Patient Success Stories
Julie is Glowing After Successful Care From Northwest Bariatric and Foregut Surgery
At 402 pounds, Julie – a mother of five children living in Pima – knew her health was deteriorating quickly due to her weight.
“That girl couldn’t even move without breathing hard,” Julie says of her old self. “I was on blood-pressure medication and suffering from sleep apnea, and something inside me started screaming, ‘I’m only 42 years old!’ I needed to be around for my kids.”
Julie drove two and a half hours for a bariatric surgery consultation with Dr. Stephen Burpee, M.D., at Northwest Bariatric and Foregut Surgery in Tucson.
“I loved the office,” she says. “I could feel positivity radiating from just about everybody.”
After discussing her lifestyle habits, her general state of health, and her goals, Julie and Dr. Burpee opted for the SADI-S procedure. SADI-S combines a sleeve gastrectomy to shrink the stomach and an intestinal bypass to limit food absorption. This procedure is known to lead to significant weight loss and improvement in obesity-related diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea.
Julie had her surgery on Sept. 24, 2024, and followed post-surgical instructions about nutrition and exercise to the letter. Today, she’s about 170 pounds lighter.
“I’m healthier; my whole family is healthier,” she says. “My husband cut out sugar, so he lost 65 pounds all on his own. We have more energy – recently, I took a trip with my five-year-old to see her new kindergarten classroom, which I couldn’t have done a year ago. Other people tell me I have a ‘glow’ – and I also have a neck again.”
Julie has about 40 more pounds to lose, and it’s coming off quickly.
“I feel like a whole new person,” she says.
Congratulations to Julie! To learn more about surgical weight loss at Northwest Healthcare or request an appointment, please visit https://www.healthiertucson.com/why-choose-us-bariatrics.
Another Success Story From Northwest Medical Center’s Bariatric & Foregut Surgery: Joseph is Hiking Tumamoc Hill Again
Each time Joseph hikes up – and then down – Tumamoc Hill in Tucson, he takes a few moments to be grateful for his healthy body, as well as for the exercise and fresh air.
For 10 years, due to his weight – plus hypertension and diabetes – Joseph wasn’t able to hike Tumamoc at all.
“I struggled with my weight since the get-go, when I was born at 9 pounds, 10 ounces,” Joseph says. “I’ve gone down from 330 pounds to 224, and my goal is to be under 200.”
Joseph regained his health by changing his diet, walking, undergoing hip replacement surgery – and opting for bariatric surgery with Dr. Patrick Chiasson at Northwest Healthcare in the summer of 2024.
“What Dr. Chiasson did clearly worked,” Joseph says. “The weight just came off, and then I was able to walk more – three miles, five times a day, in under an hour.”
Joseph adds that his bloodwork looks great and that he hasn’t noticed any side effects from his surgery.
“I am so happy with the results,” he says.”
Congratulations to Joseph – and thanks to Dr. Chiasson and his team for all they do to help bariatric patients get well and live healthier in Southern Arizona and beyond!
New Year, New Christa: A Success Story from Northwest Medical Center’s Bariatric & Foregut Surgery
At just 27 years old, Christa found herself facing a reality that shook her to her core – she was at her heaviest ever.
"The number on the scale was what scared me. I had never been that big before," Christa says. “It seemed like no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make lasting progress.”
In addition to the weight, Christa’s general health was spiraling. She struggled with low energy, a diagnosis of fatty liver disease, and a feeling of disconnection from the life she once enjoyed.
Christa knew she had to make a drastic change – not just for herself, but for her two young sons, ages nine and one.
Through her work as a healthcare professional in Safford, Christa heard great things from colleagues and friends about Stephen Burpee, M.D., a board-certified and fellowship-trained general and bariatric surgeon at Northwest Medical Center. Dr. Burpee is known for performing a variety of minimally-invasive bariatric procedures to help patients like Christa return to active, thriving lives.
“That’s when I decided to take a bold step and explore bariatric surgery,” she says. “It wasn’t an easy decision, and I wrestled with feelings of fear, doubt, and uncertainty. Would it work? Was I making the right choice? But as I learned more about the procedure, the support systems in place, and the life-changing results for many others, I realized this was the best option for me.”
Together, Dr. Burpee and Christa decided on a gastric sleeve procedure as her personalized path forward – and Christa felt real hope for the first time.
Six months later, Christa is unrecognizable – not just in terms of her appearance, but in her energy, confidence, and general state of health.
"I have so much more energy to keep up with my boys,” she says. “The compliments are also nice to hear, and I can finally fit into the clothes I’ve been holding on to for years.”
But the surgery was just the beginning. The real work came afterwards – adapting to a new way of eating, learning to listen to her body, and adjusting to life with a smaller stomach.
“There were challenges, of course,” Christa says. “There were ups and downs, days when I felt on top of the world and others when I wanted to give up. But I learned that consistency, not perfection, was the key. I began prioritizing nourishing my body, finding new forms of exercise I enjoyed, and being patient with myself. I made sure to surround myself with supportive people who encouraged me, and I celebrated every victory, no matter how small. Over time, the weight started to come off, but more importantly, my mindset shifted. I stopped seeing food as the enemy and instead focused on fueling my body with the nutrients it needed.”
Today, thanks to Dr. Burpee and his exceptional team, and her own commitment to the process, Christa hasn’t just lost weight – she’s found renewed vitality and joy in a healthier lifestyle she can share with her children.
"The entire experience, from the consultation to the hospital staff, was exceptional," she says. “It was the start of my re-discovering a sense of strength and confidence I hadn’t felt in years.”
To learn more about surgical weight loss at Northwest Healthcare, or to request an appointment, please visit https://www.healthiertucson.com/why-choose-us-bariatrics.
Ricardo Herrera is Living Better After Weight Loss Surgery with Northwest Healthcare
Ricardo Herrera, at 31 years old and 524 pounds, had struggled hard since elementary school to try and slim down. Living life at his weight was especially painful and frustrating because of his job as a plumber, which meant he had to stand, kneel, climb and crawl for long periods of time. He couldn't find clothes big enough to fit, and he was self-conscious and shy in social situations.
After trying many different diets, Ricardo watched as one of his family members found a new life after weight loss surgery with Northwest Healthcare's Dr. Patrick Chiasson, M.D., FRCS, FACS. So, although he lived two hours away from Northwest Medical Center, he gathered his courage and made the drive.
Dr. Chiasson and Ricardo agreed that a procedure called the duodenal switch was his best option. This surgery combines a gastrectomy (removal of part of the stomach) with an intestinal bypass, which makes the path food takes through the intestines shorter.
So, in August of 2021, Ricardo drove two hours from Douglas, Ariz., to Northwest Medical Center, ready for surgery and motivated by a brand-new vision for his future.
"I hoped for the best, and I got it," he said eight months later. "I got up on a roof for the first time recently, which I was never able to do. And now, at the end of the day, my feet aren't hurting like they did before."
Ricardo has lost more than 230 pounds since his surgery, and is now well on his way to his goal weight.
"I can't say enough about Dr. Chiasson - he's a great doctor," Ricardo said. "He explained everything, answered all my questions and assured me that everything would be all right - and it was."
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