Gastric bypass surgery gives mother a new lease on life!
Gastric bypass surgery leads to impressive results
After decades of battling her weight, Cindy Gusler felt like she had tried just about everything to slim down. From diets to weight loss seminars to fitness programs, she did them all but always felt disappointed in the results. After careful consideration, Cindy knew it was time to explore her surgical options. “I had a five-year-old daughter at home and my weight hindered my ability to do all the things I wanted to do with her. I just didn’t feel well and honestly didn’t even feel comfortable in my own skin,” she remembers. In late 2023, Cindy made an appointment with Dr. Amanda Cox, a board-certified and fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon with LewisGale Physicians General and Bariatric Surgery in Salem, Virginia. After her initial meeting with Dr. Cox, she finally felt that she was on the right path to achieve her weight loss goals.
With Dr. Cox’s guidance, Cindy was presented several options for weight loss surgery and determined that the minimally-invasive Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure would give her the best chance for long term success. With the support of her family and friends, Cindy began the process of losing 50 to 60 pounds before her surgery. Along the way, she met regularly with staff dieticians and psychologists who helped support and prepare her for the journey ahead.
In August 2024, Cindy arrived at LewisGale Medical Center for her gastric bypass procedure. In preparation for surgery, she was cleared by psychology, had lab work performed, and received an upper gastrointestinal (GI) X-ray of her stomach to ensure there was no sign of gastroesophageal reflux. Once cleared for the operation, Cindy was given general anesthesia. During the 90-minute surgery, Dr. Cox used robotic surgical tools to make small laparoscopic incisions and divide the stomach into two sections, making one side into a small pouch. The small intestine was then looped up to exclude the larger portion of the stomach and connect to the smaller pouch section, which is designed to initially hold about one ounce of food.
As expected, Cindy stayed overnight in the hospital for observation, but experienced minimal pain. Within a week, she had resumed her normal activities, although she was restricted to not lift more than 25 pounds for the first two weeks after surgery. In addition, she was given a strict regimen to accommodate her new, smaller stomach. For the first week, Cindy drank a liquid diet consisting of sugar-free protein drinks or water. Dr. Cox then permitted her to add in some soft foods and, over the course of the next couple weeks, gradually eat up to a measured cup of normal, solid foods like chicken, steak, or vegetables.
In addition to weight loss, patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery often benefit from:
- Immediate elimination of reflux
- Reduction or elimination of diabetes and its related symptoms
- Improvement in sleep apnea
- Decreased symptoms of arthritis
Now, just over a year since her surgery, Cindy says, “At my first visit with Dr. Cox, I weighed 371 pounds. At my one year follow up appointment, I was down to 210 pounds and I feel fantastic. From the beginning, Dr. Cox was in my corner. She never made me feel ashamed, and she really believed in me every step of the way. I highly recommend the gastric bypass surgery to anyone considering it, and I only wish I had done it sooner.”
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Amanda Cox, call (540) 772-3620.