Double vision set in. She looked in the mirror and noticed one pupil looked enlarged. She headed to the Community Hospital Emergency Department.
Doctors there did not diagnose her with a stroke. She had experienced third nerve palsy, brought on by extremely high blood pressure. The scare prompted her to reflect on her health. She weighed 311 pounds, and her blood pressure was 213/147. Something had to change.
She turned to Powers Health Bariatric Services after seeing success stories from others who used the program. She realized her best shot at lifelong change would come from bariatric surgery.
“That decision saved my life,” said Clark, who will be marrying her fiancé, Andrew, later this year. “I don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for the surgery and the help I received before and after.”
Surgery was not a magic pill or a quick fix. She learned through her consultation and educational sessions leading up to the procedure that undergoing a vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) would take a lot of effort on her part.
Three years following her surgery in January 2022, the 32-year-old Portage resident maintains her impressive 116-pound weight loss, boasts healthy blood pressure readings and no longer takes blood pressure medication.
“Surgery can be scary, but the support I received from the bariatrics team at Powers Health made the process so much easier. I never felt alone,” said Clark, who is the director of Mission Integration/Volunteers at Powers Health. “My health and my professional and personal life all have been improved because of the decision I made three years ago.”
Obese adults often face other serious chronic diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 58% of U.S. adults with obesity have high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease, and approximately 23% of U.S. adults with obesity have diabetes.
Powers Health Bariatric Services wants to improve those numbers. Its accredited program helps patients decide which weight-loss method will work best for them, whether it’s surgical or non-surgical intervention. Its services in Hobart and Munster provide tailored support and experts who understand the complexities of weight loss.
“Procedures such as gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy can help individuals lose a substantial amount of weight safely and quickly,” said Bariatric and General Surgeon Paul Stanish, MD, who is the medical director of Powers Health Bariatric Services. “After providing these effective procedures, our team helps patients commit to lifelong lifestyle changes, including healthy eating and physical activity, to maintain their weight loss and overall health.”
For those who aren’t candidates for surgery or prefer non-surgical options, Powers Health Bariatric Services also offers GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as Ozempic and Wegovy.
“These medications help regulate appetite and promote weight loss, but adherence is key,” he said. “If patients stop taking the medication, weight regain can occur. Committing to these treatments long term and adopting a healthy lifestyle are essential elements to lifelong success.”
Clark is one of those dedicated patients.
“I had tried all of the diets a person could try. I watched my caloric intake, I ate a lot of protein, I exercised. My weight wouldn’t budge, and I was inching toward diabetes,” said Clark, who serves as a mentor to other bariatric patients. “The surgery has helped reset my body so that eating right and exercising can keep me living a long and healthy life.”
For information on the surgical and non-surgical weight-loss services offered at Powers Health, call 219-836-4900 or visit PowersHealth.org/services/bariatric-medicine.
Kerri Clark turned to Powers Health Bariatric Services after seeing success stories from others who used the program. “That decision saved my life,” Clark said. “I don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for the surgery and the help I received before and after.”