Bariatric Patient 'Eats to Live' After Surgery

	Tina Dupes — before and after she had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery at Wellington

When Tina Dupes looks in a mirror, it takes a moment for her to realize that the refl ection is her own. The 42-year-old West Palm Beach resident doesn't immediately recognize the slim woman she sees because she's battled her weight her entire life.

"I was always overweight and shy, and they both got worse with age," she says. "When you get to be 300 pounds, you just want to be invisible."

A wife and mother of two teenage boys, Tina works as an associate at a local library. She says she lived a fairly normal life because she became adept at avoiding awkward situations.

"I wouldn't go to the movies or ride in someone else's car because I was afraid I wouldn't fi t in the seats," Tina says. "I'd stand up at a picnic to avoid sitting in plastic chairs because I was afraid they would break."

Taking Its Toll
But, eventually her weight started taking a toll on her body and her life. She developed painful heel spurs. Her joints, back and neck ached, and her ankles swelled. Although she didn't suffer from medical conditions usually associated with obesity, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, she believed over time they would have presented themselves.

"I felt like I was being crushed by my weight," she says. "The more I gained the less I moved, and the less I moved the more I gained. I was afraid that I was going to die."

Tina tried various weight-loss programs with no lasting success. She fi nally began researching weight-loss surgery and decided it was her last option if she wanted to have a future to look forward to with her family.

Wellington's Surgical Program
In June 2005, Fred L. Simon, MD, Medical Director of The Wellington Surgical Weight Reduction Center at Wellington Regional Medical Center, performed Tina's laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure. The procedure reduces the capacity of the stomach and also causes a mild malabsorption of food, leading to fewer calories and nutrients absorbed.

Tina has lost 140 pounds since the surgery. She has more energy -- and a new outlook on life. All her weight-related symptoms are gone.

"I'm a much healthier, happier, more active and more open person," she says. "I enjoy going places now. My family recently went to Universal Studios, and I was able to go on the rides!"

Tina encourages those considering weight-loss surgery to learn as much about the surgery as they can, and then make a personal decision about what's right for them.

"The program at Wellington Regional really helped me," she says. "I knew what to expect because I attended the educational seminar and support group meeting before my procedure. I had to mourn my connection with food and let it go. Now, I eat to live instead of live to eat."

For more information about The Wellington Surgical Weight Reduction Center, please call 561-798-8587 or visit our Web site at www.wellingtonregional.com.

Fred L. Simon, MD, FACS [C], FRCS, brings extensive experience in laparoscopic surgery to his position as Medical Director of The Wellington Surgical Weight Reduction Center.

Dr. Simon has been practicing general surgery in Palm Beach County for more than 25 years. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and a member of the American Society of Bariatric Surgery.

Wellington Regional Medical Center, 10101 Forest Hill Blvd. Wellington, FL 33414 (561) 798-8500