Page 15 - Inspire Health March/April 2015
P. 15
Dr. Leonardo
Claros, medical
director of
bariatric
Michelle Star knew she surgery at St. designated a Center of Excellence by the
had to do something Luke’s Weight American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric
about her 235-pound Management Surgery and lauded by a number of health
body weight. She was Center insurance companies for excellence. It
active and regularly boasts other impressive stats, too, including
went to the gym, but high blood pressure or sleep apnea no length of stay, complication and mortality
didn’t feel well. longer have those conditions after the rates far better than the national average
“Like so many of us, every Monday surgery, says Dr. Leonardo Claros, FACS, for the surgery.
you think, ‘I’m going to start dieting,’’’ says FASMBS, St. Luke’s medical director of Learn more about weight loss surgery
the Stroudsburg resident. “I was starting bariatric surgery. options at weightloss.sluhn.org.
to see real health concerns. Life wasn’t fun For those who don’t want to undergo
anymore because I didn’t feel well.” “We’re talking about people who are surgery or can’t for some reason, St. Luke’s
Michelle decided to get help losing really sick and the surgery plays a role,” he is now accepting patients into a nonsurgical
weight and turned to the weight-loss says. “The weight loss is just a side effect.” weight-loss program headed up by Dr. Sagar
surgery program at St. Luke’s University Claros points to statistics that show V. Mehta, director of Bariatric Medicine at St.
Health Network. That was almost three a range of 82 to 98 percent resolution Luke’s Weight Management Center.
years ago and she averages a healthy 130 of diabetes in patients who undergo There will be two program options:
pounds. Now retired from her university metabolic surgery. Conservative Weight Management, which
librarian job, Michelle has found an exciting “There’s nothing out there — no is a diet and exercise modification program
second career as an extra on TV shows medication, no program or no treatment under the supervision of a doctor and
and movies, including “Law and Order: — that can do that,” he says.
Special Victims Unit,” “Mind of a Murderer,” Patients go through a comprehensive Dr. SagarV.
“Forever” and “Orange is the New Black.” evaluation process and need to complete Mehta, director
Michelle, 57, says she always wanted classes on nutrition, exercise, lifestyle of bariatric
to try being an extra, but didn’t have time changes and other health topics. Prospective medicine at St.
with a full-time job. “Life was good before, patients also have to attend support group Luke’s Weight
but life is better now,” she says. “I’m so meetings, meet with the bariatric team and Management
happy I did this because now, people just start making lifestyle changes before the Center
see me … When you’re heavy and getting surgery. All of this helps the patients be
older, you tend to be invisible.” successful after the surgery. Structured Lifestyle Intervention. The second
It might seem like it would be hard “The surgery plays a significant role in program includes a 12-week program,
to take that step to ask for help, but it’s it, but what happens before the surgery meal replacement products and individual
worth it. is equally important, if not more so. Each meetings with a dietician and counselor.
“There’s a certain amount of patient is thoroughly evaluated,” Claros “An ideal candidate for the program
embarrassment and shame because you says. “All of us are working together to would be someone older than 18 years
can’t lose the weight alone, but you get offer the best outcome.” of age with a body mass index of 25 or
past that,” she says. “The surgery is just St. Luke’s bariatric program has been greater and who needs to lose at least 20
another tool to get you where you want pounds,” Mehta says. The person would
to be — it gets you started.” also have to have a condition associated
Part of the program includes classes with excess weight such as diabetes,
that help you learn how to eat and how to elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol,
live healthfully, she said. sleep apnea or fatty liver disease.
“You need to make a concerted
change in your habits,” Michelle says. “You
don’t need to eat for entertainment. And
you don’t need to eat out of boredom.”
With the weight loss comes some
extreme health benefits. Patients who
had previously suffered from diabetes,
Photos courtesy of St. Luke’s University Health Network
March § April 2015 INSPIRE HEALTH 15
Claros, medical
director of
bariatric
Michelle Star knew she surgery at St. designated a Center of Excellence by the
had to do something Luke’s Weight American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric
about her 235-pound Management Surgery and lauded by a number of health
body weight. She was Center insurance companies for excellence. It
active and regularly boasts other impressive stats, too, including
went to the gym, but high blood pressure or sleep apnea no length of stay, complication and mortality
didn’t feel well. longer have those conditions after the rates far better than the national average
“Like so many of us, every Monday surgery, says Dr. Leonardo Claros, FACS, for the surgery.
you think, ‘I’m going to start dieting,’’’ says FASMBS, St. Luke’s medical director of Learn more about weight loss surgery
the Stroudsburg resident. “I was starting bariatric surgery. options at weightloss.sluhn.org.
to see real health concerns. Life wasn’t fun For those who don’t want to undergo
anymore because I didn’t feel well.” “We’re talking about people who are surgery or can’t for some reason, St. Luke’s
Michelle decided to get help losing really sick and the surgery plays a role,” he is now accepting patients into a nonsurgical
weight and turned to the weight-loss says. “The weight loss is just a side effect.” weight-loss program headed up by Dr. Sagar
surgery program at St. Luke’s University Claros points to statistics that show V. Mehta, director of Bariatric Medicine at St.
Health Network. That was almost three a range of 82 to 98 percent resolution Luke’s Weight Management Center.
years ago and she averages a healthy 130 of diabetes in patients who undergo There will be two program options:
pounds. Now retired from her university metabolic surgery. Conservative Weight Management, which
librarian job, Michelle has found an exciting “There’s nothing out there — no is a diet and exercise modification program
second career as an extra on TV shows medication, no program or no treatment under the supervision of a doctor and
and movies, including “Law and Order: — that can do that,” he says.
Special Victims Unit,” “Mind of a Murderer,” Patients go through a comprehensive Dr. SagarV.
“Forever” and “Orange is the New Black.” evaluation process and need to complete Mehta, director
Michelle, 57, says she always wanted classes on nutrition, exercise, lifestyle of bariatric
to try being an extra, but didn’t have time changes and other health topics. Prospective medicine at St.
with a full-time job. “Life was good before, patients also have to attend support group Luke’s Weight
but life is better now,” she says. “I’m so meetings, meet with the bariatric team and Management
happy I did this because now, people just start making lifestyle changes before the Center
see me … When you’re heavy and getting surgery. All of this helps the patients be
older, you tend to be invisible.” successful after the surgery. Structured Lifestyle Intervention. The second
It might seem like it would be hard “The surgery plays a significant role in program includes a 12-week program,
to take that step to ask for help, but it’s it, but what happens before the surgery meal replacement products and individual
worth it. is equally important, if not more so. Each meetings with a dietician and counselor.
“There’s a certain amount of patient is thoroughly evaluated,” Claros “An ideal candidate for the program
embarrassment and shame because you says. “All of us are working together to would be someone older than 18 years
can’t lose the weight alone, but you get offer the best outcome.” of age with a body mass index of 25 or
past that,” she says. “The surgery is just St. Luke’s bariatric program has been greater and who needs to lose at least 20
another tool to get you where you want pounds,” Mehta says. The person would
to be — it gets you started.” also have to have a condition associated
Part of the program includes classes with excess weight such as diabetes,
that help you learn how to eat and how to elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol,
live healthfully, she said. sleep apnea or fatty liver disease.
“You need to make a concerted
change in your habits,” Michelle says. “You
don’t need to eat for entertainment. And
you don’t need to eat out of boredom.”
With the weight loss comes some
extreme health benefits. Patients who
had previously suffered from diabetes,
Photos courtesy of St. Luke’s University Health Network
March § April 2015 INSPIRE HEALTH 15
