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State Rep. Steve Holland of Plantersville, chairman of the Public Health and Human Services Committee, is waging an all out assault against obesity in Mississippi, starting with himself

State Lawmaker, Local Pharmacist Drop Weight, Reclaim Health via Bariatric Procedure at NMMC

TUPELO—Last summer, State Rep. Steve Holland (D-Plantersville) took the path a growing number of obese people are traveling when he elected to have laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery performed at North Mississippi Medical Center's Bariatric Center in Tupelo.

A routine physical prompted the action by Holland, 53, who had endured a litany of health problems for years.

"This time it really wasn't good," said Holland, chairman of the Public Health and Human Services Committee. "My blood pressure was extremely high, but I refused to start medication. I was already being treated for sleep apnea and my blood sugar was high. I have lots of health problems, but weight was responsible for most of it. My doctor said 'you can do something now … or you won't be with us long.'"

An undertaker by training, and owner of Holland-Harris Funeral Home in Tupelo, the idea of an early death did not settle well with Holland, whose Jackson physician referred him to Terry Pinson, MD, a general and bariatric surgeon who serves as medical director for the Bariatric Center. Pinson routinely performs two types of bariatric procedures – laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery.

Holland chose the latter option, which is the less invasive of the two procedures and doesn't require cutting and stapling the stomach or gastrointestinal re-routing to bypass normal digestion. A silicone band was placed around the upper part of his stomach and filled with saline, creating a new, smaller stomach pouch that can hold only a small amount of food.

"Before, I never stopped to eat ... I funneled it in as I went," explained Holland, who initially had difficulty adopting a new eating regimen. "Now I know what to eat and I'm not afraid to say 'I'm sorry, but I can't eat that. I'm changing my life and I need to stay on course.' Or I simply say 'that looks fabulous' and then pass it up. It feels good for me to do that because I'm healthy for the first time now in 10 or 15 years."

After losing 78 pounds, Holland's blood pressure returned to normal, his blood sugar leveled out, his sleep apnea vastly improved, and his energy level was greatly boosted.

"I jump out of bed at 5:30 in the morning and go walking," said Holland, who often uses a treadmill in his funeral home office as he conducts business by phone. "This decision has not only changed my life physically, but also helped me to reshape my priorities in life. Quite frankly, I wasn't sure I was going to have much of it left."

Tupelo pharmacist Jim Bain had a similar wake-up call, when a routine physical during the 2007 holidays showed that his diabetes was out of control. Based on a family history of strokes and heart attacks, the outlook was grim unless he could reduce his BMI. After discussing options with Pinson, Bain also choose laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery.

"This little band is my willpower," said Bain, who had struggled for years to lose weight and keep it off. "It'll only allow me to eat so much food before I become uncomfortable."

Like many self-employed professionals, Bain was accustomed to working 10- to 12-hour days, with left little time or energy to maintain a fitness routine. He also had to eat fast – usually high-fat, high-calorie fast food. Now he reads food labels, eats sensibly, and works out at the NMMC Wellness Center four or five times a week.

"Getting off the medication was my main goal," said Bain, who lost 120 pounds during the first six months and continues to lose weight.

Even though it's a personal decision to have the weight loss procedure done, it's the patient's personal responsibility to make it succeed, emphasized Pinson, pointing out that osteoarthritis, depression, infertility, urinary stress incontinence, and pulmonary embolus are also common obesity-related health conditions that alone or in combination with other health issues can significantly reduce life expectancy.

For patients who are considering or have had weight loss surgery, NMMC hosts a free Weight Loss Support Group the first Thursday evening of every month. Pinson and the Bariatric Center staff sponsor a free Bariatric Educational Seminar the third Thursday evening of every month at the Wellness Center.

"If you do it for yourself and you win, then you'll be there for everybody else," said Bain. "If not, you won't be."

Tags:

Bariatric Center, Jim Bain, Jim Bain Compounding Pharmacy, laparoscopic adjustable gastric band surgery, laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, North Mississippi Medical Center, Steve Holland, Terry Pinson, Tupelo

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