Patient Stories
Sutter Bariatric Services
Rachel
“I cannot convey how emotional, trying and rewarding my experience has been,” says 29-year-old Rachel about her bariatric surgery and her subsequent new life.
Rachel’s first attempt to undergo weight-loss surgery took her to Los Angeles. “I thought that was the best place for me to go, even though I lived in Sacramento,” she said. “They had a really strong marketing program and great customer service. So, I chose them.”
But that surgery didn’t happen. Just prior to her procedure, tests showed she had throat polyps that appeared cancerous. The doctor didn’t want to complicate her health with bariatric surgery when she could be facing a battle with cancer, so they turned her away.
“That was an awful time in my life,” Rachel said. “I had been looking forward to my bariatric surgery and was completely devastated it wasn’t going to happen. Plus, I thought I had throat cancer – at age 25! It was too much to take.”
Fortunately, Rachel’s Sutter Health doctor back home in Sacramento confirmed she did not have cancer – the polyps were removed and confirmed benign.
Rachel had not given up on weight-loss surgery and continued to look for another bariatric program. She participated in a sleep study at Sutter Neuroscience Institute, as part of her insurance company’s approval process for bariatric surgery. Through a conversation with her sleep specialist, Rachel learned about Dr. Steven Patching, a bariatric surgeon who accepted her insurance – and happened to have an office next to the sleep clinic.
Rachel immediately made an appointment with Dr. Patching. Because she had previously qualified for bariatric surgery and continued to demonstrate her commitment to a healthy lifestyle, Dr. Patching agreed she was an ideal candidate for gastric bypass surgery and scheduled Rachel for surgery the following month.
In March 2005, Rachel finally had her bariatric surgery. She lost over 100 pounds within the next year. Today, she is healthy and happy and states that she has evolved much over the three and a half years since her procedure.
“I went through a lot,” Rachel says. “My relationship with food changed tremendously. And my relationships with friends also changed – most socializing involves food, after all.” Rachel emphasizes how important her support group was in helping her deal with her changed life, after surgery. “People – men and women – treat you differently when you’re no longer obese,” she says. “You can’t understand the little and the big ramifications of bariatric surgery unless you’ve gone though it. So, you need to connect with people who are going through the same things to continue to be motivated to deal with your new life.”
Rachel admits that it took her some time to adjust to her life after surgery. “It’s not just about the operation and the weight,” she says. “You’re not ever done with it. You need to recognize that it is a process and you can’t do it alone. Dr. Patching gave me the ability to live a better life – and it was up to me whether I actually made it better.”
And Rachel did make her life better. In the past few years, she has run three half-marathons and competed in a triathlon. She completed a master’s degree in education leadership and policy administration. Today she is working on her doctorate in education and plans to teach at the university level in the future.
When asked what advice she would give to those considering bariatric surgery, Rachel stressed preparation: “It’s a huge ordeal. And it’s not easy. You should attend support groups before surgery to learn firsthand what it’s like from those who’ve gone through it. And you need to find a program that has an excellent surgeon and plenty of resources and support for your life after surgery. But if you commit to a healthy lifestyle and stay grounded, all aspects of your life will be so much better!”
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