Gastric Bypass Surgery Starts Patient on Healthy Path
“I’ve always been a large guy,” said Brian McMillan of Winston-Salem. An athlete who played football and wrestled during college, it was the transition to a more sedentary lifestyle after college that signaled the beginning of his problems. “I still ate like I was an athlete. As my weight increased so did my health problems.”
Diagnosed with diabetes in 1993, when he was only 23 years old, he progressed from controlling the diabetes with exercise and oral medications to needing 3-5 insulin shots per day.
“We have a family history of diabetes and I’ve seen first-hand how diabetes-related issues negatively impact your health. I knew I had to do something. I had reached 352 pounds and my health continued to deteriorate.”
His endocrinologist referred him to Dr. Adolfo Fernandez, a fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon at Wake Forest Baptist. “I felt an instant rapport with both Dr. Fernandez (“Fuzz”) and his nurse Susan Butler. Those people changed my life.”
After undergoing the initial evaluation, including weight management and psychological counseling, McMillan had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery in August 2004.
Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the type of gastric bypass surgery most studied and accepted. Considered minimally invasive, the procedure requires 5-7 small incisions in the abdomen to create an egg-sized stomach pouch. Food then bypasses the lower stomach and parts of the small intestine.
Creating this small stomach pouch restricts the amount and type of food the patient can consume. The average weight loss with the Roux-en-Y procedure is 60-70 percent of the patient’s excess weight. The weight loss can be maintained with strict attention to a comprehensive program of diet, exercise, and attention to the behavioral issues of overeating.
Nearly two years later, McMillan has had no complications, is off all medications and is maintaining his weight at around 215 pounds.
McMillan has been a systems analyst with R.J. Reynolds for the past nine years and the future looks bright. He earned his master’s degree in 2004 and is currently in a doctoral program in organizational management.
“My wife, Nisa, and I feel blessed. Meeting Dr. Fernandez and undergoing the procedure literally saved my life because, with the path I was on, I may not have lived to see 35 or 40,” said McMillan.
To be considered a candidate for Gastric Bypass Surgery, patients must:
· have made multiple attempts to lose weight, including structured programs through nationally recognized organizations or physician supervised programs
· weigh at least 100 pounds over their ideal body weight with a Body Mass Index greater than 35 with additional health problems or greater than 40 with no additional health problems
· be motivated to undergo a change in lifestyle and eating habits
· have the approval of the primary care physician managing the patient’s medical conditions
· be willing to work collaboratively with a team of healthcare providers interested in their successful journey to a healthier lifestyle
· be between 18-55 years old
Learn more about our Weight Management Program, including bariatric surgery, by going to:
http://www1.wfubmc.edu/weightmanagement