A patient’s story of weight loss and how it changed her life!

After

Scottsdale – Abrazo Scottsdale Campus can brag that it offers the gold standard in complex health care, specifically in the field of bariatric surgery. Abrazo Scottsdale Campus was recently named a bariatric surgery Center of Excellence by OptumHealth Care Solutions. Hospitals earn this prestigious designation by meeting certain measures of clinical quality, cost efficiency, and access to comprehensive bariatric (weight loss) services. Not all bariatric programs are equal; just ask 49-year-old Nohemi Abrago.

“It was two hours before my niece’s quinceañera, and I couldn’t find a dress to wear that fit me. I ended up in a size 16 dress, and I decided I didn’t want to look like this anymore,” says the 5-foot tall Abrazo Scottsdale Food Service Manager who underwent Gastric Bypass Surgery two years ago.

Her story is truly remarkable. Married 31 years, after giving birth to her third child, she opted to donate a kidney to her mother who required a transplant, then had to have her gallbladder removed, and saw her weight reach 235 pounds, despite diets, pills and exercise.

“I have worked at Abrazo Scottsdale for 23 years, and I saw bariatric patients coming and going who, after their own surgeries, looked thinner, healthier and happier. I knew my own hospital had an award-winning bariatric program, so although I was scared, I knew I was in the best possible hands,” she says.

Before

And she was correct! She is now down to 140 pounds and wearing a size 5-6 pants and she credits Dr. Daniel Fang MD, Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Medical Director at Abrazo Scottsdale Campus.

“The best results from bariatric surgery occur when the patient is dedicated to improving their health and lifestyle. There is an understanding that bariatric surgery is a "tool" to help with weight loss. The surgeon and medical team, as well as nutritionists and psychologists, work together closely with the patient to make changes in preparation for surgery, and continue long-term follow-up for years to maintain substantial and sustainable weight loss. We want to achieve improvement in all aspects of health to create a more rewarding lifestyle,” says Dr. Fang.

Gastric bypass surgery is one of the bariatric surgeries performed to help patients lose weight. The gastric bypass surgery assists with weight loss by creating a much smaller stomach pouch, and by changing the pathway of food through the gastrointestinal tract that changes absorption patterns and alters hormones and peptides that are involved with hunger, satiety, and metabolism.

“I only spent one night in the hospital, and went home the next day with no pain, like I never had the surgery. I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again,” says Nohemi.

The program also maintains quality designations as a Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Distinction Center+, Aetna Institute of Quality, and a Cigna 3 Star Center for bariatric surgery.

For more information about the Medical and Surgical Weight Loss Program at Abrazo Scottsdale Campus, call 602-246-5569 or visit abrazohealth.com/services/bariatric-surgery.