Shannon
One patient’s journey to better health
Millions of people wake up every day to fight the battle of the bulge. For the morbidly obese, it’s often an ongoing and losing battle despite their best efforts, weight loss plans and exercise. Morbidly obese are those people who are more than 100 pounds overweight with a body mass index of more than 40kg. This group is also at risk for serious, weight-related health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, obstructive sleep apnea, depression, osteoarthritis and certain cancers, including breast and colon. Being extremely overweight also causes a decrease in the level of oxygen in the blood often causing a resulting in daytime fatigue and sleepiness.
After 15 years of “yo-yo” dieting and a range of health problems, Shannon Byrd of Aquadale realized she could no longer control her weight. Her decision to attend a seminar on gastric banding sponsored by Stanly Regional Medical Center and Stanly Surgical Weight Loss Center resulted from the realization that her physical and emotional health were suffering from the consequences of being morbidly obese.
“I have two wonderful children, ages 11 and 8 that I wanted to be physically active with,” says Shannon. “In high school, I played softball and basketball and could eat whatever I wanted. When I got married and became pregnant with my first child, I gained 73 pounds. I worked and worked to get my weight off, but quickly regained that and more with my second pregnancy. After that, I just could not control my weight despite every weight loss program. When my weight hit 276 pounds I knew, dieting and exercise alone were not going to work for me.”
Shannon, 33, says back problems and other health issues were beginning to take a toll and she also began to avoid certain social situations because of her ballooning weight.
“I looked for the table in restaurants instead of sitting in a booth because of my excessive weight,” says Shannon. “But my ‘aha’ moment came when I was at the beach with friends and family and sat down in my new beach chair and it buckled. I was mortified.”
In the seminar, Shannon learned that gastric banding was ideal for people like her who are morbidly obese, have tried and failed at other weight loss methods, and failed to sustain long-term weight loss.
Gastric banding is performed laparoscopically and is minimally invasive. It has fewer complications than gastric bypass surgery, which involves stapling the stomach and re-routing the intestine. Candidates for gastric banding undergo comprehensive nutritional, psychological and medical evaluations.
“The staff was very thorough in explaining the risks and benefits of gastric banding,” adds Shannon. “Prior to the surgery, they helped me establish an eating and exercise plan that would support the results of the procedure. They also communicated with my insurer on coverage.”
Dr. Eric Mallico, a board-certified surgeon on staff at Stanly Regional Medical Center and the medical director of Stanly Surgical Weight Loss Center, performed the REALIZE® gastric banding procedure on Shannon February 9, 2010. In the three months following her procedure, she dropped almost 35 pounds.
According to Patti Shoe, program manager for the center, more than 80 patients are now being evaluated for gastric banding and almost 30 procedures have been performed since Shannon’s surgery in February. Shoe says patients can expect to lose 40 to 50% of their excess body weight one year after surgery. Most lose 21 pounds in just the first month following surgery. Patients in a three-year clinical trial experienced a significant reduction in blood levels that indicate Type 2 diabetes. Approximately 77% of patients no longer had diabetes; 62% significantly lowered their cholesterol, and 86% of patients no longer experienced sleep apnea. Patients in this study also experienced a 22% decrease in bad cholesterol (LDL).
How The Procedure Works
The REALIZE® Band limits the amount of food that can be eaten at one time. It also slows the flow of food from the upper stomach to the lower stomach so that patients feel full sooner. A soft balloon inside the band is easily adjusted as patients lose weight. The balloon encircles the stomach for maximum comfort and makes adjustments easy. Unlike the more invasive gastric bypass surgery, no part of the stomach or digestive system is stapled, cut or removed. A think, flexible tube connects the band and a port. The port is fastened in the abdomen about two inches below the rib cage.
“Shannon was a great candidate for this procedure because she was willing to make significant changes in her eating habits,” explains Dr. Mallico. “She spent years trying to diet and exercise to control her weight with frustrating results. She was facing a life of possible diabetes and heart disease. This procedure is not a quick fix or for those who have just 20 to 30 pounds to lose. It’s for those whose weight and body mass puts them at serious risk for premature death.”
According to Dr. Mallico, of the patients who have undergone the procedure, most have experienced improvement in all aspects of their health including gastroespohageal reflux, fasting blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Today, Shannon says she has a new lease on life and is inspired to look her best and to tackle the remaining weight she knows she needs to lose.
“My energy level is coming back and I even jump on the trampoline with the kids again—something I used to do when I wasn’t carrying the extra weight.”
As a family, Shannon says everyone has been positively affected by her surgery.
“We eat differently now,” she says. “My children and husband supported me before, during, and after the procedure. I’ll never be a size 10, but I’ll be healthy and hopefully live to see my children grow up and have families of their own. That’s what this is all about.”
Seminars on gastric banding and gastric sleeve are held the fourth Monday of every month at 6:00pm at located at 923 Second Street, Suite 205. Register online for an upcoming seminar here or to learn more, call (704) 982-0648 or 877-414-6515.
