Orem: March 3, 2010 @ 7pm

Timpanogos Regional Hospital, Women’s Center Classroom

Speaker: Dr. Scott Haupt, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Ogden: March 9, 2010 @ 7pm

Ogden Regional Hospital, Cedar Room

Speaker: Dr. Brian Brzowski, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Salt Lake City: March 10, 2010 @ 6pm

St. Mark’s Hospital, Room GC04

Speaker: Chuck Nuttall, LCSW

February 2010 Support Group Schedule

Orem: Wednesday, February 3, 2010 @ 7pm, Timpanogos Regional Hospital, Women’s Center Classroom, Speaker: Dr. Scott Haupt, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Ogden: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 @ 7pm, Ogden Regional Hospital, Oak Room, Speaker: Jessica Wolfinger, LCSW

Salt Lake City: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 @ 6pm, St. Mark’s Hospital, Room G04C (Across from Cafeteria), Speaker: Dr. Bryce Allred, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Q: Does calorie absorption increase years out from weight loss surgery, which is why some weight regain can occur?

A: Increased absorption years out from weight loss surgery….
 False.

Same absorption as when you first had surgery…. True.

Your stomach gets more efficient at emptying food into the small intestine years out from weight loss surgery…. True. (This is why you are able to eat more food at each sitting, but never more than 6-8 ounces/meal).

Topic: Emotional Strength

Orem: January 6 @ 7pm, Timpanogos Regional Hospital, Women’s Center Classroom
Speaker: Chuck Nuttall, LCSW

Ogden: January 12 @ 7pm, Pleasant Valley Branch Library (5568 Adams Ave, across from Ogden Regional Hospital), Boardroom
Speaker: Jessica Wolfinger, LCSW

Salt Lake City: January 13 @ 6pm, St. Mark’s Hospital, Room G04C
Speaker: Leslee Miller, LCSW

Please note the new location of Ogden’s support group. It will no longer be held at Ogden Regional Hospital, by popular vote.

Our 2009 support group year has come and gone and we would love your feedback! From speakers like plastic surgeons and licensed clinical social workers, to activities like Walk From Obesity, what did you enjoy most? What did you find most beneficial? What improvements would you make to our support group for 2010?

For December’s support group, attendance was not as desirable. Was it the busy holidays interfering with the schedule? Was it the weather? Was it the topic (Clothing Exchange)? Or was it all of the above? As we look to 2010 and new changes that can be made, your input is vital.

However, one idea was further solidified during support group this month: Support from peers is vital. Whether it’s 5, 20, or 40 patients in attendance, knowing that you can interact with others who know exactly what you are going through is of great importance. We so value the efforts made by our patients this month to come and feel the support of others and RMAP. We strongly encourage you to make a new resolution to make support group a constant in your life!

E-mail your responses to Meredith@rmapinc.com

Q. How do I resize my photo to make it fit on my online forum profile picture? 

A. Thanks to Susan, again, one of our patients, here is the answer: 

“Open your “Paint” program. Usually, that is found in the “Accessories” folder on the Start Menu (lower left corner of your screen).
Open your photo in the program.
On the top bar, click on the “Image” button.
Then select “Stretch/Skew”.
Change the horizontal AND vertical numbers to 50%. This will make your photo half as large as it was.
Then click on File and “SAVE AS”. Save your resized photo with a new name. Do NOT do a “Save” as this will permanently change your original photo.
Then try uploading your new, smaller photo. If it is still too big, repeat the above process, starting with your ORIGINAL photo, and try smaller percentages (maybe 40% or 30%) until you have a size that will upload. It all depends on how large your original photo is as to what percentage change is required to make it small enough for the website.”

Let’s celebrate Christmas in style. For December support group, we will be having a clothing exchange. Bring clothes that no longer fit and exchange with other bariatric patients!

Orem: December 2nd, 2009 @ 7pm, Timpanogos Regional Hospital, Women’s Center Classroom

Details: Dress festively and bring bariatric friendly food (i.e. meat/cheese/veggie trays)

Salt Lake City: December 9^th, 2009 @ 6pm, St. Mark’s Hospital, Room G04C

Details: Dress festively and bring bariatric friendly food (i.e. meat/cheese/veggie trays)

Ogden: December 8^th, 2009 @ 7pm, Ogden Regional Hospital, Oak Room

Details: As the group decided against food, bring your favorite holiday recipes to exchange. Dress festively.

Let’s make it a party!

The reason why Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians (RMAP) has been performing weight loss surgery for 30 years all comes down to one thing: Success seen in our patients. It is why the surgeries are becoming better recognized as necessary procedures throughout our world; it is what keeps our medical practice running; and it is why we love what we do at RMAP.

Success can be defined in many ways, and to different degrees, but the ultimate definition stems from HAPPINESS received. And the support groups in Orem, Ogden, and Salt Lake City all offered their HAPPINESS from personal success stories.

Our patients’ success:

• Fitting into clothes that haven’t seen the light of day since college. Or even fitting into size 14 of the little girl’s department!
• Running and playing with children, nephews, and nieces.
• Coming off of all diabetic, blood pressure, cholesterol, and sleep apnea (etc) medications/devices
• Flying on an airplane for the family’s annual vacation.
• Motivation to go to nursing school (Hooray for nurses! I am not biased or anything…)
• Seeing a 100 pound bag of potatoes during Idaho’s harvest and realizing that “bag” has been lost from the body.
• Being able to cross the legs when sitting, and not even think twice.
• Changing their family’s health: Teenage daughter losing 14 pounds simultaneously from healthier habits being established
• Has learned to love exercise. Yes, physical activity is now fun!

I cannot speak for all in attendance, but I certainly walked away from support group this month feeling buoyed and grateful for the opportunity to work with people who are changing their lives. Thank you for those who attended, for sharing a piece of yourself. It was rewarding and inspiring.

Many of you have come so far. And I look forward to seeing those same changes in patients to come. Enjoy this journey!

Meredith Mangum, RN

With the holidays right around the corner, it is a good time to start thinking about how to beat the urge to calorically splurge. Several patients on our online forums have offered their suggestions that have proven to help during this wonderful, but trying, time. 

Top Ten Holiday Survival Tips: 

1. Focus on the people, and not the food/drink when at a holiday function.

“I actually enjoy these events more now, as the focus is on spending time with people I like and focusing on them instead of the food.” – Amy

2. Bring food you can eat and enjoy.

“If you are going to a potluck type event bring something you can eat. Meat and cheese trays are popular and WLS friendly.” – Amy

3. Healthy stocking stuffers.

 Instead of filling your children’s Christmas stockings with sugary goodies, add oranges and their favorite sugar free chewing gum.

4. Don’t forget your water…But spice it up!

“Add a little variety to your party sipping options: lemon or lime slices, fresh mint, or crystal light. Tomato or vegetable juices are also reasonable options.” – Amy

5. Drink your Bloody Mary virgin.

“No one can tell by looking at your glass that it is [sans alcohol] and it’s tomato juice all spiced up and yummy. You usually get a celery stick to munch on too!” – Kristen  

6. Use fun party cups.

“If you are the host, put your water in a cocktail glass or other pretty glass. If you are at a party with a bar, ask for your drink in a cocktail glass instead of a plastic glass.” – Amy

7. Remember, you can eat Thanksgiving leftovers later.

Do not feel like gorging at Thanksgiving dinner will be the only time to enjoy the annual tasty meal. Leftover turkey is still yummy the next day!

8. Keep desserts out of view at work. “Out of sight, out of mind.”

“If you have coworkers who bring a lot of candy to work, see if it can be put in a place that is out of your way, but convenient for others.” – Amy  

9. Use closed containers to prevent munching mindlessly.

“Use a container with a lid so you don’t pick up a piece without thinking.” – Amy

10. Exercise.

This increases your output to defeat your input. And it motivates you to not sabotage your hard efforts by eating inappropriate foods. 

Happy Holidays!

Q. Is the HCG diet a successful means to permanent weight loss?

A. Dr. Smith, one of our surgeons, responded:

“Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is produced by the placenta signaling the hypothalamus to mobilize fat stores in the pregnant woman.  This helps bring appropriate energy to the developing fetus for growth and development.  There are some cancers from the reproductive cells in men and woman which also can secrete this hormone.

The recent resurgence of interest in this hormone has raised questions about the validity of relying on HCG to help people tolerate an extremely low caloric intake of 500 Kcal/day.  While the first attempts at using this approach date back to the 1950’s, strong surges of interest have resurfaced about every ten years.

In 1975 during a similar flurry of curiosity in this weight loss method, the FDA stated: “HCG has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. There is no substantial evidence that it increases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction, that it causes a more attractive or ‘normal’ distribution of fat, or that it decreases the hunger and discomfort associated with calorie-restricted diets.”

Many individuals claim to have had success with this regimen; however, several scientific studies using a placebo control group in a prospective fashion have proven that there is no discernible difference in weight loss outcomes. Nor is there an improvement in the tolerance of such a restrictive diet with the help of HCG.

While we all hope for that magic pill or injection which will make weight loss successful and durable, there remains a paucity of proof that the HCG diet fulfills that hope.  Any diet which includes only 500 Kcal/day will lead to dramatic weight loss in the normal adult.  Eventually, returning to normal caloric intake is inevitable to survive, and weight regain is likely to occur. 

The good news in the world of treating severe clinical obesity is that certain surgical procedures do have proven value.  They have stood the test of time and the scrutiny of science. They include Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, Adjustable Gastric Band, Biliopancreatic Diversion (Duodenal Switch), and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy.  These procedures all help people to adapt to a lower caloric intake. These procedures are successful and durable.

Many comorbid conditions of obesity including sleep apnea, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart failure, have all been shown to improve or even disappear following weight loss surgery.  We recommend these procedures for patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to or greater than 35.”