Jose Estigarribia, MD, checks Richard (Dick) Gross during a routine examination. Dr. Estigarribia performed a gastric bypass procedure on Gross.

Richard (Dick) Gross spent a month traveling this past summer. The 66-year-old Parrish resident walked the sand dunes in Michigan, visited some of Florida's famed theme parks and spent time swimming with his grandchildren. These everyday activities may not seem remarkable to many people, but Gross relished every moment.

Six months earlier, Gross wasn't able to walk to his mailbox.

"I was fighting for my life," he says. "My health and my lifestyle were going downhill because of my weight. My doctors said I didn't have long to live."

A Lifelong and
Life-Threatening Battle
Gross always took care of his health. He had annual physicals and recommended screenings, and followed his doctors' advice. He struggled with his weight all his life. But he says that when he reached his 50s, his weight spiraled out of control.

"I watched what I ate, tried various diets, took diet pills -- I tried everything," says Gross. "I even started exercising an hour a day five days a week, but I never lost an ounce. Every year, I'd add another 10 to 20 pounds."

Gross filled a binder with copies of his medical records and lists of the foods he ate. As the binder grew thicker, Gross' health deteriorated. His body swelled as he retained water. He was hospitalized several times for congestive heart failure. He battled sleep apnea and diabetes. He constantly needed to go to the bathroom. And the daily medications he took for congestive heart failure, diabetes, high cholesterol and anxiety didn't seem to help.

"I'm 5 feet 9 inches tall and at one point I weighed 348 pounds," says Gross. "I didn't feel well, and I was angry all the time. I didn't want to eat anything. I felt huge."

Several years ago, one of his doctors recommended bariatric, or weight loss, surgery. But Gross wasn't convinced that surgery was the right solution for him. After another hospitalization in December 2004, he changed his mind.

"I had congestive heart failure, and my doctor said I wouldn't live very long unless I did something about my weight," says Gross. "I had always been very active, but my health and my life were going downhill. I got rid of my motor home because I never went anywhere. I couldn't sing with my church choir. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't do anything."

Searching for Help
Gross finally considered bariatric surgery, but the road wasn't easy. Doctors don't often perform bariatric surgery on patients over age 60. And insurance coverage was an issue. One hospital turned him down because his insurance wouldn't pay for bariatric surgery. However, bariatric surgery was an option for Gross at the Surgical Weight Loss Center of Manatee Memorial Hospital. Patients should ask their insurance providers what options are available to them when considering any type of surgery.

When he turned to the Surgical Weight Loss Center, Gross finally got the encouragement and support he needed. He underwent bariatric surgery in May. At the time, he weighed 311 pounds.

Gross' doctor, Jose Estigarribia, MD, a board-certified surgeon, used minimally invasive techniques to perform a Rouxen-Y gastric bypass procedure. First, Dr. Estigarribia created a small pouch to reduce the size of Gross' stomach. Then, he connected the pouch directly to Gross' small intestine but bypassed a large portion of that intestine.

"Gastric bypass procedures help patients in two ways," says Dr. Estigarribia. "The small stomach pouch limits the amount of food patients can eat. And bypassing part of the intestine reduces the amount of calories and nutrients their bodies absorb."

Today, Gross eats six small meals a day and attends monthly support groups. He lost 100 pounds in the first four months following his surgery and feels confident that he'll reach his goal weight of between 170 and 180 pounds. Although he's pleased to be sporting a new and slimmer physique, Gross says weight loss is just a bonus.

"The most important thing is the change in my health," he says. "I stopped taking medications, except for vitamins, the day I had surgery. My sleep apnea is gone. My blood sugars and cholesterol levels are normal. This is the best I've felt -- physically and mentally -- in 30 years. I can do anything I want within reason. Dr. Estigarribia and the staff at the Surgical Weight Loss Center gave me a new lease on life -- they saved my life."

Jose Estigarribia, MD 4810 26th St. West Bradenton, FL 34207 941-753-7073

Gross has a word of caution for others considering bariatric surgery. "People have to change their lives completely," he says. "I think people should consider surgery a last resort and then only when it's medically necessary. But for those who need it, surgery can make a tremendous difference."

For more information about bariatric surgery, please call the Surgical Weight Loss Center at 941-745-7245. To learn more about obesity, please visit www.manateememorial.com and click on Health Information in the left column. Under Library on the left side of the next page, click on Diseases & Conditions, then click on the letter O and scroll down to Obesity in Adults.

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery

Is Bariatric Surgery for You?
Bariatric surgery isn't a quick fix, and it's not for everyone. But staff members at the Surgical Weight Loss Center of Manatee Memorial Hospital say you may benefit from gastric bypass surgery if you:

• Are at least 100 pounds over your ideal body weight
• Have tried and failed other weight loss treatments
• Are motivated to participate in a complete bariatric weight loss program
• Have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above, or have a BMI of 35 or higher and have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or other obesity-related complications