Dustin Davis, 43, knew that his journey to better health would be difficult. But with so many medical issues affecting his daily life, he was motivated to reach his goal.
Davis, a program manager for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho, said he had many reasons to undergo bariatric surgery.
“A big reason was that I wanted to be better at traveling for my job,” he said. “There are many conferences I need to attend, but since I was so heavy (once reaching 468 pounds), I couldn’t travel and walk around easily, so I didn’t go. I have also battled diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol for more than ten years. My health had too many negatives going on.”
The tipping point for Davis was when he was admitted to the hospital for a diabetic infection, one of the most common complications of diabetes. If left unchecked, the infection could easily spread and lead to amputation.
“I have had friends and co-workers who died from diabetic infections, so I knew how serious this was,” he recalled. “When I was in the hospital, I prayed to God and asked, ‘If you give me another chance, I will change my ways.’ That’s when I got serious about weight loss solutions, eventually deciding to have bariatric surgery at Portneuf Medical Center.”
Bariatric Program at PMC
To get started, Davis filled out an online form to attend a free weight loss surgery seminar. He later completed a New Patient Questionnaire, a New Patient Dietician Questionnaire, and then met with Alexa Roth, MD, and her team.
“One of the first things Dr. Roth told me was that bariatric surgery is just a tool. It’s not something that will fix all the problems I had.”
During his conversations with the team, he learned about good foods for his body and how to limit portions. He also discovered that he often relied heavily upon food for emotional support.
“I didn’t realize how often I ate when I was depressed or stressed out about something,” he said. “I was eating to feel good and get a dopamine rush. Now I eat slowly until I’m full. I also focus on other activities to reduce stress, like exercise and weight training in a gym.”
To prepare for the surgery, Davis poured over the resources Dr. Roth’s team had given him.
“They gave me lots of pamphlets and booklets on preparing for and recovering from bariatric surgery,” Davis said. “I read those and watched some YouTube videos. Those were great resources; they helped me get ready for surgery.”
Gastric Sleeve Surgery
On the day of his surgery, Davis checked into Portneuf Medical Center for his “sleeve surgery.”
Gastric sleeve surgery involves the removal of a large portion of the patient’s stomach. It keeps the stomach at the same length but with a much slimmer width, like a shirt sleeve. No changes are made to the patient’s intestines.
With a sleeve gastrectomy, approximately 80% of the volume of the stomach is removed. After surgery, patients eat much smaller meals and tend to have fewer cravings and hunger than they did before surgery. This is because most of our 'hunger hormone' is created in the portion of the stomach that was removed. Removal of that part of the stomach results in much less 'hunger hormone' produced.
Watch a video to learn more about sleeve gastrectomy surgery.
Moving forward
After successful surgery with no complications or surprises, Davis settled into his new routine of exercising often and eating well.
“After the first month or so when I was on a liquid and then a soft food diet, I began to focus on eating lots of protein and staying hydrated,” he said. “I got down to 307 at first, but after working out 4-5 times a week in the gym, I’ve added muscle and now weigh 323. My goal is to get under and stay under 300 pounds this year.”
He is also pleased with having to buy new clothes. “I have gone from a size 5 XL t-shirt to an XXL t-shirt and from a size 54 pants to a size 42,” he said, smiling. “It’s awesome that I have more options with the clothes I can wear now. It feels amazing!”
While he admits that he misses the food he used to eat, he has embraced his new focus on food.
“I always eat in moderation and don’t snack all the time. I follow Dr. Roth and her team’s recommendation to make my protein and fluid intake my top priority. I stopped drinking pop altogether and my junk food has dropped significantly. I want to make sure that I am still able to keep off the weight long after the weight surgery.”
His biggest success from the surgery, however, has been with his health issues.
“Most importantly, my diabetes is in remission,” he said. “I no longer feel pain in my back or my joints. I feel stronger, faster, and more flexible than I have ever felt.”
“I will be honest, this journey was not easy,” Davis said. “It is not a magic solution to solve your weight problems and all the other health problems that may come with it. You have to put in the work and make it happen. I would not change anything about this choice. It has been the best decision I ever made.”
Davis shared a final thought for anyone considering bariatric surgery.
“I recommend this surgery to anyone who wants to make a life-changing decision for their health. Dr. Roth and her team are some of the best around. I am so glad they were here to help me in this journey.”
For more information and to find out if you qualify for weight-loss surgery, visit our web page or call our office at 208-239-2760.