Being overweight or obese increases a person’s risk of experiencing as many as 30 serious medical conditions; but losing weight isn’t easy and can be difficult. Fortunately, there are many weight loss programs to choose from, but before you do, you should talk with your physician and see which program might be best for you. Remember, this is not an overnight fix, but rather a lifestyle change. Memorial Medical Center is one hospital that offers several options for those with concerns about their weight.

Lena Arnold, the front desk receptionist for Professional Park Associates, was struck by a weight loss story in Chicken Soup Magazine last spring. “It was like I was reading about myself,” Lena exclaims. “She had fibromyalgia and high blood pressure and was on a lot of medicine. I have fibromyalgia and high blood pressure and was taking almost a dozen pills a day. My brothers have diabetes and heart problems and I was on that road like she was. She had turned her life around, and I determined I could do that, too.” Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a common rheumatoid disorder of the muscles and bones that does not involve the joints. FMS causes pain and fatigue, and people with FMS feel as if their muscles have been pulled or overworked. Sometimes the muscles can twitch or burn.

The physicians and staff in Lena’s office supported her 100 percent and worked out a schedule that accommodated her visits to the Physician Supervised Weight Loss Program.

“I meet with the nurse practitioner, the nutritionist, and a counselor once a month, and I have learned so much,” Lena says. “The team is helpful at working with me individually, and I am able to do some of the educational segments on the telephone and the computer. This has been a change of life that is easier than any weight loss plan I ever tried, and I’ve tried a bunch of them.”

In eight months Lena lost 45 pounds, and she wants to lose 30 more. She has gone from a size 3X, in the scrub tops she wears to work, to a med-large; from a size 22 dress to a 14-16. She was delighted that she was able to go through the holiday season and keep on losing by adhering to her portion control and carefully counting carbohydrates. “I can eat anything I want, but I have to count it,” she emphasizes.

For exercise, Lena walks at lunch or in the evening in addition to taking over 10,000 steps at work on most days. She’s cut her blood pressure medicine in half and is not taking any medicine for fibromyalgia. “This is one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life,” she asserts.

     When Calvin Grant retired two years ago, he had three things he wanted to work on – his fitness, his financial matters, and his spiritual life.   “I’m making progress on all three, and I’ve had fantastic success with weight loss and fitness at Memorial’s Weight Management Center,” Calvin says.

“As much weight as I had to lose, I felt I needed professional guidance, and the Physician Supervised Program was perfect for me. I appreciate so much the medical guidance, the nutritionist, the counseling sessions with a social worker, and the exercise program at the Hamilton Family YMCA. I had never worked out in a gym and didn’t know anything about the equipment, but the exercise physiologists held my hand for the first few sessions and continue to monitor my progress.”

Calvin lost 60 pounds in eight months to reach his desired weight of 224. “Weight loss has made retirement fun,” says Calvin, whose son now operates Grant’s Auto Trim, the family business Calvin’s father started. “I have more stamina and strength. I think the exercise is key. My wife Paulette has been a great help, too, with nutrition and encouragement.”

The medical monitoring proved its worth when Calvin was making plans to travel to Russia for three weeks. “The staff picked up on a heart skip and immediately connected me with a cardiologist before I left,” he says. “They take good care of you.” Surgical Weight Management

In addition to the Physician Supervised Program, there are two types of surgical weight management – gastric bypass surgery and gastric banding to reduce the size of the stomach and aid in weight loss. “The goal of both surgeries is to take away the appetite – to give folks appetite control,” explains Dr. Robert Sass, a general surgeon who recently moved to Chattanooga and includes bariatric surgery in his practice.

“Bariatric surgery is for someone who has tried diets that haven’t worked, for those who are already developing health problems with obesity and know they need to do something to save their lives,” continues Dr. Sass, who reached that point himself in 2005. “I had difficulties with being overweight from my teen years on. I went up and down on a variety of diets like so many other people do. Each time I dieted it was harder to lose, and when I stopped dieting, I gained more weight back. I was literally hungry all the time.”

Dr. Sass began performing bariatric surgery at Russell County Medical Center in Lebanon, New Jersey in 2001, helping patients who were seriously obese and realizing he had a similar problem himself. “When I began to have some medical problems clearly related to my obesity and was generally feeling lousy all the time, I realized I had to have the surgery to save my life. I could not lose weight any other way,” Dr. Sass explains.

“It’s fascinating to look at the process from the viewpoint of a patient. It has helped me relate to my patients going through general surgery or having bariatric surgery. I understand the emotions and concerns they have.”

In less than a year Dr. Sass lost 100 pounds and reached the goal he had set for himself, and he has been able to stay at that level. “I can’t recall in my entire life when I have felt better,” he exclaims. “The biggest thing I lost was my constant appetite, and I am now able to eat properly.”

      Dr. Sass came to Chattanooga in 2006 to open a private surgical practice and join the Surgical Weight Management team at Memorial. “I was looking for a larger area where I could develop a broad-based general and bariatric surgery program, and Memorial gave me a wonderful opportunity to work with their program and some top notch surgeons. My wife and children fell in love with this area, too.”

 Dr. Sass offers two surgical options: (1) the gastric bypass procedure, which is usually done laparoscopically, and (2) laparoscopic gastric banding. “These are both safe, effective weight loss tools for those 100 pound or more overweight. Both have advantages, and patients can choose which is best for them based on their needs and life style,” Dr. Sass says.

Many insurance plans cover weight management surgery for those who have serious related medical problems. The main objective of the surgery is to improve one’s health and longevity.

Surgeons who perform bariatric surgery in the Chattanooga area include Dr. Richard Fromm, Dr. Roger Land, Dr. Steven Paynter, Dr. Jaime Ponce, Dr. Walter Rose, Dr. Jack Rutledge, and Dr. Robert Sass.

These weight loss programs offer a comprehensive team approach, providing extensive education, counseling, nutrition guidance, exercise physiology and group support. For information, call 423.495.2244 or toll-free 1.866.313.2244 or contact your physician.