New Jersey Mom Finds Hope and Weight Loss with RWJUH’s Bariatric Surgery Center and Fitness Center

A quarter of New Jersey adults are obese meaning they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher. At 36 years-old, Old Bridge,NJ resident, Marcia Marchese, found herself as part of that statistic. A lupus diagnosis and the medications to treat the condition coupled with the pregnancy of her son resulted in gestational diabetes and a premature birth two months early. Following her pregnancy Marcia was on various medications to treat her condition taking 78 pills a week and ultimately causing her weight to spiral out of control reaching 427 pounds.

“The medications made me hungry and drove my cravings especially for sweets,” she said. “My weight ballooned in just a matter of months leaving me depressed and with severely low self-esteem. That’s when I knew I had to do something and make a change. I couldn’t live like that anymore.”

Marcia underwent an original gastric bypass surgery in 2002 and then in August 2015 she selected Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s Bariatric Surgery Center for a revision procedure where she and her team of specialists including pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, cardiologists, endocrinologist and psychologists all work together to develop a personalized treatment and weight loss plan for her. Lead by Ragui Sadek, MD, Medical Director of Adult and Adolescent Bariatric Surgery at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Marcia and her bariatric care team selected a minimally invasive laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy procedure, which help to stabilize important components of digestion such as hunger, satiety and blood sugar. Sleeve gastrectomy patients who commit to the necessary post-operative lifestyle changes required with all bariatric surgery, can lose over 50 percent of their overall body weight within the first three to five years after surgery.

Following her sleeve gastrectomy procedure, Marcia did just that and fully committed to her lifestyle changes. She enrolled at Robert Wood Johnson Fitness and Wellness Center in Parlin, NJ and signed up for the Bariatric program where she met with trainer and Wellness Program manager, Amanda Pero. Marcia credits Amanda with helping her achieve her fitness goals thanks to her knowledge, guidance and encouragement.

Now living her life with better physical and mental health than ever before, Marcia says it’s all thanks to RWUHJ’s Bariatric Center. The depression that plagued her for years has subsided and she no longer takes any medication. Having given up junk food and enjoying her happy and healthy lifestyle she is getting ready to run her first 5k and 15k races. “With the full support and help of my loving family I never would have been able to get through this or have the surgery in the first place,” says Marcia. At 55 she has maintained her weight at 168 pounds through proper nutrition and staying active.

“You can’t buy self-esteem and before anything you have to love yourself and that all comes from within and if I can have it, so can everyone else,” she said. “All your lives count and matter.”

When diet and exercise alone are not enough to reverse obesity, and associated conditions such as asthma, sleep apnea and high blood pressure are present, adults and teens can be considered for one of four bariatric procedures currently offered at RWJUH:

• A sleeve gastrectomy reduces the stomach into a small, banana shaped pouch to reduce the capacity of the stomach and controls hunger by regulating hormones.
• Gastric banding, also known as “the band,” places an inflatable band around the top of the stomach to create a small pouch.
• Gastric bypass, seen as the “gold standard” of bariatric surgery, provides the least complications by bypassing the stomach to create a small pouch through a laparoscopic procedure.
• ORBERA™ Managed Weight Loss System, currently only available for adults, is a non-surgical procedure that inflates a small balloon inside the stomach to reinforce portion control.

In addition to significant weight loss, there are a variety of health benefits associated with weight loss surgery in general that often occur over time, including:

• Improvement of Type 2 Diabetes
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower cholesterol
• Relief of sleep apnea
• Relief of acid reflux
• Improved mobility
• Improved mood and self-esteem

The Bariatric Surgery Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is a highly accredited, comprehensive medical program providing care for overweight and obese patients age 15 and older. The Bariatric Surgery Center staff is composed of a highly trained team of specialists who develop a personalized lifetime care plan for each patient based on their individual needs and risk factors. Qualified individuals participate in medically supervised weight loss programs before referral for bariatric surgery. Throughout the process, patients benefit from educational programs, support groups and specialists to aid in the life-changing transition. To find out if you or a loved one is a candidate for bariatric surgery at RWJUH, please call 732-253-3156 or visit http://www.rwjuh.edu/bariatric....