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Her doctor, Ziad Hanna, MD, is the
director of the bariatric surgery program
at Ukiah Valley Medical Center. Dr. Hanna
understands the many health benefits
patients can receive from surgery. For
example, surgery can improve blood sugar
levels. This helps keep type 2 diabetes
under control or makes it disappear. Heart
health can improve after surgery, and sleep
apnea can clear up.
That’s what happened
for Mat
t
hew Smith,
another of Dr. Hanna’s
patients. “I not only
sleep better; I have
more stamina,” Smith
says. “And anything that
takes physical exertion
is easier.” Along with
better health, patients
like Smith often enjoy a
better quality of life. Bariatric surgery and its
resulting weight loss can raise self-esteem.
It may also lessen anxiety and depression.
“I did not realize what a boost it would
give me to lose that weight and keep it
off,” Smith says.
Who can
have bariatric
surgery?
Have a body mass index (BMI)
of 40 kg/m
2
or above.
Have a BMI of 35 kg/m
2
and
above, along with a serious
weight-related health problem,
such as type 2 diabetes, heart
disease or severe sleep apnea.
Some people with a
BMI greater than 30 kg/m
2
and prediabetes or diabetes
may qualify for adjustable
gastric band surgery.
Have been unable to lose
weight using other methods.
Are willing to make a
commitment to changing
their lifestyle.
Interested in learning
about your options?
Contact us at
707.463.8011.
Surgery may be
recommended for
people who:
Part of a process
Of course, these changes
don’t happen overnight.
That’s because surgery
itself is not a cure-all.
Patients must commit to
serious lifestyle changes.
“Surgery is a tool to
help you lose weight,”
says Amanda Serrano,
another of Dr. Hanna’s
patients. “But if you don’t
control what you choose to eat, it might not
work for you.”
Serrano and other patients learn about
healthy eating and lifestyle habits through
presurgical education. Patients are given
tools to lose pounds before surgery —
a step many doctors require.
Once patients complete the pre-op steps, Dr. Hanna will work with them to
choose the best weight-loss procedure. He offers two types of surgery:
Gastric sleeve takes the lead
Adjustable gastric band surgery (AGB).
With AGB, the surgeon places a band
around the top of the stomach. This restricts the size of the opening between
the esophagus and the stomach.
Vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG).
VSG involves the removal of a large part of
the stomach. This leaves a smaller, sleeve-shaped pouch for food to pass through.
VSG has recently gained popularity among
both surgeons and patients. That’s because
it provides benefits with fewer downsides.
VSG has the benefit of restricting food intake
without affecting nutrient absorption. Plus, it
creates hormonal changes that help you stick
with your diet. This makes it easier to follow
through with the healthy lifestyle changes that
are crucial to after-surgery weight loss.
For Horvath, after-surgery weight loss
helped her go from a size 16 to a size 6.
Smith has gone from 360 to 265 pounds.
And Pickner has lost 76 pounds since
surgery and is still losing weight. “Surgery
was the best decision of my life,” she says.
“It saved my life; I have no doubt about it.”
A support structure for weight loss
The bariatric surgery program staff at
Ukiah Valley Medical Center offers a
helping hand all through the weight-loss
process. Patients meet several times with
a nutritionist. They have a bariatric-specific
consultation with a counselor.
Plus, there’s a support group, with Debbie
Parker, RN, bariatric nurse coordinator.
Patients are encouraged to attend this
group before and after surgery. Patients are
even welcome to just drop in to the office,
say hi and use the scale. “We really believe
in follow-up,” Parker says. “We want to see
people when they are having trouble and
when they are doing well.”
Amanda Serrano,
a patient of the
Bariatric Surgery
Program
Matthew Smith,
a patient of the
Bariatric Surgery
Program
