Finding freedom: Lisa’s bariatric surgery story

Since childhood, Lisa has struggled with her weight, once reaching a high of 350 pounds. Despite eating a healthy diet and working with a trainer, the weight simply wouldn’t come off, she says. Her doctors mentioned bariatric surgery earlier in life, but Lisa didn’t feel ready.

At the time, Lisa believed the surgery was primarily intended to shrink the stomach and reduce hunger. “I never really ate because I was hungry,” she says. “I ate to cope with emotions.”

She knew she had to address the emotional component of her weight concerns before considering surgery.

As an architect who loves to travel, Lisa noticed that her mobility began to suffer. She couldn’t manage using the stairs and struggled to walk long distances.

Lisa was told by her doctors that she needed knee surgery. However, her weight made having the knee surgery very risky.

She knew she needed to lose weight or risk continuing to feel limited. Something needed to change, she says.

Reconsidering bariatric surgery

At age 55, Lisa decided it was time to reconsider bariatric surgery. She underwent a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, also known as a sleeve at Sharp Memorial Hospital.

The sleeve procedure restricts stomach volume and the amount of food taken in by removing about 85% or more of the stomach without bypassing the intestines. Lisa was surprised to learn that this procedure also removes the hunger-stimulating hormone ghrelin, and post-surgery, realized that the food noise she had been living with all her life disappeared. She could eat what she wanted, but didn’t feel the urge to binge eat.

Lisa’s goal was always to weigh 200 pounds — a weight she hadn’t reached since high school. Today, she weighs 173 pounds. She credits Dr. Eric Luedke, medical director of the Sharp Memorial Bariatric Surgery Program, and the bariatric team for making her feel supported from start to finish.

“Bariatric surgery is not just about weight loss,” says Dr. Luedke. “It’s about giving patients the tools to reclaim their health, mobility and quality of life. Seeing patients like Lisa thrive is why we do what we do.”

Six months after her bariatric surgery, Lisa had her first knee replaced. Her recovery went smoothly, and she healed so quickly that only two months later, she was able to have her second knee replaced.

Today. Lisa is walking, climbing stairs and traveling. “I wish I had done it sooner,” she says. “Because now I finally feel free.”

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