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‘Weight Solutions’ helps local woman

Shelly Rice sheds pounds after having gastric bypass surgery at Mercy.

Shelly Rice recently received gastric bypass surgery at Mercy Hospital Fairfield. She's lost 42 pounds since the surgery (and had lost 24 before the surgery). Staff photo by Greg Lynch

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By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer Updated 10:48 PM Sunday, June 28, 2009

The only thing Shelly Rice takes on a daily basis is a multivitamin.

Following laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery on March 3, the Hamilton resident no longer takes medicine for diabetes or hypertension. She also lowered her high triglycerides and high cholesterol.

“My ‘Ah ha’ moment for me was late in November,” Rice said.

She and her son, Travis, 17, were walking her dogs at Hueston Woods.

“I had to go up a hill to get back out (of the trails) and I truly didn’t think I was going to make it,” Rice said. “I thought this was ridiculous. I can’t even take the dogs for a walk without getting winded.”

Rice was 217 lbs., but had been as heavy as 224. She’s now 151 and aims to lose another 20 lbs.

Rice works in Mercy Hospital Fairfield’s intensive care unit. She first saw Dr. Joseph Northup with Mercy’s Healthy Weight Solutions in December.

“I researched my options and after speaking with Dr. Northup, he and I decided that bypass was probably the best fit for me,” said Rice, 46.

In May, Rice had lab work done and called her results “beautiful.” Everything was significantly lower, she said.

Rice had been heavy nearly her entire life. She considered Healthy Weight Solutions after she was going to be put on a second diabetes medication. She was already on medication for her hypertension.

“We try to really fit the right operation for the right patient,” Northup said.

About 40 to 50 percent of Healthy Weight Solutions’ surgeries are gastric bypasses, Northup said. The other 50 to 60 percent are adjustable band surgeries, and a small percentage are sleeve gastrectomy surgeries. The program also helps with non-surgical weight management.

Northup recommends the gastric bypass surgery for those with a body mass index, or BMI, of 40 or greater. With a related disease or health issue, like diabetes or high cholesterol, he recommends the bypass if a person’s BMI is greater than 35. Rice’s BMI was 39.

Rice never went back on her diabetes medication after her surgery, Northup said.

“Nothing’s a quick fix,” Northup said. “You have to make an effort in order to achieve success. You still have to follow a diet, you still have to exercise.”

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I'm betting by the lack of health knowledge & cooth displayed by Mickey & Johnny that they are the kind of guys who end up with us "fat lazy people" (I'm also a RN and a pt of Dr. N) taking care of them when they come to the hosp with COPD, lung & liver ca, emphazema, pancreatitis, ect from all the alcohol and tobacco abuse. Not that I think anyone WANTS to be fat, that's insane to say, but should ins stop covering smokers & drinkers & all those people who apparently WANT to kill themselves?

IthinkMickeyandJohnareidiots
10:03 PM, 8/14/2009

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I am a patient of Dr Northup's and also a nurse. I am so happy to read Shelly's success story and am working on my sucess story myself. I had the surgery 9 weeks ago and it was the best decision I ever made! John and Michael - I hope you NEVER gain weight and have to try other options!

Heather
11:56 PM, 6/29/2009

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You guys are hiliarious, it's a waist of money until you need it right? People gain weight for all sorts of reasons that may be out of their control. However it happened the surgery greatly improves the quality of life, and saves way more than what the surgery costs initially. Get your facts straight before you post something that makes you look like a shallow idiot.

LaughingLoudly
4:16 PM, 6/29/2009

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It IS a waste since people eventually gain back the weight after their stomach stretches back out from eating too much. I've seen it happen to 3 people I know that did this. One, my brother, nearly died from the surgery. Another died within a week after surgery from infection. It was his 2nd surgery too after he got fat again from the 1st time. The 3rd looked thin after recovering from the surgery but is getting fatter each day.

JohnRussell
10:58 AM, 6/29/2009

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Michael-You should really know the person before you call them fat and lazy, that is a pretty broad analysis of the entire population that is overweight. Weight loss, which every way it is done, significiantly reduces other co-morbidities and decreases the overall cost of out of pocket insurance expenses.

Someonewhocares
10:22 AM, 6/29/2009

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