Tired of feeling miserable and motivated to watch his grandchildren grow up, Steve chose gastric bypass surgery at the Bariatric & Metabolic Institute to change his life. Read his story.

Frustrated but Determined

I struggled with weight on and off for the last 30 years. I would lose weight with diets, but when I stopped dieting, I would gain it back plus some. It was very frustrating.

At 70 years old, I weighed 315 pounds and was on high blood pressure, cholesterol and arthritis medications. I struggled walking long distances, and any strenuous work forced me to take breaks. I was disgusted with the way I looked and felt all the time.

I decided to have surgery because I was miserable, and I have eight grandchildren I wanted to see grow up and do activities with.

Easy Experience

In July 2022, I underwent gastric sleeve surgery with Dr. Samuel Bledsoe, bariatric and general surgeon, and he and his team took good care of me. My hospital stay was better than expected. Everyone was courteous and very helpful. It was the easiest surgery I have experienced as far as pain.

New Life

I’ve lost more than 120 pounds and I’m off all medications. I’m back to my old self, doing things around the house. I don’t feel tired after a walk or strenuous work, my legs don’t get heavy and my joints say, “thank you” every day. I have fun watching my grandchildren grow up, hunting and just enjoying my back porch.

I thank the Bariatric & Metabolic Institute at Arkansas Heart Hospital for this tool that let me live my life again.

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At the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, our primary focus is to help you in reaching your weight goals and regaining your health. A nationally recognized team of physicians, nurses, counselors and dietitians, we are your lifelong partners in the journey to a longer, healthier life. From insurance approvals to emotional and physical wellness, we are here for you every step of the way. Watch our free, on-demand informational seminar to start the process.

Find more weight loss surgery testimonials, recipes and bariatric surgery resources.

Read 12 questions to ask before bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery, or weight loss surgery, is a powerful tool that is proven to transform lives by resolving and preventing weight-related diseases, improving quality of life and extending life expectancy up to 10 years.

It is important to understand that bariatric surgery is permanent, and you should gather as much information as possible before making the decision to undergo this surgery. One crucial step is to have a thorough discussion with your bariatric surgeon, dietician, psychologist and other members of your medical team so you can be empowered and prepared for life before and after bariatric surgery.

Dr. Oscar Talledo, bariatric and general surgeon, shares 12 important questions you should ask your bariatric surgeon and team before undergoing weight loss surgery.

1. What are the different types of bariatric surgery and what is your recommendation for me?
2. What are the potential risks and complications?
3. What tests and appointments will I need before surgery?
4. How much weight can I expect to lose?
5. Will surgery resolve my current health conditions?
6. What does recovery look like after surgery?
7. What can I eat and not eat after surgery?
8. If I smoke and drink alcohol now, can I do so after surgery?
9. Will my current medications have to be adjusted after surgery?
10. Will I have to exercise?
11. What is my post-surgery plan?
12. What kind of expert support after surgery will I have to help me succeed?

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Every bariatric surgery patient’s weight loss journey is unique. The team at the Bariatric & Metabolic Institute at Arkansas Heart Hospital might have additional recommendations or requirements for you, which will be discussed during your office visit.

We are here to assist you on your journey to better health for life. Take the first step to a new you at bmi.arheart.com or call 501-210-7770.

Learn how bariatric surgery can treat sleep apnea.

Weight loss after bariatric surgery does not always follow a straight path. Sometimes, the number on the scale goes up after weeks of following the bariatric eating plan, which can be disheartening. There’s no need to panic, but weight gain after bariatric surgery should be an indicator to make adjustments to your eating and exercise habits. After all, weight loss surgery is not a quick-fix diet – it’s a tool for a changed lifestyle.

“It’s important to remember that just because you’ve had bariatric surgery, that life does not stop,” says Courtney, dietician at the Bariatric & Metabolic Institute at Arkansas Heart Hospital. “It’s important to have other ways of dealing with that other than turning back to food.”

Continue reading for tips to avoid weight regain after gastric bypass surgery or gastric sleeve surgery.

Be honest with yourself. If you are regaining weight, ask yourself if you have been following all the guidelines established by your physician, dietician and care team. The sooner you commit to getting back on track, the sooner you will see results! If moderation didn’t work for you before surgery, it is not going to work for you after surgery. If you need support, request a “back on track” appointment with the Bariatric & Metabolic Institute team.

Be aware of carbs. Excessive carbohydrate intake through processed foods or too many complex carbohydrates will slow initial weight loss and lead to weight regain. “Keep your food simple,” Courtney says. “Protein and non-starchy vegetables are the best sources of fuel for us humans. Once we’re adults, our need for carbs is drastically reduced. Even exercising for an hour a day doesn’t require a drastic increase in carb intake.” Once you’re in the lifetime eating stage, your diet should be comprised of real, whole foods. Avoid processed foods, including certain protein shakes and bars.

Remember what worked after surgery. Get out your manual and start again. Processed foods and junk weren’t your friends before surgery, and they aren’t your friends now. “If you’re a year out from surgery and seeing weight regain, get back to the basics in BMI’s education guide,” Courtney says. “Utilize the recipes. Don’t eat quick, fast and easy.”

Try this protein-packed grilled pork tenderloin and firecracker slaw recipe.

Don’t skip breakfast. You don’t have to eat eggs, but breakfast does need to consist of a quality protein. “A protein is anything that walks, swims or flies – beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, cheese or eggs. These are the best sources of proteins for us humans,” Courtney says. “Don’t get fooled by food that says it’s high in protein such as protein chips, cookies or drinks.”

Plan and prep your meals. If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. Planning ahead for meals is your best weapon against impulse eating. “The long-term rewards of meal planning and prepping far outweigh any little bit of extra time you have to spend in the kitchen to get your meals ready for the week,” Courtney says. “It really does make life so much easier when you prep.”

If you absolutely cannot prepare a meal at home, try these fast-food eating tips.

Keep a food journal. If you bite it, you write it. We tend to underestimate what and how much we eat; this helps identify possible pitfalls.

Exercise is a must. Immediately following surgery, you will lose weight regardless. But then it will slow and if you haven’t established a good exercise routine it will not be any easier later in the game. “Being active is important,” Courtney says.” Do different types of exercise. Cardio is good for fat burning, but strength and resistance training are equally important since they minimize muscle loss after surgery.”

Try these exercises for bariatric patients and beginners.

Avoid grazing and unhealthy portion sizes. Just because a food is labeled “healthy” doesn’t mean it is for you if you are eating it throughout the day or eating large volumes.

Avoid night eating. It is easy to consume several hundred calories while watching late night TV. Burning off those calories the next day is no fun, so instead of getting a snack, get some sleep.

Hold yourself accountable. At the end of the day, the only person responsible for your success or failure is you. “The BMI team is here for you, and we want you to succeed but you have to do your part,” Courtney says. “If you start gaining weight back, don’t just think ‘my surgery quit working for me.’”

Reach out to the BMI team. The BMI team is here to help you identify the underlying causes of stress eating, why you turn to food or self-sabotage. “We know that this is long-term, lifelong commitment to this eating,” Courtney said. “That’s why we have great team members and bariatric physicians in place that provide support and resources such as recipes.”

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Bariatric surgery is not a diet or magic pill – it’s a lifestyle. The Bariatric & Metabolic Institute offers physical and mental support for life when managing obstacles such as weight regain after surgery. Our team is there with guidance and resources to help through clinic appointments, a private support group and weekly live discussions on a variety of topics.

Find a bariatric surgeon at BMI, learn if you qualify for bariatric surgery and see our weight loss surgery financing options.

If you’ve watched popular “quick fix” weight loss competitions, you may think that cutting calories drastically and exercising for hours every day is the answer to successful weight loss. While this approach works for a time, what you do not see is that very few people maintain that weight loss.

The sobering truth is that roughly 90 percent of people who lose a lot of weight through traditional diets eventually regain it and then some. Where strict elimination diets, pills and weight loss programs fail, bariatric surgery succeeds. In fact, the long-term success rate is up to 74 percent and most people can maintain that weight loss for up to 20 years.

If you’re exploring weight loss surgery, you should know what it is, how it works and your surgical options.

What is Bariatric Surgery?

Bariatric surgery, also called weight loss surgery, is a type of weight loss procedure that helps people struggling with obesity lose weight long term and resolve and prevent obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, fatty liver, high cholesterol, acid reflux, heart disease, kidney disease and more.

The most common procedures, gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, in some form modify your digestive system to regulate how many calories you can consume and absorb, as well as reduce your hunger signals and restore your metabolism.

“These procedures exert a powerful effect on the body’s hormones,” says Dr. Samuel Bledsoe, bariatric and general surgeon, and director of the Bariatric & Metabolic Institute at Arkansas Heart Hospital. “The stomach isn’t just a big bag that accepts food and sends it downstream. The stomach is in constant communication with other portions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, liver, pancreas and even the brain. In obesity, this communication system is broken and dysfunctional. After surgery, normal communication is restored. These procedures are more than malabsorptive or restrictive, they are hormonal and metabolic in nature.”

What is Gastric Bypass?

The gastric bypass procedure has been used since the 1960s and is considered the gold standard of bariatric surgery.

This operation creates a very small pouch, less than one ounce, by dividing the stomach. Food passes out of the pouch through a small opening into the small intestine. Most of the stomach and the first part of the small intestine are bypassed by the food. The major objective is to exclude most of the stomach. The point where the bile and pancreatic secretions are returned to mix with the ingested food is placed several feet down from the stomach.

“This results in a restrictive and malabsorptive that exerts a powerful hormonal and metabolic effect on the body,” says Bledsoe. “This procedure is the most aggressive of the procedures as it relates to weight loss and resolution of medical problems.”

Excess weight loss is in the 65 to 80 percent range on average with the gastric bypass. Excess weight loss is a term that is important to understand.

“If you are 100 pounds overweight, that’s considered your excess weight so 80 percent excess weight loss for you would be 80 pounds,” Bledsoe says.

Not only is excess weight loss outstanding with the gastric bypass, but it also has a profound effect on certain medical conditions.

“The bypass has been shown to resolve diabetes 80 percent of the time and improve diabetes 90 percent of the time,” Bledsoe said. “High blood pressure can be resolved 67 percent of the time and improved 87 percent of the time. High cholesterol is improved over 95 percent.”

What is the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy?

The vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) has been done for about 10-15 years. Now, it’s the most common procedure done in the U.S. and at BMI because of its low complication rate.

“During the sleeve gastrectomy, we turn a sack like organ into a banana shaped organ by removing about 80 percent of the stomach,” Bledsoe says. “This results in a restrictive procedure. Removing the top part of the stomach is shown to dramatically reduce and adjust certain circulating hormones, so this also has a powerful metabolic effect on the patient. It reduces the amount of food needed to feel satisfied and allows a person to feel satisfied for a longer period after a meal.”

Most studies put the weight loss for the sleeve as almost that of the bypass, in the 65 to 75 percent excess weight loss range although a few studies have shown that the sleeve is slightly superior to the bypass as it relates to weight loss.

The sleeve also has great results with diabetes, resolving 60 to 80 percent of the time and resolving hypertension 60 to 70 percent of the time.

Our Laparoscopic Approach

Both the gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy are performed using a laparoscopic, minimally invasive approach. This means you will be out of the hospital and back to your normal life quickly after the procedure.

The laparoscopic technique involves inserting a camera into the abdomen through a small incision. Five additional incisions are placed in the upper abdomen. It’s then performed using specialized instruments.

This approach has the advantage of smaller incisions, less pain, quicker recovery, fewer wound complications, earlier discharge from the hospital and less scarring while providing the same weight reduction as the traditional open approach.

Learn about gastric bypass surgery recovery time and gastric sleeve recovery time.

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The Bariatric & Metabolic Institute at Arkansas Heart Hospital strives to make permanent weight loss a reality through personalized attention and innovative surgical options. From insurance approvals to emotional and physical wellness, we are here for you every step of the way. Start your journey by finding a bariatric surgeon.

Snoring can lead to a night of tossing, turning and a very annoyed bed mate. It can even be portrayed as comical. However, it’s no laughing matter. It could be one sign of a much bigger health issue: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

OSA, which affects approximately 1 in 12 Americans, occurs when the throat muscles relax and block the flow of air into the lungs, which causes you to repeatedly stop and start breathing while you sleep. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, you might have OSA.

OSA and Obesity Connection

OSA and obesity have a strong connection. As many as 80 percent of patients with OSA are also considered obese. The incidence of OSA is up to 30 times greater in the presence of severe obesity compared to a person of normal weight. This correlation is due to the anatomical changes that occur as a result of weight gain, explains Dr. Samuel Bledsoe, bariatric and general surgeon, and director of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at Arkansas Heart Hospital.

“Obesity increases the fatty deposits in the neck and throat causing these tissues to obstruct and narrow the airway during sleep,” Bledsoe said. “People suffering from OSA often snore due to the airway obstruction and suffer from excessive sleepiness during the daytime due to poor sleep at night.”

Bariatric Surgery Most Effective Treatment for OSA

Historically, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was considered the most reliable treatment for OSA. With CPAP, a mask fits over the mouth and nose while air blows into the upper airway preventing a collapse of the tissues. Unfortunately, less than 50% of patients use the CPAP nightly, because the mask can be uncomfortable and cumbersome.

CPAP does not provide a cure for sleep apnea, but a means of treating the condition making its symptoms easier to control. Bariatric surgery can do more than be a sleep apnea treatment – it can resolve OSA.

“Fortunately for patients who suffer from both sleep apnea and obesity, the significant weight loss that occurs with bariatric surgery can result in complete or partial resolution of OSA,” Bledsoe said. “The remission and improvement of OSA results in an improved quality of life by providing a more restful sleep at night and decreased daytime sleepiness. Bledsoe said. “And is a contributing factor for extended life expectancy in bariatric surgery patients, adding between five to ten years.”

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BMI has seen bariatric surgery resolve OSA for hundreds of patients. If you’re ready to ditch the CPAP machine and sleep soundly again, gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery may be right for you. Visit bmi.arheart.com to begin your journey.