Still Slim and Healthy 10 Years After Weight-Loss Surgery

By Tracy Simons | Silver Cross Hospital

Donna Morris is still hiking more than 10 years after her bariatric surgery at Silver Cross Hospital. Once obese at 226 pounds, the Marseilles mom has kept most of the weight off and continues to live life to the fullest. After losing 100 pounds, her extremely high blood pressure, asthma and back pain are completely gone.

“Since my weight loss, I have more energy to travel and even participate in activities like hiking and parasailing that I never would have dreamed of doing before,” said the 51-year-old mother of three daughters.

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“I often wonder if I didn’t have the weight loss surgery if I’d still be alive 10 years later,” said Donna. “My improved health made so many personal milestones possible - my husband Brian and I have celebrated 34 years of marriage and we’ve been blessed to watch our beautiful daughters grow up.”

First Laparoscopic Bypass Patient at Silver Cross Hospital

Over a decade ago, Donna was the first patient of Dr. Christopher Joyce, a board certified bariatric and general surgeon with BMI Surgery at Silver Cross Hospital, to undergo the new minimally invasive procedure called laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Dr. Joyce performed laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery, on Donna on Nov. 4, 2003, which was the first laparoscopic gastric bypass at Silver Cross Hospital as well as in Will or Grundy Counties.

During laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, Dr. Joyce uses a series of small incisions to gain access to the abdominal cavity in order to reduce the size of the stomach by creating a pouch about the size of an egg from the top of the stomach. He then divides the small intestine and attaches the lower part of the intestine to the stomach pouch. Dr. Joyce calls gastric bypass the “gold standard” of bariatric surgery, because it has the highest success rate in terms of weight loss. “The change helps patients lose weight because the stomach can’t hold as much food,” Dr. Joyce says.

There are several benefits of using the laparoscopic technique including a shorter length of stay in the hospital (usually two nights), quicker recovery, less time off work and cosmetically more appealing scars. In the past, these operations were done through larger incisions using traditional techniques. Now virtually everybody is a candidate for the laparoscopic approach.

Peak weight loss occurs 12-18 months after the gastric bypass. Patients at Silver Cross on average lose 81 percent of their excess weight at that time. At 5 years after the surgery, the average excess weight loss remains high at 78 percent indicating the durability of the surgery.

Donna contributes her successful 10-year weight loss to the fact that she still routinely meets with Dr. Joyce and his team at BMI Surgery, exercises regularly and makes healthy food choices. “Even through all these years, Dr. Joyce and his staff have been a great resource of support for me,” said Donna. “I do admit that I enjoy desserts only much smaller portions. But for the majority of my meals, I eat healthy foods,” said Donna.

Are you a Candidate for Weight Loss Surgery?

The American Society of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery defines the morbidly obese as those with a body mass of 40 or above, or, for a normal height woman, being more than 100 pounds overweight. Patients with a BMI of 35 and higher, are at a higher risk of mortality and such extreme obesity puts people at risk for life threatening disease, including heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes.

BMI Surgery has changed the lives of nearly 4,000 patients with life changing surgeries including laparoscopic gastric bypass, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, and Lap-Band and REALIZE gastric band systems at Silver Cross Hospital. Board certified laparoscopic and bariatric surgeons Christopher Joyce, M.D., and Brian Lahmann, M.D., are dedicated to helping patients win their personal battles with obesity and enjoy healthier lives. Silver Cross has been named a Bariatric Center of Excellence by the American Society of Bariatric Surgery and a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery.

To find out more about the bariatric surgery program at Silver Cross Hospital, attend a free informational session on both traditional and laparoscopic surgery on any Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. at BMI Surgery at 1890 Silver Cross Blvd., Suite 260, New Lenox. To attend, visit www.bmisurgery.orgor call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325).

About Silver Cross Hospital

Silver Cross Hospital is a not-for-profit health care provider serving Will County and southwest suburban communities since 1895. Silver Cross has been recognized as a Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals National Award winner for seven consecutive years and as a Hospital of Choice by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers. With nearly 4,000 employees, physicians and volunteers, Silver Cross operates a 289-bed acute care hospital and 5 satellite facilities providing outpatient services and physician offices. Silver Cross opened a state-of-the-art replacement hospital in 2012 at I-355 and Route 6 in New Lenox. In 2013, Silver Cross provided over $48 million in charity care and other community benefits. To learn more about Silver Cross Hospital or a referral to a physician on staff, visit www.silvercross.org or call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325). Physicians on Silver Cross Hospital’s Medical Staff have expertise in their areas of practice to meet the needs of patients seeking their care. These physicians are independent practitioners on the Medical Staff and are not the agents or employees of Silver Cross Hospital. They treat patients based upon their independent medical judgment and they bill patients separately for their services.