Winning the Battle Against Obesity
The 49-year-old Sebastian resident
says his weight was normal through his
mid-30s, then it gradually inched higher.
Three years ago, he tipped the scales at
350 pounds and developed congestive
heart failure. It was a wake-up call that
motivated Lykins to lose weight. Despite
having tried a number of diet programs,
he had diffi culty keeping the weight off.
"I lost some weight for a year or two,
then started gaining it again," he says.
"Eventually, I reached 433 pounds. It got
to the point that I couldn't move without
feeling exhausted. I was suffering from
hypertension. I needed to sleep upright
in a chair because my congestive heart failure
worsened and I developed sleep apnea.
My feet and ankles swelled and I had chronic
sores on my legs."
Lykins turned to the experts at The Wellington
Surgical Weight Reduction Center for help. After an
extensive pre-surgery evaluation and counseling, he
underwent a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure.
During laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric
bypass, a minimally invasive procedure, surgeon
Fred L. Simon, MD, closes off a large portion of
the stomach and creates a small pouch that he
connects to the small intestines. Postoperatively,
the small size of the pouch restricts the amount
that can be eaten at one time. In addition, with a
shortened path for food to travel, there is less fat
absorption, which also aids in weight loss.
Lykins says his life changed almost immediately.
Now, less than three months after surgery, he has
lost 123 pounds. His congestive heart failure,
hypertension, leg swelling and sleep apnea
resolved, and he no longer requires diuretics and
blood pressure medications.
"I'm only halfway there, but already, I don't
hurt the way I did before," he says. "I'm back
at work and on the soccer field. I've changed my
eating habits. I'm walking and riding my bike. I
can take my kids to the pool. It's only going to
get better. I wish I'd had the surgery sooner."
Don't Give Up -- There's a
Weight-Loss Solution That Works
To be eligible for the program, patients must
meet obesity criteria and undergo a pre-surgery
evaluation. Following surgery,
patients attend monthly
support group meetings, and
receive long-term medical
follow-up, dietary and
nutrition support, ongoing
education and counseling.
Free monthly seminars
are open to those considering
weight-loss surgery. For more
information about the seminars, please visit
www.wellingtonregional.com or please call
He has been
practicing general
surgery in Palm Beach
County for more than
25 years. Dr. Simon 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.
Mark Lykins is an upbeat and
active man, so it was diffi cult
for him to stop working as
a salesman and coaching his children's
sports teams. But Lykins felt he had no
choice: His weight had spiraled out of
control and was threatening his life.
Mark Lykins before (left) and after losing 123 pounds in the
three months following weight-loss surgery
Patients who undergo surgery at The
Wellington Surgical Weight Reduction Center
receive comprehensive and compassionate care
before, during and after weight-loss surgery.
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.
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Wellington Regional Medical Center, 10101 Forest Hill Blvd. Wellington, FL 33414 (561) 798-8500 |
