariatric surgery does not reduce energy expenditure or the amount of calories the body burns to levels greater than predicted by changes in body weight and composition. In fact, some studies even find that certain operations even may increase energy expenditure. In addition, some bariatric procedures, unlike diet, also causes biological changes that help reduce energy intake (food, beverage). A decrease in energy intake with surgery results, in part, from anatomical changes to the stomach or gut that restrict food intake or cause malabsorption of nutrients. In addition, bariatric surgery increases the production of certain gut hormones that interact with the brain to reduce hunger, decrease appetite, and enhance satiety (feelings of fullness). In these ways, bariatric and metabolic surgery, unlike dieting, produces long-term weight-loss.
Misconception: Many bariatric patients become alcoholics after their surgery.
Truth: Actually, only a small percentage of bariatric patients claim to have problems with alcohol after surgery. Most (but not all) who abuse alcohol after surgery had problems with alcohol abuse at some period of time prior to surgery. Alcohol sensitivity, (particularly if alcohol is consumed during the rapid weight-loss period), is increased after bariatric surgery so that the effects of alcohol are felt with fewer drinks than before surgery. Studies also find with certain bariatric procedures (such as the gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy) that drinking an alcoholic beverage increases blood alcohol to levels that are considerably higher than before surgery or in comparison to the alcohol levels of individuals who have not had a bariatric procedure.
For all of these reasons, bariatric patients are advised to take certain precautions regarding alcohol:
- Avoid alcoholic beverages during the rapid weight-loss period
- Be aware that even small amounts of alcohol can cause intoxication
- Avoid driving or operating heavy equipment after drinking any alcohol
- Seek help if drinking becomes a problem
If you feel the consumption of alcohol may be an issue for you after surgery, please contact your primary care physician or bariatric surgeon and discuss this further. They will be able to help you identify resources available to address any alcohol-related issues.
Misconception: Surgery increases the risk for suicide.
Truth: Individuals affected by severe obesity who are seeking bariatric and metabolic surgery are more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety and to have lower self-esteem and overall quality of life than someone who is normal weight. Bariatric surgery results in highly significant improvement in psychosocial well-being for the majority of patients. However, there remain a few patients with undiagnosed preexisting psychological disorders and still others with overwhelming life stressors who commit suicide after bariatric surgery. Two large studies have found a small but significant increase in suicide occurrence following bariatric surgery. For this reason, comprehensive bariatric programs require psychological evaluations prior to surgery and many have behavioral therapists available for patient consultations after surgery.
Misconception: Bariatric patients have serious health problems caused by vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Truth: Bariatric operations can lead to deficiencies in vitamins and minerals by reducing nutrient intake or by causing reduced absorption from the intestine. Bariatric operations vary in the extent of malabsorption they may cause, and vary in which nutrients may be affected. The more malabsorptive bariatric procedures also increase the risk for protein deficiency. Deficiencies in micronutrients (vitamin and minerals) and protein can adversely affect health, causing fatigue, anemia, bone and muscle loss, impaired night vision, low immunity, loss of appropriate nerve function and even cognitive defects. Fortunately, nutrient deficiencies following surgery can be avoided with appropriate diet and the use of dietary supplements, i.e. vitamins, minerals, and, in some cases, protein supplements. Nutrient guidelines for different types of bariatric surgery procedures have been established by the ASMBS Nutritional Experts Committee and published in the journal, Surgery for Obesity and Other Related Disorders. Before and after surgery, patients are advised of their dietary and supplement needs and followed by a nutritionist with bariatric expertise. Most bariatric programs also require patients to have their vitamins and minerals checked on a regular basis following surgery. Nutrient deficiencies and any associated health issues are preventable with patient monitoring and patient compliance in following dietary and supplement (vitamin and mineral) recommendations. Health problems due to deficiencies usually occur in patients who do not regularly follow-up with their surgeon to establish healthy nutrient levels.
Misconception: Obesity is only an addiction, similar to alcoholism or drug dependency.
Truth: Although there is a very small percentage of individuals affected by obesity who have eating disorders, such as binge eating disorder syndrome, that may result in the intake of excess food (calories), for the vast majority of individuals affected by obesity, obesity is a complex disease caused by many factors. When treating addiction, such as alcohol and drugs, one of the first steps is abstaining from the drugs or alcohol. This approach does not work with obesity as we need to eat to live. Additionally, there may be other issues affecting an individual’s weight, such as psychological issues. Weight gain generally occurs when there is an energy imbalance or, in other words, the amount of food (energy) consumed is greater than the number of calories burned (energy expended) by the body in the performance of biological functions, daily activities and exercise. Energy imbalance may be caused by overeating or by not getting enough physical activity and exercise.
There are other conditions, however, that affect energy balance and/or fat metabolism that do not involve excessive eating or sedentary behavior including:
• Chronic sleep loss
• Consumption of foods that, independent of caloric content, cause metabolic/hormonal changes that may increase body fat (sugar, high fructose corn syrup, trans fat, processed meats and processed grains)
• Low intake of fat-fighting foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, quality protein)
• Stress and psychological distress
• Many types of medications
• Pollutants
Obesity also ‘begets’ obesity, which is one of the reasons why the disease is considered ”progressive.” Weight gain causes a number of hormonal, metabolic and molecular changes in the body that increase the risk for even greater fat accumulation and obesity. Such obesity-associated changes reduce fat utilization, increase the conversion of sugar to fat, and enhance the body’s capacity to store fat by increasing fat cells size and numbers and by reducing fat breakdown. Such defects in fat metabolism mean that more of the calories consumed are stored as fat. To make matters worse, obesity affects certain regulators of appetite and hunger in a manner that can cause an increase in the amount of food eaten at any given meal and the desire to eat more often. There are many causes for obesity and that the disease of obesity is far more than just an ‘addiction’ toward food. The treatment of obesity solely as an addiction may be beneficial for a very small percentage of individuals whose only underlying cause for obesity is excessive and addictive eating, but would be unlikely to benefit the multitudes, particularly those individuals affected by severe obesity.
Surgical Weight Loss Procedures
Our weight loss surgeons perform laparoscopic-assisted surgery at our TidalHealth hospitals in Salisbury, Md. and Seaford, Del. and robotic-assisted surgery at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional in Salisbury. Your surgeon will discuss which procedure best suits your surgical needs.
Procedures include:
Sleeve Gastrectomy
The laparoscopic sleeve procedure is usually just called “the sleeve”. It is performed by removing 75-80% of the stomach. The remaining stomach is like a tube or pouch that resembles a banana. This new pouch holds a much smaller amount of food (thus less calories) that can be consumed. There is also a decrease in gut hormones therefore decreasing hunger and appetite, quicker satisfaction and feeling full, and blood sugar control. Sleeve gastrectomy results in significant appetite suppression for the first few years after surgery.
With sleeve gastrectomy surgery, patients can expect to lose about 50 – 60% of their excess body weight.
Gastric Bypass or Roux-en-Y Bypass
This procedure is usually referred to as “gastric bypass”, and also performed by laparoscopic technique. It is done by creating a small stomach pouch to restrict food intake. This surgery re-routes a segment of your intestine to decrease the absorption of food by about 20%. During the gastric bypass procedure, the surgeon makes a direct connection from the stomach to the lower segment of the small intestine, bypassing the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) and some of the jejunum (the second part of the small intestine). This delays the mixing of ingested food and digestive enzymes.
With this surgery, patients can expect to lose about 60 – 70% of their excess body weight.
Biliary-Pancreatic Diversion Duodenal Switch
This operation is only offered to patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 50. It is a combination of sleeve gastrectomy and rerouting of your intestines. The sleeve gastrectomy results in a reduction of the portion size taken in by a patient. Rerouting your intestines decreases the absorption of food by 40 – 50%. The Duodenal Switch procedure is offered in very few centers in the United States.
With this surgery, patients can expect to lose about 80 – 90% of their excess body weight.
Making the Decision for Weight Loss Surgery
If you have struggled for a long period of time to lose weight and have tried to change your lifestyle and eating habits without results, weight loss surgery may be an option for you. Many struggle with everyday activities and work, not feeling well and developing chronic health issues and pain. Weight loss surgery is an option for people who have tried and failed at other weight loss attempts.
When making your decision about weight loss surgery, it is important that you understand the commitment. Making lifestyle changes before and after surgery is a part of your discussion with your surgeon, and will always be a part of your care plan.
We provide the support and direction to help you succeed throughout your weight loss journey. It also takes a strong commitment to the process in order for the patient to have the best possible chance at long term success.
Successful patients not only lose weight but likely experience significant improvements in other health conditions and enjoy an improved quality of life.
Am I a Candidate for Weight Loss Surgery?
Sometimes, weight can be controlled through changes in eating habits and behavior modifications like increasing physical activity. Weight loss surgery is for patients who remain severely obese after trying conventional treatments for weight loss – like diet and exercise – or for patients that have an obesity-related medical condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, or heart disease.
In general, weight loss surgery is recommended when you have 100 or more pounds to lose. Your physician should help you make the decision to pursue weight loss surgery based on your situation and lifestyle along with your overall health status.
Answering the following questions may help you decide if surgery is right for you:
- Are you morbidly obese? Do you have a BMI of 40 or greater?
- Do you have a BMI greater than 35 with one or more obesity-related health conditions like high blood pressures, diabetes, sleep apnea, or heart disease?
- Have you tried to lose weight by dieting or exercise but cannot maintain weight loss?
- Are you committed to lifelong lifestyle changes and follow-up care?
- If you have depression or excessive stress, has it been adequately treated?
- Are you between 18 and 65 years old?
Note: Please check with your insurance company to see if you qualify for bariatric (weight loss) surgery.
Pre-operative Education
Before your surgery you will meet with a bariatric coordinator, an advocate who reviews treatment options and helps you navigate through the services needed for a successful recovery.
Prior to your surgery, you attend classes taught by the bariatric coordinator. They will work with you, your insurance, your surgeon and the TidalHealth team to create a “pathway to recovery'“ using the appropriate levels of post-acute (after-hospital) rehabilitation services you need to reach your goals. They are available to you throughout your surgical journey.
Medical Weight Loss
TidalHealth offers a physician-supervised weight loss program that provides treatment in a clinical setting with licensed healthcare professionals including board-certified physicians and a registered dietitian. Our medical weight loss program offers services including medical evaluation, nutrition education, pharmacotherapy, physical activity and behavioral therapy, as well as bariatric (weight loss) surgery.
The medical weight loss program is led by Dr. Palavecino, a Board Certified Internist and Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. Dr. Palavecino helps with the diagnosis and staging of the disease and develops a personal program to achieve each patient’s weight loss goal.
As part of the individualized program, patients have the possibility of supervised, low-calorie diets based on protein supplements which may promote more rapid weight loss. Patients also receive several tools and education to help create and maintain positive lifestyle changes and behaviors that promote a fat-burning diet and maintain a lean body mass and healthy weight. These steps are key to improve health complications associated with obesity such as diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease.
Contact Us
Salisbury
800 S. Salisbury Blvd.
Salisbury, MD 21801
302-297-2412
Seaford
200 Health Services Drive
Seaford, DE 19973
302-297-2412
Support
Whether you are considering weight loss surgery or medical weight loss, we have programs, support groups and community programs to help you in your weight loss journey.
Bariatric Pre-Op Class
TidalHealth hosts a monthly bariatric pre-op class for current surgical weight loss patients in their program. This two-part class is designed to provide education to our surgical weight loss patients to prepare them for what to expect during their hospital experience and essentials for their postoperative experience. For more information or to register, call 302-297-2412.
Bariatric Support Group
TidalHealth hosts bariatric support groups that provide education and support to patients before and after their bariatric weight loss surgery and are open to the public.
Support group meetings consist of guest speakers and presentations to provide useful information about nutrition, supplements, exercise and behavior modifications. Patients and their spouses, family members or friends are welcome to attend. Registration is not required. For more information, call 302-297-2412.
- The general bariatric support group is open to all bariatric patients before and after their surgery.
- The post-op bariatric support group is designed for post-op bariatric patients.
Educational videos
We have created a series of educational videos to help you on your weight loss journey. You can view these videos on this page.
Medical Weight Loss Support Group
TidalHealth hosts a free online support group for our medical weight loss patients to provide education and support in a friendly, supportive environment. For more information, call 302-297-2412.
Weight Loss Seminars
TidalHealth hosts seminars designed to provide education to individuals considering weight loss surgery to help them make informed decisions on whether surgery is an appropriate option.
The weight loss seminars consist of educational presentations to inform people about the many benefits of weight loss surgery. For more information and to register, call 302-297-2412.
CoreLife
CoreLife is an innovative preventive healthcare company focusing on overweight and obese individuals. Each center features a unique model that combines professionals in medicine, nutrition, exercise and behavior, all located in a convenient and compassionate environment.
Each CoreLife facility is between 3,000-5,000 square feet and features a medical office staffed by licensed medical practitioners, registered dietitians, and private fitness studios with exercise equipment and dedicated trainers.
Every patient has an initial consultation to assess his or her goals, sleep, stress, etc. Patients have bloodwork and metabolic testing and then meet with a provider who conducts a physical and develops a care plan. From there, patients meet with a registered dietician who creates an individualized meal plan. Appointments are scheduled weekly and always involve consultations with a medical provider and a dietician.
Visit corelifemd.com to learn more or call 800-905-3261.
Success Stories
Our patients have great healthy weight loss success stories to share. Read about the success they've had with our weight loss programs or let their before and after photos speak for themselves.
"I had RNY on November 29, 2016. My journey started with a wellness incentive from my job that included money. I went to the doctor for my physical and found out that I had some issues that I needed to deal with. I had always been the bigger girl, but my weight was spiraling out of control. I reached 316 pounds and was certainly not proud of it – it was the heaviest I had ever been. I also found out that I was becoming pre-diabetic and my blood pressure was elevated.
In several conversations with my doctor, she suggested weight loss through dieting or I could take medicine. I did not want to take medicine, so she suggested I attended a seminar and see what they had to offer. Immediately, I was hooked! Finally, something I would be good at to lose the weight and become a healthier me. During the process, I had many ups and downs which included being able to lose weight on my own, but also falling into my old food traps of soda and fast food. Without the support of the office and support of my family and friends, I would have never been able to be as successful! In this whole process, I have surrounded myself with positivity and with supportive people which I think has played a large part in my success. Currently, I am 3 months out from surgery and I have never felt better! I have more energy, my moods are better, and overall, I have more confidence in myself.
If I can give anyone a piece of advice, it would be to follow the guidelines and rules because this process works!"
Katie Birmingham
Total Weight Lost: 92 pounds
Program: Surgical Weight Loss
"We have been on this journey for a while – we have both struggled with our weight for over 20 years."
Rodney: "I was 365 pounds at my max weight. I had the lap band and dropped down to 225 pounds. After about 4 years, the band slipped and I began to regain weight. I felt embarrassed and felt that I had failed. I got back up to 324 pounds. I had to work had to lose the weight to get the bypass surgery. The day of the surgery, I was 308 pounds. Now I am down to 262 and still working on the rest."
Lori: "I also had the lap band at max weight of 285 and had it fail, then had bypass surgery. At the day of my surgery, I was 203 pounds and has lost 46 pounds since January."
"We have worked together and enjoy the support each gives to the other."
Lori & Rodney Hudson
Total Weight Lost: 92 pounds combined
Program: Surgical Weight Loss
My motivation for the surgery was to get my life back. I was a type 2 diabetic with high cholesterol and RA and I knew I needed to make a change if I wanted to live. I wanted to walk without running out of breath, walk up steps without having to stop to catch my breath, and have a better “me” for myself and family.
The staff helped lift me up and encouraged me when I found myself asking, “Why am I doing this?” The bariatric support group is filled with wonderful people who share the journey and help you along the path to a new you. Sure there have been a few bumps along the road, but the team was by my side to get me through it.
I would recommend this team to anyone who is or ever has considered a life change with weight loss. The surgery has been my life vest and it has truly saved me and given me my life back.
Susan Miller
Total Weight Lost: 92 pounds
Program: Surgical Weight Loss
