- Weight LossGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIf you are considering weight loss surgery (also called bariatric surgery) you may have heard of a gastric bypass or a sleeve gastrectomy, which are the most common bariatric procedures. Gastric bypasses have been performed for over 50 years. Today, it is usually a minimally invasive procedure with laparoscopic and robotic surgery. Let’s compare the two options of weight loss surgery. The gastric bypass divides the stomach, creating a small pouch. The larger piece of the stomach no longer stores or digests food, however it does still create digestive juices that are pushed downstream to meet up with the food you eat. The small intestine is also divided and connected to the newly created small stomach pouch. This helps with weight loss because the stomach is now much smaller, which means you are able to hold less food and ingest fewer calories. Also, a portion of the small bowel does not see food anymore, which results in decreased absorption. In comparison, the sleeve gastrectomy removes about 80% of the stomach using surgical staplers. As with the gastric bypass, it helps with weight loss because the smaller stomach holds less food. Also, the 80 percent of the stomach that is removed produces most of the body’s ghrelin or “hunger hormone.” Removing the hormone decreases the hunger sensation and increases fullness. Surgery is the most effective treatment for type 2 diabetes. 80 percent of people who receive gastric bypass experience a remission of diabetes. For those who have the sleeve gastrectomy, remission is seen in over 60 percent of patients. Both procedures involve reshaping the stomach to hold less food and both work for weight loss. If you are considering weight loss surgery, the best way to understand which option is right for you is to meet with a bariatric surgeon. We invite you to access our website to request an appointment or sign up for a free webinar with one of our surgeons. This article was originally featured in the Enquirer-Gazette. Authors Jilian Nicholas, DO, is a bariatric surgeon at Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center.0
- Men's Health, Women's Health, Wellness, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIn 2012, Tammy Smith weighed 340 pounds. She attended a weight loss surgery seminar and decided to have gastric sleeve bypass. Her journey to new health habits began several months prior to her surgery, leading to a nearly 200-pound weight loss. Here’s Tammy’s story in her own words: Two years ago, I was very scared and nervous about the idea of bariatric surgery. I went to a seminar and met Bariatric Surgeon Dr. Alex Gandsas and he was amazing. After speaking with him, I decided to go through with the surgery to have the gastric sleeve bypass. The easiest part of the journey has been the surgery itself. There was very little pain. The hardest has been adjusting to a new way of thinking about food and establishing an exercise routine. But the program is set up for success by helping you adjust to new habits before surgery. Three months leading up to surgery, I met with the nutritionist in Dr. Gandsas office who guided me in the right direction. It was a lifestyle change that needed to take place in order to be successful. Each month, I picked two or three of the changes that needed to happen. I worked on making these changes every month until they became habits. As weeks went by the challenge was to make good choices and exercise regularly. I have lost 191 pounds. I started at 340 pounds and size 24. Now I am in a size 4. My journey has changed me. I love the new me. I never knew this life I now know could have existed. This surgery is not a quick fix or a magic procedure. It is about changing your way of life, not just a diet. Bariatric surgery is a tool in your tool box. Learning good eating habits and educating yourself about nutrition is key. For those who choose not to work out, the results will not be as great. The true test for maintaining and continuing my weight loss came after I lost my husband. Getting through the last six months has been a huge test to old eating habits. But I have stayed the course, and I know I will continue with my new lifestyle. I am so thankful for this program at AAMC. If you make the changes and do the hard work you will be successful! Learn more about bariatric surgery at www.AskAAMC.org/WeightLoss.0
- Location235546tel:(301) 587-45858401 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 209100
- Location230396tel:(410) 224-00402002 Medical Pkwy, Sajak Pavilion, Ste 310, Annapolis, MD 214010
- Behavioral HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogMental illness and addiction know no boundaries. They can impact people regardless of their age, race, income, education and geographic location. We often don’t have to look any further than our immediate circles—family, friends, neighbors, even ourselves—to see the faces of mental illness and addiction. Anne Arundel Medical Center wants to help expand access to mental health services and recently filed a Certificate of Need (CON) with the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) to establish a 16-bed mental health hospital. This specialty hospital for adults will complement AAMC’s existing community-centered mental health and substance use services. The MHCC must approve our CON application before we can move forward. Despite a growing network of outpatient mental health services, what’s sorely lacking is inpatient care, especially in Anne Arundel County. Each year, AAMC transfers more than 1,000 patients from our emergency department to inpatient mental health facilities across Maryland. The most recent countywide health assessment cites improved mental health and substance use services as one of the highest priority healthcare needs for Anne Arundel County. “Community support for our project is strong and a true vote of confidence and indication that this community needs and wants access to mental health care,” says Larry Ulvila, chair of AAMC’s Mental Health and Substance Use Philanthropy Council and former president of the AAMC Foundation Board. A core group of area residents and business leaders are pledging to launch a campaign to raise $5 million through the AAMC Foundation to help fund construction and programs for this new initiative. We have been expanding our mental health services and this facility will fill a critical gap. In 2014, we opened an outpatient mental health clinic and, later this year, we will open a psychiatric day hospital program where patients attend treatment sessions during the day and return home in the evening,” says Raymond Hoffman, MD, director of AAMC’s Division of Mental Health and Substance Use. “This will provide our community with access to a full range of substance use and mental health programs on one campus. AAMC plans to build the new specialty hospital on the Riva Road campus where it operates Pathways, a 40-bed substance use and co-occurring mental health treatment facility. In addition to inpatient care, AAMC will also transition its outpatient and partial hospitalization programs to this new facility. This will provide our community with access to a full range of substance use and mental health programs on one campus.0
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