The story of losing 129 pounds
Tyler Gawel underwent weight-loss surgery, losing 129 pounds.
Posted by Stephanie O'Connell
Posted: 5 February 2010
For the first time in 24 years, Tyler Gawel was able to walk into a store and buy a pair of pants off the rack.
Something that sounds like a normal practice to most was a huge feat for Gawel, who once tipped the scales at 305 pounds and walked into stores knowing that they wouldn’t carry his size 52 jeans.
Gawel has dropped 129 pounds after enrolling in the MidState Medical Center Weight Management program and undergoing weight-loss surgery. Five months later, Gawel now weighs just 176 pounds and has gotten his life back — refusing to succumb to what were lifelong weight issues.
“I have been overweight my whole life,” Gawel said. “Ever since I can remember. I have tried a lot of things, from the Atkins diet to Weight Watchers, and while I lost weight while doing them, nothing was ever permanent. I gained the weight back plus some.”
Gawel first decided on weight-loss surgery in 2006, but was skeptical after attending a group meeting at a different hospital.
“The group was 150-200 people,” Gawel said. “It all seemed so overwhelming. I didn’t feel like I had a connection when I met the doctor and it wasn’t very personal, so I didn’t pursue it and got sidetracked.”
In 2008, Gawel was scared straight back on track after being diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus, a condition that occurs when chronic acid reflux is not controlled. Barrett’s can lead to cancer of the esophagus if not addressed.
“When I was diagnosed and heard the word cancer, it was an eye opener,” Gawel said. “I finally decided to meet with Dr. (Aziz) Benbrahim to see if I would qualify as a candidate for surgery.”
Gawel did qualify and entered the intensive program he now jokingly refers to as boot camp.
“This was a very difficult program,” Gawel said. “It was so rigorous. I had to have physiological evaluations. For five months before surgery, I had to meet with a dietician and keep track of everything I ate. I had to go to physical therapy in a sense and start a workout regimen. I really had to show that I was committed to the program.”
Turns out he was, and still is, committed. Gawel points out that the surgery was not a quick, easy fix. But it did lead him to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle.
“This program really was a diamond in the rough,” Gawel said. “Before, I never liked going to social events and this has made me more sociable. I feel more accepted where I go and I can do more a lot more than I ever had. It truly changed my life and I would do it all over again.”
Weight-loss option: Serious surgery
MERIDEN — Dr. Aziz Benbrahim, the medical director of the MidState Medical Center Weight Management program, describes the process, including the emotions and tribulations, that potential weight loss surgery patients must endure by comparing it to something else that is dangerous and worrisome — handing the keys to an inexperienced teenager.
“When you give a teenage driver your car, you have to make sure that they know what they are doing,” Benbrahim said. “Otherwise, they will kill themselves or wreck the car. It is the same with weight-loss surgery. That is why at the program we take the steps, at least four months, to prepare our patients and teach them everything they need to know.”
The program, which began in March 2004 and has recently found a new home at the 61 Pomeroy Ave. offices, provides seminars on both surgical and non-surgical options and offers answers to some of the frequently asked weight loss questions: why can’t I lose the weight?; what are the health risks if I don’t lose weight?; am I really a candidate for weight loss surgery?
“We took a few years to set up a good comprehensive program,” Benbrahim said. “One of the good things about the program at MidState is that it is probably one of the best there is. We haven’t had any fatalities or major complications from surgeries.”
To get started, Miller and Benbrahim suggest patients first attend one of the seminars, which are run once per month.
“The program that we have in place offers free seminars for people to learn about the weight management program,” said Kelly Miller, weight loss program coordinator. “We have one program that deals with just the surgical side of weight loss and one that focuses on the outpatient side — a healthy lifestyle seminar.”
The surgical weight loss seminars discuss all aspects of the surgical choice: potential complications to surgery; who qualifies for surgery; preparing for surgery. To initially qualify for weight loss surgery at MidState, pending the results of physical and physiological exams, a patient must be 18 years of age or over, have a Body Mass Index of 35 with a co-morbid medical condition or a BMI of 40 or higher.
The idea that weight loss surgery is a quick fix is quickly dismissed at the seminars, where both Miller and Benbrahim discuss the steps that must be taken both before and after surgery. Both cite four factors as keys to permanent weight loss.
“A healthy diet, exercise, behavior modification and surgery are the four things, the only four things, which will lead to permanent weight loss in an obese person that chooses surgery,” Benbrahim said.
Prior to surgery, potential candidates are required to meet with a dietician to kick-start their healthy lifestyles. Most patients are asked to lose 10 percent of their body weight before surgery.
Candidates must also meet with Miller for a psychological evaluation and prove that they are serious about the lifestyle changes necessary for a successful surgery.
“Some people think that when they get to the seminar, they are ready to go to surgery,” Miller said. “Patients struggle with the fact that they can’t have the surgery right away. The program really wants to make sure that people know what they are getting into. Surgery alone doesn’t work. This is a commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
Everything needs to work together for them to have really great success. The surgery alone certainly won’t do it.”
While Connecticut is considered one of the healthiest states in the Union, Benbrahim still sees up to 20 patients per week, noting that more than 10,000 people in the New Haven, Hartford and Fairfield counties need to have surgery to lose weight.
“Severe obesity is everywhere,” Benbrahim said. “For a long time we have seen that diets do not provide any long-term results; in fact, only 10 percent of obese people can do it with just diet and exercise. Surgery is not the easy way out but for some, it’s the only way.”
Submitted by Jeff Kurz on Fri, 02/05/2010 - 13:46
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