Posted on August 26, 2009 in Uncategorized
Ready to make a personal change towards a better future?
If you are a registered Walk from Obesity participant, send us your story and tell us why you are ready to make the change to a health, fit lifestyle. One grand prize winner will receive free personal training session for 8 weeks with Certified Personal Trainer Daryl Madison of Lifestyle Fitness in Decatur!
Submit stories to contest@drchampion.com by Sunday, September 20, 2009.
Rules for Participation:
- Personal training session(s) with certified personal trainer, one day a week for eight weeks in Decatur, GA
- One phone consultation per week
- E-mail access to personal trainer
- One Chair-A-Cise DVD
- One e-book “6 Tips to Getting Maximum Results in Minimum Time with Your Home Exercise Equipment”
- Includes healthy eating plan
- Includes body composition analysis
- Winner must be willing to go to Decatur
- Winner must sign a waiver stating they are healthy enough to begin an exercise program & get a permission from their physician if required
- Start of personal training sessions expire December 31, 2009
Posted on August 25, 2009 in Uncategorized
SIXTH ANNUAL WALK FROM OBESITY
The Sixth Annual Walk from Obesity is a National Event to increase awareness of morbid obesity as a medical condition. On September 26th, 2009 hundreds of people all over America will be participating in this event to support research and education for new, effective solutions for this condition.
Whether you walk or run, whether you have had the surgery or want to support someone who has been through it, now you have the chance to show your support!
The following sponsors have already made a commitment to increasing awareness of morbid obesity and pledged their support for education, research and treatment of obesity, through the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Obesity Action Coalition.
JOIN US AT PIEDMONT PARK!
Come join us on September 26, 2009 for the Atlanta Walk/Run.
The walk/race will start at 9 am, to register go online to www.walkfromobesity.com.
Site registration will start at 8:30 am. We will meet at the Main Pavilion. This is a 3 mile course for both the 3 mile walk and run.
You can visit www.piedmonpark.org to access a map/directions to the location. Please be advised that you cannot park inside of Piedmont Park. You will need to park on the perimeter and take one of the park entrances into the park and follow pathway and signs to the Main Pavilion.
For directions from your home please click here to visit Google Maps.
There are many ways to participate:
1) Register online to walk/run at www.walkfromobesity.com
2) Find sponsors to support your participation.
3) Can’t walk, but want to help – send us a check to Walk from Obesity – Atlanta. If your employer has a matching gift program, mention the employer to double your giving power.
4) Know of sponsors who would like to support this cause? See if they can support us through a financial contribution or a gift-in-kind.
5) Own your company – you can be a sponsor.
6) Recruit friends to walk as a team. If you cannot be a corporate sponsor, sponsor a Team.
If you need more information please email me at drchampion@drchampion.com
Don’t wait go and register now !!!!!!
Thank you,
Susan Champion
Coordinator of the Atlanta Walk
Click here for printable copy
Posted on August 14, 2009 in Latest News
We recommend all weight loss surgery patients take vitamin and mineral supplements ( 2 multivitamins with iron, 1500 mg calcium with 800 units vitamin D, and oral iron 100 mg daily if a menstruating female) and have routine blood test performed at least yearly to confirm your body has an adequate supply and you are in good health. The gastric bypass procedure bypasses the first portion of the small bowel (duodenum) where iron, calcium and “B†vitamin prefer to be absorbed. These vitamin and minerals can be absorbed in other areas of the small intestine, but it requires patients to take larger doses than non surgical patients. In addition up to one third of weight loss surgery patients have vitamin deficiencies before surgery and their diet may not include adequate supplies of some nutrients after surgery, so we recommend supplements even for Lap-band patients where no portion of the bowel is bypassed.
Recent studies have demonstrated that 50% of the US population has a vitamin “D†deficiency and 50% of women will develop osteoporosis by age 50 in patients who haven’t undergone weight reduction surgery. While Vitamin D absorption isn’t affected by weight loss surgery, our lack of adequate intake in modern diets requires everyone to take a calcium supplement of at least 1500 mg daily with at least 800 units of vitamin D for good health.
Your calcium supplements with vitamin D may all be taken together at the same time. It doesn’t have to be taken in multiple doses, and you can’t absorb more than 1500 mg daily, so increasing your dose won’t improve your bone strength beyond the 1500 mg recommended. There is no real difference in bone strength between the different calcium preparations, so chose the one you like best. A Vitamin D in a prescription strength of 50,000 units may be required if patients have a severe D deficiency or bone thinning (osteoporosis or osteopenia) on a bone density study.
Calcium shouldn’t be taken at the same time as iron, or it will block the absorption of iron. We recommend taking your multi-vitamin and iron together and then take your calcium at least 4 hours later. Iron is usually better tolerated with food, and may cause nausea if taken on an empty stomach. Constipation sometimes occurs with iron and can be treated by taking 2 stool softeners daily, like Colace of Miralax.
Some patients may require additional Vitamin B-12. We test blood levels before prescribing additional B-12, since not everyone will require additional supplements. B-12 may be given by injection, nasal spray, or orally by tablet. We recommend 1000 ug oral vitamin B-12 for patients preferring the oral tablet method.
Posted on August 6, 2009 in Latest News, Uncategorized
Our patients often wonder if medications are absorbed differently after weight loss surgery, and do they need to adjust their dosage.
The answer is no!
Patients who undergo a Lap- Band procedure will not have any of the small intestines bypassed, so they shouldn’t worry about medication absorption. Many will ask why we place them on supplemental vitamins and calcium if the upper portion of the small bowel is not bypassed like after the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass. The answer to that question is many patients don’t eat a balanced diet which is high in iron such as green leafy vegetables, or avoid some food groups such as milk products which are high in calcium. About one out of every three patients is found to have low iron, calcium or “B†vitamins before surgery. In addition 50% of women over age 50, who haven’t had weight loss surgery, will develop osteoporosis in their lifetime or have vitamin D deficiency, so taking supplements is a good idea.
Gastric Bypass patients do have around 20% of the small bowel bypassed along with the portion just beyond the stomach called the duodenum. This will decrease the absorption of iron, calcium and “B†vitamins, so they must take supplements to remain healthy. This bypassed intestine only represents around 20% of the bowel, so medications can be absorbed normally in the remaining 80% of the distal bowel. No medications, vitamins, or nutrients are absorbed in the stomach; it simply serves as a mixer to grind up the food particles into smaller pieces. This is why you must chew your food until it is almost liquid to make up for the bypassed stomach.
We are not aware of any medications that are absorbed better or worse after Gastric Bypass Surgery. We occasionally see a reduction in thyroid medication, but we believe this is due to a change in the patient’s metabolism and weight loss, not a change in absorption. Requirements for other medications like for diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol may also decrease after Gastric Bypass due to weight loss and changes in the body’s metabolism, but it is not due to a change in absorption. Birth control pills are absorbed normally as far as we are aware, but must be taken as prescribed. Fertility often increases with weight loss, so remember to be diligent with birth control methods the first 18 months. All methods of birth control including the pill have a known failure rate of at least 1%.
So remember, take your medication as prescribed and do not make adjustments or changes without clearance from either your Primary Care Provider or Dr. Champion. Please call our office at 770-425-5525 if you have any questions.
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