CHI - St. Luke's

4 CHI St. Luke's Health | V1N2 | www.CHIStLukesHealth.org Weight Loss For J.T. Alford, bariatric surgery was about more than losing weight — it was about his survival. At age 25, Woodlands resident J.T. Alford stood over six feet tall and weighed 420 pounds. Being so overweight at such a young age was straining his heart, so he was referred to a cardiologist. "My blood pressure was just out of control," Mr. Alford said. "My doctor sent me for some tests, and we found out that it was because I had polycystic kidney disease." Mr. Alford's cardiologist referred him to Adam Frome, MD, Nephrologist at CHI St. Luke's Health–The Woodlands Hospital for further evaluation of his kidneys. "I'd had some success losing weight on my own in the past — I lost between 60 and 70 pounds — but I had a knee injury and gained it all back," Mr. Alford said. "Dr. Frome told me I had to lose the weight, or I would lose my kidneys in two years." A NEW JOURNEY Dr. Frome connected Mr. Alford with Jason Balette, MD, Medical Director of Bariatrics at The Woodlands Hospital. As part of the pre-surgery process, Mr. Alford went through physical and mental evaluations designed to ensure patients can handle the surgery and recovery. He also visited a nutritional specialist three times over three months. "Once all that was completed, they scheduled my surgery," Mr. Alford said. "The most surprising thing to me was the staff and how they care for patients." Today, Mr. Alford has lost approximately 220 pounds and currently is not in immediate need of a new kidney. "It's given me energy and made me want to be up and around doing things," Mr. Alford said. "If you're thinking about it, I thought about it for years and regret not doing it earlier." Do you want to know if bariatric surgery can help you on your weight-loss journey? Visit CHIStLukesHealth.org/bariatrics to learn more about your options. Lifesaving What Is a Gastric Sleeve? The gastric sleeve procedure — known in technical terms as the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy — involves a bariatric surgeon removing approximately 80 percent of the stomach. Because the new stomach, which is shaped like a banana, holds far less food than a normal stomach, the amount of food the patient can eat is greatly reduced. Patients also find that they're less hungry in general than before. This hunger suppression is caused by changes in hormones that exist in the stomach and intestines. Weight Loss

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