Bariatric Patient Profiles

PATIENT VERSION

PHYSICIAN VERSION

Patient Version

Life Before Surgery

Ever since she was a child, Leonda has struggled with the pressures of being overweight. Leonda was put on her first weight-loss diet when she was just in the 3rd grade. This deteriorated her self-esteem and confidence as all the kids her age could eat whatever they wanted to, and Leonda had to restrict herself. Although Leonda’s parents are both healthy, her uncles have had to deal with weight-related issues.

Leonda’s tendency to gain weight was aggravated by the fact that she was drawn to all kinds of junk food, especially salty chips and sausage biscuits. Leonda has always been a chronic grazer and emotional eater. The pressures she had to deal with at a young age caused her mental stress that became cyclical: the more weight she gained, the more emotionally unstable she felt, which propelled her to continue eating excessively.

In her early 20’s, Leonda made an active effort to help herself lose weight. She went to Jenny Craig and invested a lot of money on the program’s pre-packaged foods. The foods seemed to help her for a while, but as soon as she switched back to a normal diet, she gained back all the weight she had lost.

In 2007, Leonda decided to seek medical help and had the Lap Band procedure. Although Leonda initially lost weight, her physician did not offer long-term follow up care. As a result, she did not maintain successful weight loss.

Before coming to Dr. Sutker for weight loss surgery, Leonda and her husband divorced, which also eliminated most of the emotional food triggers in her life. She has a 21-year old daughter who lives with her, and both of them now keep each other accountable and encourage each other to eat healthy.

Before the surgery, Leonda read books to understand and combat emotional eating. She realized that her inability to accomplish any physical tasks was due to her excessive weight. As a result, her quality of life was poor due to a lack of energy. When Leona decided bariatric surgery was the option she wanted to pursue, she researched the internet for a surgeon who had an excellent reputation as a surgeon along with excellent follow-up care. These requirements led her to choose Dr. Sutker.

Leonda’s first impression of Dr. Sutker was that she found him extremely nice and especially appreciated how he was so easy to talk to. In return, Dr. Sutker always considered her feelings. She was impressed by him as a person and also the reputation that he has built for himself and his practice.

Dr. Sutker performed the gastric sleeve laparoscopically. This means approximately 75% of her stomach was removed which results in a banana shape without having large incisions.

When asked how she felt before the surgery, Leonda described her feelings as nervous excitement about what was to come. She also did not experience any pain or discomfort after weight loss surgery.

Life After Surgery

Diet:

After weight loss surgery, Leonda has been fully committed to eating healthy and maintaining a routine. She does not consume more than 800-1000 calories per day and also always makes sure to pack her lunch, so she is not tempted to cheat.

Breakfast: Leonda has a coffee with protein powder, which prepares her for her day and also provides necessary proteins.

Lunch: On alternate days, she has either soup, spaghetti squash with meatballs, or chicken.

Dinner: leftovers from lunch.

For all her meals, Leonda ordered portion-controlled meal prep boxes, and she stays away from all types of fried foods. She also sometimes has only a protein shake for dinner, which satisfies her hunger. For snacks during the day, Leonda enjoys small portions of fresh fruits, low-fat string cheese, and only “lite n fit” yogurt.

Exercise:

While Leonda has not incorporated any workout routines in her days, she has taken up walking to places and in her free time. This has contributed to her gradual and sustainable weight loss, so much so that she has not gained any weight during Covid.

Favorite Things:

A few of her most favorite healthy things include protein powder in the flavor caramel macchiato, centrax nectar (which she ordered from amazon), powder-based collagen, and a sugar-free creamer.

Words of Wisdom:

Since the weight loss surgery, Leonda has been happier than she has ever been before. She calls the surgery “life-changing” and has actively encouraged people to pursue it as a serious weight loss option. She currently has a colleague who is undergoing the process for weight loss surgery. Leonda wants people to go for weight loss surgery if they can follow the rules. She has since been more aware of what she is eating and if something causes her to gain even a single pound. She sometimes lets carbs sneak into her diet as well but immediately recovers from the weight gained.

Leonda is extremely open about weight loss surgery, as it has made her more confident and recovered her self-esteem. She had the full support of her kids and especially her mother, who is now also thinking about getting the surgery.

How Do You Feel Now?

Ever since the surgery, Leonda has developed extremely high self-esteem. She spent the whole year after her divorce transforming her lifestyle and is now in a place where she is happy and now even dating. Leonda now has a very busy social life and receives countless compliments about her good looks every day.

Her weight loss surgery was an amazing experience for her, and Dr. Sutker and his staff took excellent care of her. Her children have been her biggest supporters, and her son, who is now in his 20s, regularly appreciates her weight loss journey. Leonda is a speech pathologist for the school district, and her colleagues are supportive as well.

Leonda regards the decision to get weight loss surgery from Dr. Sutker as one of the best decisions of her life and has no regrets. Her life after the surgery has been great, and she recommends the procedure to anyone and everyone she meets.

Physician Version

Life After Surgery

Leonda was quite aware of how food played an emotional role in her life, and she did thorough research on her condition by reading countless books on emotional eating. She also struggled with having no energy to do anything which caused her to have a very poor quality of life. This incentivized her to find a good, reputable surgeon such as Dr.Sutker who is known for his excellent follow up services and care.

Diet:

Breakfast: Leonda has coffee with some protein powder

Lunch: Soup or spaghetti squash with meatballs or chicken.

Dinner: Lunch leftovers, a protein shake, or a pre-packaged meal.

Snacks: low-fat string cheese, fruit, small portion of almonds

Favorite things: Protein Powder, Caramel Macchiato, Centrax Nectar, Powder collagen (plant-based) and sugar-free creamer

Leonda maintains a 800-1,000 calorie diet per day.

Exercise

Walking

Seeing Leonda’s success story, her mother, as well as one of her colleagues, are now looking forward to undergoing the gastric sleeve procedure themselves. She recommends the surgery to everyone who asks her about her weight loss success, which she attributes to Dr. Sutker.

PATIENT VERSION

PHYSICIAN VERSION

Patient Version

Life Before Surgery

Felicia was 155 pounds after she met her husband in the 90s- and gained what she described as a few “love pounds.” But a few love pounds escalated. Working late shifts in the manufacturing industry would cause Felicia to eat large, late night meals. By the time she got engaged to her husband, Felicia weighed 200 pounds. Like many brides who want to lose excess weight before the “big day,” she did a crash diet. This regimen consisted of the original Formula One diet pills, salads, and water only. In two months, she dropped down to 155 pounds for her wedding.

Eventually, Felicia developed asthma and was put on prednisone for treatment. This medication contributed to her weight gain, as it is a common long-term side effect. Felicia suffered from other health complications that resulted in weight gain as well. Over time, she had tumors on her ovaries that required three emergency surgeries. In the mid 2000s, Felicia got pregnant in her fallopian tubes after her third round of IVF treatments, which was almost fatal. The drugs from the IVF treatments contributed to weight gain as well. Eventually, she had a hysterectomy. The medications used to treat the ovary tumors and the hysterectomy caused weight gain as well.

Felicia is a successful chef, which only made eating a healthy diet that much more challenging. Known for her desserts such as cupcakes, lemon meringue pie, and strawberry shortcake, Felicia was constantly surrounded by sweets along with savory foods such as meat and lots of potatoes.

Because of her excess weight, Felicia woke up in pain daily and often needed to use crutches or a walker to move around her house. In 2018 she underwent a reconstruction surgery for her foot which had ripped ligaments. Any time Felicia put pressure on that foot, it caused severe pain because of her weight. Eventually, she also became a candidate for knee surgery because of arthritis. All of these conditions resulted in a lingering depression. “I had no quality of life. It was terrible,” Felicia admits. When addressing her weight with the doctors she worked with, they all told Felicia to “avoid fast food.”

Eventually she worked with a doctor who realized her weight was not a matter of avoiding fast food and referred Felicia to Dr. Sutker. However, Felicia got nervous and skipped the informational workshop she was scheduled to attend. Months passed. One day she was in church and felt a pain in her stomach so severe that she slumped over, choked on stomach acid, and drove herself to the ER. The G.I. doctor discovered that she had gallstones, which are removed by a general surgeon.

After the surgery, Felicia woke up and saw Dr. Sutker, who had removed the gallstones. “I was supposed to see you months ago, but I chickened out!” she admitted. Believing this reconnection was more than a coincidence, Felicia scheduled a consultation with Dr. Sutker. This she time attended.

Around the same time as when her gallstones were removed, Felicia’s cardiologist said he would need to put a pacemaker in her heart because her husband couldn’t hear her breathe at night. She was not suffering from sleep apnea. “You’re playing Russian roulette with your life,” he told Felicia. That message resonated with Felicia deeply and was another catalyst for deciding to undergo a gastric bypass procedure.

Felicia decided not to tell anyone that she was undergoing the gastric bypass procedure. “I didn’t need any negativity from anyone.” Today, she is very open about her surgery.

As someone who struggles with anxiety, Felicia needed to redirect her self-talk to pump herself up before the surgery instead of letting negative thoughts overwhelm her. During the gastric bypass surgery, Dr. Sutker also repaired her hernias. After the surgery, Felicia says she woke up “naturally high.” She was ready to start the beginning of the rest of her life.

Life After Surgery

Diet:

As a chef, Felicia serves amazing sweet and savory cuisines for her clients. However, she can’t eat any of the foods she prepares. While someone else would have a negative disposition about this reality, Felicia channels her talents and creativity in the kitchen for her own innovative, healthy meals. Today, she follows mainly a pescatarian diet and aims to consume over 40 grams of protein per day.

Breakfast:
Felicia will make a smoothie with the following ingredients:
1. hibiscus berry protein powder, 1 cup of fruit, ice, amino acids and hemp milk.
2. sugarfree-cappucino protein mix with one banana, coffee, and almond milk.

Or, she will eat an eggwhite with guacamole.

Lunch: vegan taco base or veggie wrap with a low-carb tortilla tomato basil filled with onion, sprouts, kale, butter lettuce, spinach, guacamole, and cheese.

Dinner: 3 oz. salmon with sriracha and on a bed of lettuce , brussel sprouts with truffle oil, spinach with garlic.

Snacks: piece of fruit such as blackberries, or her own low glycemic popsicles.

Exercise:

With a demanding work schedule, Felicia incorporates exercising into her daily routine by doing squats, leg raises, and lifting all the foods she has to purchase. She is also moving on her feet all day.

Support:

Felicia is a member of cardiacfitt.com, where she is able to connect with other patients. As a chef, she has led Zoom cooking classes. There’s no slacking off in Felicia’s class. She requires everyone to buy the ingredients ahead of time and show off their results live to the rest of the class.

Felicia 2.0

Felicia’s self-esteem and energy levels have skyrocketed. “It’s larger than life,” she describes. As the pounds have melted off, Felicia loves seeing her face and fingers thin out and no longer experiences pain throughout her body. Bye-bye to the crutches and walkers. When she looks in the mirror, Felicia can’t believe she is seeing her own reflection. Her marriage has drastically improved. Felicia’s husband now surprises her with clothes and has gone back to flirting with her as if they were still dating.

Words of Wisdom:

Felicia’s goal is to inspire as many people as possible who struggle with obesity to change their lives and undergo weight loss surgery. “If you let someone convince you not to have the surgery, you’re doing your mind a disservice.” She also advises patients to take their vitamins faithfully and to follow the program for maximum results.

Life List

Felicia’s talents extend past the kitchen. She is planning to pursue modeling once the pandemic crisis passes. “I have a natural Coke bottle shape,” she says proudly. This past June, Felicia did a photo shoot which she posted on her Facebook page that generated over 1,000 views.

As for Dr. Sutker? “He is my angel on Earth. If he hadn’t been there the day I had my gallstones taken out, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Physician Version

Life Post-Op

Breakfast:

Felicia will make a smoothie with the following ingredients:

1. hibiscus berry protein powder, 34 cup of fruit, ice, amino acids and hemp milk.
2. sugar free-cappuccino protein mix with one banana, coffee, and almond milk
3. Or eat an eggwhite with guacamole.

Lunch: vegan taco base or veggie wrap with a low-carb tortilla tomato basil filled with onion, sprouts, kale, butter lettuce, spinach, guacamole, and cheese.

Dinner: 3 oz. salmon with sriracha on a bed of lettuce , brussel sprouts with truffle oil, spinach with garlic.

Snacks: Fruit such as blackberries, or her own low glycemic popsicles.

Exercise:

With a demanding work schedule, Felicia incorporates exercising into her daily routine by doing squats, leg raises, and lifting all the foods she has to purchase. She is also moving on her feet all day.

As a result of the weight loss surgery, Felicia’s self-esteem and energy levels have increased. She no longer requires blood pressure medication, which is currently 110/60.

Felicia describes Dr. Sutker with the utmost enthusiasm by referring to him “my angel on Earth. He saved my life.”

PATIENT VERSION

PHYSICIAN VERSION

Patient Version

Title: Ann’s Amazing Journey

Patient: Ann

Age: 49

Height: 5’5”

Highest Weight: 234 lbs.

BMI: 38.9

Current Weight: 201 lbs.

BMI: 33.4

Goal Weight: 160 lbs.

BMI: 26.6

Bariatric Surgery: gastric sleeve

Surgery Date: 12/20/19

Largest Size: 18

Current Size: 14-16

Weight Related Conditions Pre-Op: Knee pain which required injections

Weight Related Conditions Post-Op: Knee pain resolved

Medications: Flexor injection

Life Before Surgery

Ann’s weight problems began due to in vitro fertilization treatments in 2003 when she was first married. Over the course of 12 years, she gained approximately 80 pounds. Weight gain is a common side effect of the treatments from the hormones. During this time period, Ann’s sweet tooth contributed to her weight gain as well.

Ann did attempt to lose her excess weight several times. In addition to taking weight loss pills and seeing various endocrinologists, Ann did Jenny Craig, saw dietitians, drank apple cider vinegar, “practically everything you can imagine,” she says. When Ann did Weight Watchers, she actually gained weight because the program allows dieters to eat simple carbohydrates, which is highly ineffective when trying to lose weight.

Ann even attempted the HCG diet for 30 days. The HCG diet involves placing an HCG tab sublingually daily along with following a restrictive 400 calorie per day diet. The HCG is marketed to suppress your appetite and “guarantees” a 35 pound weight loss in one month. However Ann only lost 18 pounds.

Maintaining physical inactivity was never an obstacle for Ann. She would do various cardiovascular activities such as swimming, using an elliptical, and doing Zumba classes with friends up to six days a week. Even with her diet efforts and physical activity, Ann was never able to lose the weight she gained from in vitro treatments.

Meeting Dr. Sutker

Ann thought about weight loss surgery for several years before visiting Dr. Sutker. Over the years she visited various doctors, however Ann never felt comfortable with them. “I always felt like they were just selling me something and didn’t really care about me,” she explains. Ann was referred to Dr. Sutker by his wife who does medical spa treatments. When asked to describe Dr. Sutker, Ann says he is a warm doctor who demonstrates his thorough knowledge of the surgical procedures in terms she could understand. She felt he was much more genuine than other doctors and felt comfortable working with him. After trying endless methods, Ann decided weight loss surgery was the best option and that as a surgeon, Dr. Sutker was the best choice.

While the majority of weight loss surgery patients may be nervous or anxious before their procedure, Ann was the complete opposite. As she was wheeled into the operating room,

Ann remembers thinking, “I’m taking control of my health.” After the surgery, Ann did not experience pain or have any post-operative issues when she returned home.

Life After Surgery

After Ann’s surgery, she quickly discovered that she becomes full much more quickly, but does not get to the point where she feels sick. Normally, Ann eats around 1,000 calories per day. She eats six small meals a day from getting full so quickly. For those who have recently undergone weight loss surgery, Ann highly recommends using a measuring cup for portion control and to prevent overeating. Covid-19 has made this more challenging for three main reasons: there is extra idle time, and her two children often bring home food from the drive-thru.

Diet:

Breakfast: Premiere protein shake

Snack: Carbmaster Yogurt

Lunch: 100 Calorie bread sandwich with tuna / turkey

Snack: Carbmaster Yogurt

Snack: 1 Slice of american cheese

Dinner: Shrimp or Salmon – or Sashimi

Snack: Sugar-free pudding

Exercise:

Ann is an inspiration for maintaining a varied workout routine, even during Covid! Six days per week, Ann does an exercise class on demand such as Beach Body, barre, or weight lifting. After the class, she walks on the treadmill for 45 minutes.

Words of Wisdom

After undergoing the gastric sleeve with Dr. Sutker, Ann advises not listen to the “horror” stories one may read about the surgery due to her own safe, easy, experience where she was provided all the support necessary to be successful.

Covid-19 and quarantine has been challenging for everyone around the world. Weight loss surgery patients are no exception. However, through Ann’s new habits and experiences, she has been able to prove that weight loss surgery is a safe, effective, long-term solution to weight loss.

Physician Version

Life After Surgery

Normally, Ann eats around 1,000 calories per day. She eats six small meals a day from getting full so quickly. For those who have recently undergone weight loss surgery, Ann highly recommends using a measuring cup for portion control and to prevent overeating. Covid-19 has made this more challenging for three main reasons: there is extra idle time, and her two children often bring home food from the drive-thru.

Diet:

Breakfast: Premiere protein shake

Snack: Carbmaster Yogurt

Lunch: 100 Calorie bread sandwich with tuna / turkey

Snack: Carbmaster Yogurt

Snack: 1 Slice of american cheese

Dinner: Shrimp or Salmon – or Sashimi

Snack: Sugar-free pudding

Exercise:

Six days per week, Ann does an exercise class on demand such as Beach Body, barre, or weight lifting. After the class, she walks on the treadmill for 45 minutes.

PATIENT VERSION

PHYSICIAN VERSION

Patient Version

Before Surgery

It started when Petty was growing up. Her weight always fluctuated due to poor eating habits and fad dieting. When Petty was 20, her mother passed away. The loss led Petty to turn to food for comfort. Once Petty was married and wanted children, she needed IVF treatments to get pregnant. The hormones from the treatments caused Petty to gain more excess weight.

Although Petty did not eat specific comfort foods, she ate large portions during meals. After she had her children, Petty would work out and maintain a healthy lifestyle, but she wouldn’t see results and would still feel hungry from dieting. At 275 pounds, Petty wasn’t able to lean over to tie her shoes or cross her legs while sitting down. At this point, she was also on medication for high blood pressure, which was caused due to her excess weight.

In August 2018, Petty was running on the treadmill and began having chest pain. She went to a cardiologist who recommended switching her blood pressure medication. Feeling overwhelmed, Petty cried and explained she couldn’t get the excess weight off despite her efforts. The cardiologist recommended that Petty consider the gastric sleeve procedure. Petty’s immediate reaction was, “No way. Plus, my husband would never let me.”

Dr. Sutker’s wife is an RN who also provides cosmetic treatments. The Saturday after Petty saw her cardiologist, she had an appointment with Mrs. Sutker. Petty repeated that the cardiologist had recommended the gastric sleeve. Petty knew Dr. Sutker was well-respected in Dallas, so she decided to have a consultation with him. Her husband also met with Dr. Sutker so he would understand the benefits of utilizing bariatric surgery as an effective weight loss tool and to eliminate weight related diseases such as high blood pressure.

Throughout this process, Petty and her husband found Dr. Sutker to be “a very kind human being, very caring, understanding, and supportive. And he’s smart.”

After Surgery

Diet

Petty worked with a dietitian to work on creating healthy portion control habits. The dietitian also helped Petty create a meal plan that would help address her metabolism which did not function properly. Over time, Petty has successfully practiced not turning to the pantry as a coping mechanism. Instead, she recognizes her emotions and has learned to deal with a situation properly. Now, Petty can tell when she is physically hungry, or whether she wants to eat due to an emotion.

Below is an example of Petty’s daily food plan.

Breakfast: Premier Protein shake

Lunch: Tuna from a pack with one slice of whole grain bread OR

Two boiled eggs with a couple of whole wheat crackers

Snack: cheese stick, ½ cup yogurt with fruit, skinny popcorn, or Robert Irvine cheese balls

Dinner: grilled fish, or grilled chicken and veggies.

Patty also has a plate where food is portioned out for protein / carb / vegetables. She highly recommends this for bariatric patients. When she goes out to eat, she will now split an entree with her husband and only have one drink. Of course there are times when Petty feels tempted to slip into old habits. This happens especially during family gatherings, where both her family and her husband’s family want to celebrate gatherings centered around food. During these times, Petty will remind herself, “I can’t eat that much anymore. Look how far I’ve come, I’m going to keep it this way.”

Exercise

Petty also maintains weight loss with a consistent exercise routine. She does orange theory twice a week, and a yoga or pilates class one time per week. She can also work out at her home gym.

Life Today

Before surgery, Petty always presented a happy, bubbly front, however deep down she felt miserable due to being overweight. However, today her attitude has completely changed. Petty’s confidence has skyrocketed and her husband notices this. Before Petty’s surgery, her weight strained their marriage and they decided to see a therapist. The therapy and Petty’s weight loss has helped their marriage immensely. Petty has chosen not to be private about having surgery. She told her friends and family about the procedure. Petty appreciates the “little things” such as being able to go on the swing with her daughter.

Petty advises those considering weight loss surgery to do their homework in terms of researching the surgery and surgeon. “You need to be mentally prepared to have the surgery and change your eating habits. You don’t want to go back to where you were.” Petty views the surgery as an amazing weight loss tool that will help her successfully keep the excess weight off long-term. In order to be successful, Petty explains patients need to have a specific goal in mind. Her lifetime goal: keep the weight off.

Physician Version

Post-Op

After the surgery, Petty stated having minimal pain and being able to walk around after waking up.

Diet

Petty worked with a dietitian after her surgery to create a meal plan that would provide the nutrients she needed while enabling steady weight loss. Below is a sample day of Petty’s diet:

Petty worked with a dietitian to work on creating healthy portion control habits. The dietitian also helped Petty create a diet plan that would help address her metabolism which did not function properly. Over time, Petty has accomplished not turning to the pantry to cope with her emotions and to deal with a situation properly. Now, Petty can tell when she is physically hungry and then when she is full versus wanting to eat as an emotional coping mechanism.

Below is an example of Petty’s daily food plan.

Breakfast: Premiere Protein shake

Lunch: Tuna from a pack and one slice of whole grain bread OR
Two boiled eggs with a couple crackers

Snack: cheese stick, ½ cup yogurt with fruit, skinny popcorn, Robert Irvine cheese balls

Dinner: grilled fish, or grilled chicken and veggies.

Patty also has a plate where food is portioned out for protein / carb / vegetables. She highly recommends this for patients. When she goes out to eat, she will now split an entree with her husband.

Exercise

Orange Theory: 2x / week
Pilates/Yoga: 1x/week
Home Gym: 2x / week

Comorbidity: Hypertension

Petty’s hypertension was resolved six months after her surgery. She no longer requires medication to treat high blood pressure.

From Candy to Keto Bagels: A Weight Loss Transformation

PATIENT VERSION

PHYSICIAN VERSION

Patient Version

Before Surgery

Stephanie married her high school sweetheart 31 years ago, in April 1989. By September, she had gained 30 pounds. Stephanie’s weight continued to increase slowly over time, especially with each of her three pregnancies. With a self-described sweet tooth, Stephanie would snack throughout the day in addition to regular meals. Her go-to foods were Lucky Charms, powdered donuts, Oreos, and the big Reese’s peanut butter cups. Over the years, Stephanie was continuously depressed and could never stop thinking about how she looked because of her weight. In addition to having low self-confidence, Stephanie wasn’t able to do the physical activities that she enjoyed before getting married such as running, jogging, or high intensity workouts. Not only was Stephanie winded from trying to do these activities, they caused her severe knee pain.

Stephanie did try to control her weight at various points over the years. She attempted fad diets, joined Weight Watchers several times and signed up for Beach Body. Stephanie even tried more extreme measures such as taking the weight loss pill Centromine and getting HCG shots. While she would temporarily lose weight from these methods, Stephanie would regain any weight she lost plus additional pounds.

Getting to Surgery

She had no self-confidence for several reasons. She was tired of looking in the mirror and not being happy with her appearance. She was always the heaviest person in a group photo, and her clothes never fit. She had also gone from being pre-diabetic to having type 2 diabetes. With her health declining and constantly feeling depressed, Stephanie knew that instead of putting everyone else in her life first, it was time to take care of herself.

Already acquainted with his wife, Stephanie was familiar with Dr. Sutker as a surgeon and followed him on Facebook. Originally, she saw a post explaining Obalon, a non-surgical gastric balloon procedure. However, Dr. Sutker explained insurance did not cover that procedure and that weight loss surgery, which is covered by insurance, would be an effective option for permanent weight loss.

During her initial consultation with Dr. Sutker in June 2019, Stephanie felt he was very outgoing, easy to communicate with, and explained the weight loss procedures in layman’s terms instead of using confusing medical jargon. Together, they decided the gastric sleeve was the best procedure for her. During this procedure, the stomach is reduced by 75% and is reshaped to the size of a banana. This results in portion control and reduces constant feelings of hunger.

Before this consultation, Stephanie had always believed that weight loss surgery was the “lazy way out.” Stephanie’s husband originally didn’t want her to undergo the procedure, however she decided this was the best decision.

Being an aid in a special education class, Stephanie decided to wait until November during Thanksgiving break to undergo the procedure. This way, Stephanie was able to avoid taking time from work even though she was cleared by insurance in September.

Before her surgery, Stephanie started to feel anxious the night before. “Am I making the wrong choice?” she wondered. But the day of the surgery, she wasn’t nervous at all. Stephanie knew she was making the right choice. During the surgery, which Dr. Sutker performed laparoscopically, he was also able to remove scar tissue from a previous hernia removal. After the surgery, Stephanie stayed over one night. She was even able to walk around the floor without the nurse’s help. Only one incision was painful, where the stomach tissue had been removed.

After Surgery

Diet

Breakfast: protein shake

Lunch: Protein + vegetable. This includes choices such as hard boiled eggs, beef jerky, Babybel cheese (light), flavored tuna packets, OR

leftovers from dinner the night before.

Afternoon Snack: protein shake

Dinner: If she goes out to dinner with her husband, they will split an order of fajitas. Stephanie will just eat the chicken and vegetables. At home, instead of eating the pasta or rice Stephanie serves her family, she will make cauliflower rice

Patty also has a plate where food is portioned out for protein / carb / vegetables. She highly recommends this for bariatric patients. When she goes out to eat, she will now split an entree with her husband and only have one drink. Of course there are times when Petty feels tempted to slip into old habits. This happens especially during family gatherings, where both her family and her husband’s family want to celebrate gatherings centered around food. During these times, Petty will remind herself, “I can’t eat that much anymore. Look how far I’ve come, I’m going to keep it this way.”

Stephanie has also been experimenting with new recipes, especially during Covid-19. Recently she made a salad with lettuce, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, cucumber, olives, salt pepper / and olive oil. She also made keto bagels made with cheese, milk, and egg and baked them in a bagel tin. Yum!

Stephanie has completely retired fast foods from her diet. The only exception she makes is the kale salad or grilled chicken nuggets from Chic Fillet.

Words of Wisdom

Stephanie admits weight loss surgery may not be for everyone, but for those who are able to change their mindset and stick with the program, it will give you your life back. “You can’t go to McDonald’s after leaving the hospital,” she reiterates. Although Stephanie hasn’t necessarily publicized her surgery, she is open about it when people ask how she has lost so much weight. After seeing Stephanie’s success, her husband is now considering the gastric sleeve as well.

Stephanie’s biggest regret? “I wish I had the surgery sooner.”

Physician Version

Post-Op

Diet

Breakfast: Protein shake

Lunch: would take a protein + vegetable. Hard boiled egg, beef jerky, Babybel cheese (light), flavored tuna packets, OR

leftovers from dinner the night before

Afternoon Snack: protein shake

Dinner: If she goes out to dinner with her husband, they will split an order of fajitas. Stephanie will just eat the chicken and vegetables. At home, instead of eating the pasta or rice Stephanie serves her family, she will make cauliflower rice.

Stephanie takes recommended vitamins daily: Calcium, Multivitamin, Iron, vitamin B nasal spray.

Exercise

• 30 minute interval workout on treadmill 4x per week

Stephanie now feels confident in her appearance and has the energy to do physical activities she wasn’t able to do prior to surgery. Her only regret is, “I wish I hadn’t waited so long to have the surgery!”