St. Luke's Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Clinic

Lost: 95 Pounds
Gained: Knowledge and Health

Mark first looked into weight loss surgery about a year before he attended a seminar through St. Luke’s Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Clinic. He had moved to Fruitland, Idaho from Eugene, Oregon, working for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as a public affairs officer in Vale, Oregon.

Mark weighed in at 327 pounds, his highest weight ever. He had high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and a family history of heart disease and stroke. He was taking 100 units of insulin twice a day, plus blood pressure medication. The activities he had always enjoyed were becoming more difficult to do, or impossible; he just didn’t have the energy to play with his granddaughter, go hunting or fishing, do his woodworking or yard work, or take walks with his wife.

“I could see the handwriting on the wall,” Mark says.

Mark grew up a husky kid who was very active. He played high school football, both offense and defense, and actually tried to gain weight to play college ball at Oregon State. He joined the U.S. Army in 1974, and initially dropped some serious weight in basic training. But the pounds came back on, and Mark began a pattern familiar to many who battle weight issues – the yo-yo effect.

“I gained and lost myself several times,” he says.

Throughout his career with the BLM, Mark’s work involved a lot of physical labor in the forests: planting trees, slash burning, and fighting fires. He was a big guy with a lot of muscle. When he moved from the field to a desk job, he continued to eat like he was still working outdoors every day. The weight piled on.

Mark attended a seminar at St. Luke’s Meridian, and decided to undergo Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. He really liked hearing from people who had gone through the procedure already, and the nurses and other staff were right there to set up his appointments and answer all his questions. He was especially influenced by the team approach employed by the St. Luke’s Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Group.

“There is a whole group of people who support you along the way, from the psychologist to the nutritionist to the doctor,” Mark says. "The one person who has been very influential and helped me understand nutrition and exercise is Joelyn Siebert, registered dietician.” Mark credits her with helping him begin to change his eating habits even before surgery.

“I learned that you just can’t cut back calories – your body needs nutrition,” he says. “What’s important is what you are eating, not just the amount.”

After weight loss surgery, Mark dropped 95 pounds and 12 inches around his waist in a mere seven months, and was completely off all medication in only three weeks – including insulin. He has more energy, is more alert, and can do all those things he missed for so many years.

“Losing weight is an outward sign of the success of this process, but regaining my health is what really matters,” Mark says. “I am healthier than I ever was, even when I was thinner.”

Mark is supported by the experienced physicians and bariatric team at St. Luke’s Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Clinic. Our proven track record of favorable outcomes for weight loss surgery, and our commitment to high quality, comprehensive bariatric care are why we are an American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence.

Considering weight loss surgery?
If you are 100 or more pounds over your ideal body weight, and are thinking about weight loss – or bariatric – surgery, join us for a free seminar to learn more about how we can help you.

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