Janna had been struggling to lose weight for years with no success.
She already had a severe back injury, and the extra weight she was carrying only made matters worse. Janna could no longer be active like she used to due to the back spasms she experienced when she tried.
Finally, Janna decided enough was enough. She had to make a change.
So Janna started researching weight loss surgery. Through this extensive search, she found SmartShape Weight Loss Centre — a clinic with locations in provinces across Canada.
“Ultimately, I decided on SmartShape because of the reputation of the clinic and the qualifications, experience, and ongoing commitment that the surgeons have,” Janna says.
Through a phone consultation with the surgeon, Janna decided that the Mini Gastric Bypass was the right procedure for her.
The Mini Gastric Bypass is performed laparoscopically and is a two-part procedure that divides an approximately 25 per cent section of stomach from the rest of the stomach. This gastric pouch is then joined to the small intestine above the new surgical connection.
This results in the majority of the stomach and approximately one third of the small intestine being ‘bypassed’ — meaning it is not involved in the digestion or absorption of the food you eat.
“I chose the Mini Gastric Bypass because I felt it would work the best with my lifestyle and existing health conditions that I had,” says Janna. “I liked the fact that it was both malabsorptive and restrictive which offered the best approach for weight loss for me.”
Janna had her procedure completed in November of 2018, and from there her recovery and new lifestyle began.
Now, almost a year later, Janna’s life has changed completely. She’s lost more than 100 lbs. and counting, and she’s feeling better than ever.
“I’m now able to do things like wrap a towel fully around me and tie an apron around me in the front instead of just barely making it around the back. Rings that were too small now fit again, my grocery bills have gone down and my skin has improved,” says Janna. “Overall, I’m just happier and have a more positive outlook on life.”
Other victories Janna has had are not having to shop for specialty clothing and being able to wear what she wants. She can go for long walks without her back hurting, and she’s had to give away her old clothes because they’re too big for her.
SmartShape Weight Loss Centre also offers a five-year Aftercare Program, which Janna has said she has used more than once in the past year. The Aftercare Program provides patients with Registered Dietitians and nurses they can contact to address their concerns and assist them in getting used to life after their procedure.
“As part of the AfterCare program, we assist patients with their nutrition,” says Margeaux Maniatis, a Registered Dietitian at SmartShape. “We provide group and one-on-one support to patients navigating lifestyle changes after surgery. In our interactive online education session, we discuss topics like expectations for their journey, hunger and satiety, optimal meal timing, as well as how to build enjoyable, good-quality meals and snacks.”
Janna has seen a significant improvement in her quality of life after having this procedure, but she doesn’t credit all of the success to the surgery. Losing weight is tough even without this tool, she says.
“This surgery is not the easy way out. It’s still hard, and if you don’t put the work in, you aren’t going to get or keep the results you want,” says Janna. “For me, I knew I could work really hard at weight loss without surgery and be uncertain of what results I would achieve — or I could work hard at weight loss with the surgery and be more certain of an outcome.”
For more information about SmartShape Weight Loss Centre, visit www.smartshape.ca.
