When Dieting Isn’t Enough

Baylor Waxahachie’s bariatric surgery program can help.

Renee O’Daniel, R.N, had diabetes and asthma. With her excess weight contributing to her health problems, and facing a future of insulin dependence, she decided to have gastric bypass surgery at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie.

Now she’s 100 pounds lighter, and her health problems are under control. “I would do it all over again,” O’Daniel says. “I’ve been given the opportunity to do things in life that wouldn’t have been available to me without the surgery.”

She appreciates the things she once took for granted—such as not worrying about where to park and how far the walk would be, or going out to eat with friends and hoping they requested a table and not a booth.

She now is able to work a full day without being exhausted—and she’s currently helping establish a new bariatric program at Baylor Waxahachie, which she hopes will help others achieve the same results she has.

More and more, people who are overweight or obese are turning to surgery to help them drop their excess pounds and improve their health. Baylor Waxahachie offers two surgical options for weight loss. See how they stack up at left.

By Stephanie Thurrott

To learn more about weight-loss surgery at Baylor Waxahachie, attend an upcoming seminar on Jan. 31 or Feb. 28. Call 1-800-4BAYLOR to register or register on-line.

	Gastric Bypass	Gastric Band
How it works	Your stomach is stapled to make a small pouch. This pouch is attached to the small intestine in such a way that fewer calories are absorbed.	A band tightened around the stomach helps you feel full sooner, cutting down on the amount you eat.
Expected weight loss	70 to 80 percent of excess weight after one year, although results will vary.	30 to 40 percent of excess weight after one year, although results will vary.
You should know	Because part of the small intestine is bypassed, some nutrients aren’t absorbed well. You will likely need lifetime vitamin supplements.	You will need to follow up with your doctor after surgery to have the band tightened or loosened. He or she will inject or withdraw saline to adjust the band.
Risks	Leaks or separation at the 10 to 25 staple sites, which happens in one of 200 people.	Band slippage or erosion.