VideoScopic Institute of Atlanta PC - Dr. Champion Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

Bariatric Reunion for 2010

Posted on July 29, 2010 in Latest News

Dear Patients,

Dr. Champion proudly presents the Bariatric Reunion for 2010 given by Northside Atlanta, Forsyth and Cherokee Hospitals.

Northside Hospitals of Atlanta, Forsyth and Cherokee, has opened up the Event to ALL of OUR Patients.

We are very pleased and look forward to seeing ALL of our Patients coming to the Reunion! There will be Dinner, Dancing, Silent Auction, Accessory Sale, Raffles & More…

For new patients this is a glamorous evening presented by  Northside Hospitals for all Bariatric Weight Loss patients of Dr. Champion’s. You will get a chance to meet Dr. Champion’s, his lovely wife, the wonderful staff and many post Bariatric patients!

This evening will start off with cocktails and great opportunities to socializing with many of our other post-op patients.  You will meet many from  our local support groups, exercise classes, annual bariatric events and our traveling post-ops you normal only see on our online support groups. Take this as an opportunity to dress up and mingle with Dr. Champion and all of his wonderful staff.

We will be taking pictures, but please bring your camera’s! We are hoping to showcase some of the pictures on the site and Dr. Champion’s growing facebook page.(please click to join)

INVITATION:

Saturday, August 21. 2010
Cocktails 6-7 pm, Dinner & Dancing 7-10 pm
Intercontinental Buckhead
3315 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta

Attire – Cocktail/After Five

Fee – Complimentary for Patient, $20 for Guest

RSVP: Patricia Daniel – Northside Hospital Foundation

Phone: (404) 851-8389 or

E-Mail: foundation.rsvp@northside.com
***Space is Limited***

Click to view the invitation

Bariatric Reunion

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Dealing with Weight Regain after Bariatric Surgery

Posted on in Latest News

JK Champion MD

2009

Questions about Dealing with Weight Regain after Bariatric Surgery

1.What are the keys to patients succeeding after Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery?

2.What are the causes of patients failing Bariatric Weight Loss surgery?

3.What can patients do to deal with post-op weight regain?

Keys to success After Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery and NOT Regaining Weight

1. Healthy food choices (reduce carbohydrates in diet to 50% or less with 35-40% protein and 10-15% fat, concentrate on meats, colored veggies and fruit, limit simple carbs such as bread, potatoes, rice and pasta to 2 days a week and never twice on the same day, no high calorie liquids such as soda, fruit juices, smoothies or protein supplements, no ice cream, no cream soups, no sugar free snacks, no junk food such as chips and nuts or candy, limit alcohol consumption to 2 drinks per week

2. Increased activity and exercise ( 45 minutes of aerobic activity three times a week: that means patients sweat and increase their hear rate) take the stairs, park in the back of the parking lot, get a pedometer and walk 6 miles per day

3. Behavioral changes (eat every 4 hours by the clock, no snacking between meals, don’t skip meals, don’t drink with meals and for 30 minutes afterwards, Slow down eating and chew food well, stop eating when full, eat protein first and then veggies or fruit, practice portion control with small plates, don’t utilize food to deal with emotions: anger, boredom, sadness, stress)

4. Stay connected with your Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Support groups! Being active and connected with a Bariatric Support group also you to connect with others like you and with that in in various stages of Weight Loss surgery connected, informed and accountable is a key for many peoples successes. Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery is not only a tool for weight loss but it is a life style. People may slip but those that reconnect and have support are faster at getting back up and staying on the right path.

note: Dr. Champion has Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Support groups in Atlanta, Georgia satellite Bariatric Support groups in Valdosta, Macon, Winder, Savannah, North Carolina and online. Please check our page dedicated to our Bariatric  Support Group to find the most convenient one for you.

Causes of failure after bariatric surgery

A. Behavioral Noncompliance with recommendations

Maladaptive eating or eating around the operation, (snacking, drinking high calorie liquids, eating sweets, high carbohydrate diets), lack of exercise, unresolved emotional issues

The surgery requires significant changes in a patients’ behavior towards food and eating and physical activity; it is not a magical procedure that changes their metabolism and allows them to eat whatever they want and still lose weight. Their metabolism only requires around 1200 calories per day and if they eat 1600 calories they will regain 6 pounds per year. The changes they adopt the first 12 months after surgery must continue the rest of their life. Some patients think they only have to comply with the guidelines the first 12-15 months until their reach their target weight and then they can go back to eating their old way and the result is they regain weight.

In normal weight people it takes 30 minutes for the hunger control switch to be activated after beginning a meal. By slowing down, everyone will eat less by allowing the body’s natural control process to “catch up”. This is particularly important in patients attempting to lose weight from diets or surgery. Patients must choose coarse dense foods high in protein and low in carbohydrate which will stay in their pouch for 30 minutes after meals (meats and colored veggies) to control their appetite for the next 4 hours. The small gastric pouch controls hunger by filling with dense food and staying in the pouch for 30 minutes to stimulate the Vagus nerve to produce satiety, replacing Leptin (a hormone produced in fat cells) as the hunger control. If patients drink with a meal it washes the pouch out and hunger will return in about 45 minutes. If the meal is high in carbs the blood sugar will raise causing insulin to be released and again hunger will return quickly. A high protein diet causes the blood sugar to be level and not get the wide swings which cause increased hunger. Patients must eat by the clock every 4 hours and not skip meals or go too long between meals. Eating every 4 hours and not skipping meals keeps the body’s metabolism level; otherwise the body will slow the metabolism and make it harder to lose weight, or regain weight eating the same amount of calories. Skipping meals will result in overeating at the next meal and extra calories get stored as fat, or it results in snacking due to hunger. A healthy afternoon snack is scheduled to break up the interval between lunch and supper if it is going to be more than 4 hours between meals.

B. Mechanical or physical problems with the surgery

(see also Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Revisions)

Gastro-gastric fistula, staple line breakdown, tubing or balloon leak, pouch or stoma dilatation, poorly constructed bypass with short limb or poor pouch construction, bariatric surgery intolerance (chronic nausea and vomiting, acid reflux, difficulty swallowing chronic abdominal pain, or excessive weight loss), poor initial choice of operation for the patient.

These are potentially correctable problems, but may require additional surgery for a Bariatric Weight Loss Revision or conversion to another operation and carry additional operative risk compared to the first operation. These problems will require an evaluation and testing to identify. Approximately 50% of Lap-band patients and around 10% of Gastric Bypass patients won’t lose sufficient weight or will be dissatisfied with their initial procedure. Recent studies and our own experience indicate around 25% of Lap-band patients will have their band removed due to weight loss failure or band problems.

What can you do to deal with post-op weight regain?

1.Go back to the basics!

2.Exercise 3 times weekly for 45 minutes. Aerobic exercise with sweating and increased heart rate over 110. Walking, Shopping, Gardening, House cleaning, Playing with the kids, etc is not aerobic exercise.

3.Restrict carbs and re-institute the rules for eating post-op.

4.Get counseling if you’re eating to deal with emotions.

POST OP DIET TO IMPROVE WEIGHT LOSS

Reduce “simple” carbohydrates to two days per week. (Like Tuesday and Saturday). Simple carbs cause a rise in blood sugar and hunger in 45 minutes after eating. If extra calories are absorbed in a meal with simple carbs the calories will be immediately converted to fat cells and either weight gain or a slowing of weight loss.

Simple carbs are any food in the BREAD, RICE, POTATOES or PASTA family. These food groups are usually white but it doesn’t matter if they are white or brown or any color.

Concentrate on eating meats, fruits and colored vegetables. Colored vegetables are complex carbohydrates and the body must burn calories to digest them so it takes longer to absorb and doesn’t cause increases in blood sugar, late dumping syndrome, and “craving” or hunger after 45 minutes.

Your surgery works by filling your pouch with coarse foods like meat, green beans, and carrots etc which stay in the pouch for at least 30 minutes. This sends a signal to the brain you’re full and will control your hunger for 3-4 hours and then you will be hungry again. This is why we have you eat every 4 hours and don’t drink with meals which will wash the pouch out and make you hungry again in 45 minutes. Soft mushy foods like mashed potatoes, yogurt, and soups slide right through the pouch and do nothing to control your appetite and may actually make you hungrier.

Remember

1.Eat 3 meals per day and a healthy afternoon snack: something every 4 hours.

2.Use a small plate to limit portion size and slow down. It takes 30 minutes to feel satisfied, and stop when you’re full: don’t clean your plate!

3.Limit simple carbs to 2 days per week.

4.Don’t skip meals: you lose less weight by slowing your metabolism.

5.Eat your protein first and then any veggies or fruit.

6.Nuts are a terrible snack.

7.All liquids must be low calorie and no liquid protein supplements after 6 weeks post-op.

8.NO DRINKING WITH MEALS!!

Don’t forget about your labs!

Posted on July 28, 2010 in Patient Updates

Please be proactive in your care. Call our office for your 3 month, 6 month, 1 year and annual appointments. Even if you cannot come into our office for you appointment, call us to give us an update and make arrangements to send us your lab results. It is very important for you to have the following labs checked annually:

• CBC
• Comprehensive Chemistry
• Serum Iron
• B12 Level
• Lipid Panel

Asparagus-Ham Roll-Ups (Obesity Help Mar/April Issue, Recipes by Chef Dave)

Posted on March 9, 2010 in Uncategorized

Ingredients

18 each fresh asparagus, peeled
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
6 thin lean ham slices
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, low fat, grated
1 tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup nonfat milk
3 tablespoons almonds, slivered

Directions

1. In a non-stick saute pan saute asparagus until just tender. (Nonstick spray can be used to coat the pan first)
2. Melt margarine in heavy saucepan
3. Stir in flour, salt and mustard. Gradually stir in skim milk. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened.
4. Add cheese and continue stirring until cheese is melted
5. Divide asparagus into 6 portions
6. Place asparagus portions on and parallel to narrow end of each ham slice
7. Roll as for jelly roll with asparagus in the center of each roll-up
8. Arrange roll-ups in a baking dish with seam side down
9. Pour sauce over roll-ups
10. Bake at 350 degrees until sauce is bubbly, about 20 minutes

Nutrition

Per serving: 110 calories, 10 grams protein, 5 grams fat (1 gram saturated),
15 mg cholesterol, 6 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 420 mg sodium

Stop Obesity in it’s Tracks!

Posted on February 19, 2010 in Latest News

What You Need to Know About Vitamin D after Bariatric Surgery

Posted on January 28, 2010 in Latest News

J.K Champion MD
January 2010

There has been renewed interest by the medical community recently in the role of Vitamin D in the maintenance of good health that needs to be shared with our patients. Let me first begin by stating that Vitamin D absorption from the diet is not affected by weight loss surgery, however, over 50% of the entire population of the United States has a vitamin D deficiency. This article will review facts about vitamin D; including how we get it, what happens to our body when it gets low, and how do we prevent and treat vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamins are organic substances which are essential for normal metabolism, growth and development of the body. We get vitamin D in our diet and from exposure to sunlight. It is present in milk, fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and cod, and eggs, butter, and dietary supplements.

Vitamin D’s principal function is related to our body being able to use calcium and phosphorous, which are the minerals which make up our bones. Vitamin D is essential for the normal absorption of calcium and phosphorous from our GI tract. In addition, vitamin D is necessary for normal muscle function, cardiovascular health and the function of our immune system. Deficiency of vitamin D is best known for its effect on our bone strength or bone density and can cause osteoporosis which leads to fractures of the hip and spine as we grow older. These fractures heal poorly in thin bone and are very painful. At present 50% of women and 20% of men will develop osteoporosis by age 50 (this is in patients who haven’t undergone bariatric surgery) and experience a fracture related to their poor bone density in their lifetime. Low vitamin D also results in an increase in autoimmune disorders like type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and Chron’s disease and can interfere with our body’s defense against bacterial or viral infections. Deficiencies also increase the risk of some cancers (prostate, pancreas, colon, ovary and breast) and can lead to higher rates of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Chronic muscle pain and fibromyalgia has been reported to resolve in up to 90% of patients when their vitamin D deficiency is corrected. We are just coming to understand the role of vitamin D which was rarely tested in the past. Current testing has revealed that 50% of the current population has a vitamin D deficiency. A major reason testing is not done more frequently is the current cost of the lab exam which can run from $160-400, and is rarely covered by insurance.

Vitamin D can be obtained in our diet, but requires we eat a fatty fish such as salmon 2-3 times weekly. Other foods such as milk and diary products which contain vitamin D are actually fortified artificially with the addition of vitamin D by the supplier of the product. It was previously thought that we needed only 400 units of vitamin D daily along with 800 mg of calcium, and many of the over the counter supplements contain this quantity in 2 tablets daily. We have since learned this isn’t enough and the government has suggested 800 units of vitamin D and 1500 mg of calcium daily. Even this amount may not be enough and we often have to prescribe a super strength vitamin D with 50,000 units which is taken either weekly or every other week.

It has been documented that patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery are at higher risk of metabolic bone disease such as osteoporosis due to reduced absorption of calcium, however, we have monitored our patients with bone density testing yearly in the office and our incidence of osteoporosis has decreased after surgery due to our insistence our patients take the calcium and vitamin D supplements and be monitored closely. Patients who don’t return to our office for follow up should ask their family physician to order a bone density study yearly to insure adequate calcium replacement. Blood tests which measure calcium are not adequate to monitor calcium supplements. Routine vitamin D blood test can be reserved for patients with demonstrated abnormal bone density tests or known vitamin D deficiency due to the cost of the test at this time.

We are just beginning to understand the importance of vitamin D for good health in all people. Remember: it’s extremely important for our patients to take their calcium supplements with vitamin D and have routine testing done yearly to insure adequate replacement of nutrients in their diet.

Words from a Gastric Sleeve Patient

Posted on in Latest News

My weight loss seems steady at about 1-3 pounds weekly.  I have occasional stalls where the scale doesn’t move for a couple weeks but then it moves again.  I don’t weigh myself more than once a week.  Fortunately, I have yet to see the scale go in the wrong direction.  I would say my total weight loss is around 45-50 pounds thus far.  I am in the low 180lb range.

I must confess, I have only recently started working out regularly so the aforementioned weight loss would probably be greater had I not been sedentary.  The good news is, I recently joined a fitness club and am doing 45 minutes of intense cardio 4-5 days a week.  I will soon be incorporating strength training 3 days a week into the mix to help with muscle tone. I can’t begin to tell you how much better I feel.  Especially my energy level!

Lately, I think my brain is finally syncing up with my revised stomach.  That was the hardest thing at first.  I am now able to distinguish between true hunger and the hunger in my head.  I can definitely feel the difference without Grehlin.  I don’t feel ravenous or deprived anymore.  My stomach sort of growls like it used to if I’m truly hungry but I don’t feel the need to eat everything but the kitchen sink.  I feel like I have advanced past the experimental phase with food.  I am naturally making better choices, no sweets except fruit.  I am sticking to 3 meals a day and no grazing especially now that the holidays are over.  I don’t miss the old eating days anymore.  I did at first though.  My relationship with food has changed dramatically.

I take one Women’s Ultra Mega vitamin from GNC daily.  I still need to get in more protein.  It’s hard as I’m single and on the go.  I also need to get in more water than I should.  It’s hard because I can’t chug-a-lug anymore.  Especially after a workout!  Although I can never finish a whole can in a given day, I do have a vice and that’s sipping on diet Coke at work.  I know!…  It’s bad!  I’m working on it and trying to replace it with crystal light but I miss the carbonation.

I plan to get a physical once I find a good PCP here so I can get some blood tests and see how those look.  When I do, I will have them forwarded to your office.

I am also still smoke free and have been since Last August.  I smell better, look better, and most importantly, I feel better!  And I owe it all to Dr. Champion and his wonderful staff!  You have all given me a new lease on life and I will be forever grateful!  I have absolutely no regrets on the surgeon or the procedure I chose.

I’m so sorry for the lengthy e-mail.  I just figured since you only have a couple sleeve patients, my feedback would be helpful to you.  There is so much to talk about!

Thanks again for everything and I will keep you posted from up here in Massachusetts!

Take care for now.  Warmest regards,

Val C.

Winder Support Group Important Notice

Posted on in Latest News, Uncategorized

We are looking for a stellar patient to become our new Support Group Facilitator for our Winder Group. If you are interested, please contact the office for more information.

Holiday Eating

Posted on November 20, 2009 in Uncategorized

Many people fail to lose weight, or may even gain weight between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Don’t be one of them. Following your Bariatric surgery, it is important to continue to follow the recommended eating pattern: meats first, vegetables and fruits second, followed by other foods.

First of all it is important to eat. DON’T SKIP MEALS. Regular meals help to keep your metabolism high, thus burning calories. For best results, eat three meals and a snack. Eat within an hour of rising and every four to five hours thereafter. It is especially important to eat breakfast. Also, don’t forget to eat when you are busy. Many people eat too fast or too much when they have skipped a meal, resulting in nausea and vomiting.

Remember, that even if you don’t feel hunger, your body needs the protein and other nutrients that the meal provides, so take time out from work or shopping to eat.

Second, remember the recommended meal pattern: meat first, 2-3 ounces of meat for protein and to promote satiety. The pouch will empty too quickly if you aren’t eating enough meat. Then you get hungry too soon and start snacking.

Next, eat your vegetables. Vegetables that are lower in carbohydrates are best. The fiber in vegetables helps to make you feel fuller on fewer calories. Next, eat fruit. Fresh is best, since it is higher in fiber. Sweeten with a sugar substitute if needed. Garnish with cinnamon, nutmeg or a sprinkle of sugar free flavored gelatin.

A lot of favorite foods are served at holiday meals. Many of these foods are high in sugar, fat, and calories so they are often poorly tolerated. Plan ahead for holiday meals. For foods high in fat, limit your portion to one or two bites. For foods high in sugar, prepare using an artificial sweetener.

So give yourself a holiday gift of continuing to follow the dietary guidelines. They don’t change with the seasons. Don’t forget to exercise!