‘One of the best decisions I ever made’

Bariatric surgery at St. Mary’s changed Suzanne’s life

Suzanne Culbertson loves camping, hiking, and spending time with her family. But rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the medications she took to control it caused her to gain a lot of unwanted weight – more than 130 pounds. As a result, she suffered from terrible joint pain that made doing the things she loved difficult, if not impossible.

Then a crisis put her in St. Mary’s Hospital. It turned out to be a life-changing moment.

Crisis and opportunity

It was the summer of 2022. Suzanne was managing the busy medical office at St. Mary’s Hometown Pediatrics, raising her teenage daughter with her husband, and trying to get through the day as pain and exhaustion cut deeper and deeper into her energy stores. Her weight was worsening symptoms of RA and asthma, as well as raising her blood sugar levels and blood pressure. To get her weight under control, she had been taking powerful weight-loss drugs for years.

She also frequently felt a little sick, which she attributed to the weight loss medications. But that summer, something changed. Her stomach symptoms grew much worse. She thought she had stomach flu, but it turned out to be gastroparesis – paralysis of the stomach muscles – and the symptoms were so severe she had to be hospitalized at St. Mary’s. Since surgery looked likely, she had a consultation with Dr. Aaron Carr, a general surgeon with a special interest in weight loss procedures. One of the options he gave her was bariatric weight loss surgery, which would bypass the damaged part of her stomach and also reduce its capacity, helping her lose weight and move food more effectively.

It was not her first interaction with Dr. Carr. In her role with St. Mary’s Medical Group, she had worked with him several times. Some years before, when a case of diverticulitis put her in the hospital, he honored her desire to avoid surgery, teaming up with nurses, dietitians, and other health professionals at St. Mary’s to bring her back to better health without operating.

“He kept me from having to have surgery, and that really impressed me,” she says. “He would come in, sit on the bed and listen. I remember telling him, ‘I want to be with my family,’ and him saying, ‘I want you to be well.’ He helped me see that I could do both.”

A life-improving decision

Dr. Carr recommended Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, which would replace part of her stomach with a small pouch. The surgery limits how much a person can eat at one time, reducing calories and making it easier for food to move through the digestive process. As she listened, Suzanne began to have hope.

“He showed me that the surgery could reduce my issues with gastroparesis and also help me lose weight, which would help my RA, A1C and blood pressure,” she says. “But he was also clear that it’s not a magic bullet. I would have to do my part. You have to know what you’re getting into.”

The decision to have bariatric surgery is a big one, requiring lifelong changes to diet, eating habits, activity levels, and more. To help patients decide if it is right for them, St. Mary’s has a weight loss surgery program that includes working with a nutritionist, and consulting a psychiatrist (“It’s vital to understand your relationship with food and why you may have unhealthy eating habits,” she notes), meeting with a support group, and preparing for the recovery process.

Making such a big decision also involves family members. Suzanne says her husband was worried and even suspicious. In a pre-operation meeting with Dr. Carr, he was very frank about his concerns.

“He asked a lot of hard questions,” Suzanne says. “Dr. Carr listened to all of his concerns and gave him answers that were realistic and reassuring.”

Suzanne soon made the decision: Yes. She has never looked back. “It was one of the best decisions I ever made for myself,” she says.

Surgery and recovery

Dr. Carr performed Suzanne’s surgery on Aug. 1, 2022. It was a 7-hour procedure, with Dr. Carr taking the time needed to make sure everything was done perfectly. Suzanne felt sore afterward, but not in great pain. Her journey to a new life had begun.

Recovery from the surgery requires giving your stomach time to heal, notes St. Mary’s Bariatric Surgery Coordinator Julie Richardson, a registered and licensed dietitian who works closely with Dr. Carr to guide and support weight-loss surgery patients.

“Bariatric surgery changes your digestive system and affects how much food you can eat and what foods you can tolerate,” Julie notes. “There are five stages to the bariatric diet; each stage is designed to support you as your body heals from surgery.”

The stages progress from a clear liquid diet to regular foods over seven weeks. The process ends with a regular bariatric diet, which reintroduces textures and a greater variety of food. It has a strong focus on protein and avoiding foods that are high in fats or sugars.

“This is the diet you should follow for the rest of your life,” Julie notes. “Make sure you eat slowly, listen to your body, and stop eating when you are full.”

Suzanne has taken her new diet to heart, but she notes that her body will let her know if she over-indulges. “If you eat too much sugar, you may have a high heart rate, feel dizzy, or break out in a sweat. If you don’t eat what you are supposed to eat, your body will react,” she says.

Adjusting to the new diet was not difficult for Suzanne, in part because she immediately began to see positive results. Pounds came off quickly. Her gastroparesis eased. She had more energy. And as the weight decreased, the pressure on her joints also decreased, easing symptoms of RA.

Even so, occasionally she has caught herself slipping into old habits. When that happens, she says, she finds it helpful to do a “pouch reset,” in which she goes back to a shortened version of the 5-stage surgical recovery diet.

“It resets your stomach but also your mind,” she explains. “Your portion sizes go back to where they should be, and so does your choice of foods. It’s very helpful if you fall back into old habits.”

Another excellent resource is St. Mary’s Bariatric Surgery Support Group, Julie notes. Past and present weight-loss surgery patients meet monthly at St. Mary’s Hospital for education and mutual support. The group helps patients stay motivated to stick with their new diet and increase activity.

Loving life again

Today, Suzanne enjoys being 110 pounds lighter. She would like to drop another 20 but is not stressing over it. That’s the attitude bariatric surgery patients need to have, Julie says. “It’s important to be at peace with the weight and shape your body is comfortable with when you are eating right and getting the activity you need. The way you feel and how healthy you are more important than the number on a scale,” she says.

Suzanne loves that she can be active again. She goes to the gym three days a week. Sometimes she rides bikes with her husband – he’s an avid cyclist – but she prefers walking, especially when her family goes camping.

“It has been life-changing because I don’t have that extra weight on my joints,” she says. “All my co-morbidities are back in check. St. Mary’s program has been wonderful and Dr. Carr is just a phenomenal person. I feel better than I have in years.”

About St. Mary’s weight-loss surgery program

St. Mary’s provides extensive resources for Bariatric weight-loss surgery for anyone wondering if weight-loss surgery might be right for them.

You Can:

• Meet our team
• Learn about the procedures we offer
• View educational videos and more.
• You can sign up for a free bariatric surgery orientation, Surgical Weight Loss 101, and find out if you are a candidate for surgery.

We know this is a big decision and that there is a lot to consider, so Julie Richardson also is available for consultations. To set up an appointment, call 706-548-5488.