Jonye Morris, a young mother who spent most of her life struggling with her weight, underwent bariatric surgery at MountainStar Healthcare’s Brigham City Community Hospital on August 22, 2023 with surgeon, Dr. Cody Nebeker. Before surgery, she weighed 380 pounds and just a year post-operation, she’s lost an incredible 200 pounds… and counting!
“Growing up, I always felt like there was a reason why food has such a control over me, but I struggled to break the cycle,” Morris said. “Now, my life has changed for the better!”
Dr. Cody Nebeker, a Utah native, is an American Board of Surgery board-certified general surgeon specialist practicing at MountainStar Medical Group, located in Brigham City. Dr. Nebeker obtained his medical school degree at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, then pursued his residency at MSU, followed by a Fellowship at McLaren Flint Hospital in Flint, Michigan.
Dr. Nebeker chose the subspecialty of minimally invasive and bariatric surgery to help with the obesity and diabetes pandemic. Through surgery, he is able to help cure Type 2 Diabetes and alleviate other comorbidities associated with obesity.
“Bariatric surgery can absolutely save lives,” Dr. Nebeker explained. “It can also be an effective tool for the treatment of obesity-related health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea, among other conditions.”
A New Lease on Life
Life after surgery, Morris says, allows her to participate in big and little things she couldn’t before.
“I can clean my house without getting short of breath. I can walk, in general, without pain. I’m able to chase around my daughter. I can sit with my legs crossed on the ground without being uncomfortable. I can hike, hunt, buy clothes at thrift stores, and sit comfortably on a plane, in a movie theater and at restaurants,” she said.
Her favorite new-found passion? Yoga.
“It’s my absolute favorite way to work out! It’s taught me just how far I have come because of all the poses I can do. I shock myself during every session,” she said, laughing.
However, Morris says her weight loss journey has meant more than improved physical health. It has also provided a significant, meaningful shift in her mental health, as well.
“I tell people all the time that it is okay to not be okay. Do not be afraid to reach out to a mental health professional.”
Her advice for those considering bariatric surgery?
“I always urge them to find a good therapist at the very beginning of the journey. It’s the only way to be successful and truly find yourself,” she added.
Still, Morris says, none of it was “easy.” And Dr. Nebeker echoes that sentiment.
“It’s important to remember that weight loss surgery is not merely the procedure and then the work is done. Surgery merely provides patients with the anatomy to live a healthy lifestyle,” he said. “Maintaining that healthy lifestyle is challenging, but it can be done. Jonye is proof of that!”
When asked at what point someone should come in and see Dr. Nebeker to decide whether it’s time to undergo bariatric surgery, the doctor says it’s whenever they are ready… truly ready. It is a massive commitment.
Considering Bariatric Surgery?
Obesity is a complex disease caused by several factors including genetics, environment, hormones, behavior and even medications. While there are many methods of losing weight, weight loss surgery is typically for people who are clinically obese. MountainStar Healthcare can help prospective patients determine if surgery is right for them.
Bariatric weight loss surgery is an option for people who have been unsuccessful losing weight through diet and exercise and for individuals suffering from weight-related health problems. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women.
You may be a good candidate for bariatric surgery if:
· You are 75 or more pounds heavier than your healthy body weight
· You have a BMI of 35-39 or greater and have serious health problems, such as diabetes or heart disease, caused by excess weight
· You have a BMI of 40 or greater
· You have tried other medically managed weight loss programs without success
· You are motivated and committed to the lifelong post-operative care and lifestyle changes that bariatric surgery involves
You may not be a good candidate for bariatric surgery if:
· You have ongoing substance abuse, drug or alcohol addiction issues
· You have an uncontrolled mental illness
· You have a significant eating disorder
· You are unwilling or otherwise unable to comply with the necessary guidelines following bariatric surgery
There are several types of bariatric procedures, but all focus on making modifications to the digestive system with the goal of significant weight loss. The bariatric surgeries offered at Brigham City Community Hospital are well studied for a high level of safety, and all are approved by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Each of these procedures can be performed laparoscopically with small incisions for improved healing.
Procedures offered at Brigham City Community Hospital include:
· Gastric Bypass: The gastric bypass is considered the gold standard of weight loss procedures in terms of weight loss and health intestine. The change in gut hormones helps the patient feel fuller sooner and eat less food. This surgery can also be effective at improving Type 2 Diabetes as well as high blood pressure, sleep apnea and high cholesterol.
· Sleeve Gastrectomy or Gastric Sleeve: A sleeve gastrectomy involves removing 75 to 80 percent of the patient’s stomach. The surgeon creates a new stomach pouch, approximately the size of a banana. A gastric sleeve allows for normal absorption of foods and digestion. It does not involve any bypass or the intestinal tract, and helps the patient feel full on smaller amounts of food. There are also some changes in gut hormones to reduce appetite and help them feel full on less food. The sleeve gastrectomy may be a good option for obese patients with a relatively low BMI. This is especially true if preexisting conditions, such as anemia or Crohn's disease, prevent them from having other types of bariatric surgery.
Jonye Morris had a sleeve gastrectomy surgery.
To be considered for bariatric surgery, patients need to first have a one-on-one consultation with a bariatric surgeon. If the surgeon qualifies the patient for bariatric surgery, the patient then completes a full medical history.
In conjunction with the hospital’s partners at the Weight Treatment Center at St. Mark’s Hospital, patients will receive nutritional and psychological evaluations and participate in a series of educational courses prior to surgery. Once all steps are complete and insurance authorization is obtained (for patients choosing to use insurance), the patient can be scheduled for weight loss surgery.
MountainStar Medical Group – Brigham City
970 South Medical Drive, Suite 202
Brigham City, UT 84302
Phone: (435) 695-2273
Brigham City Community Hospital
950 Medical Drive
Brigham City, UT 84302
Phone: (435) 734-9471
For additional information about bariatric options north of Salt Lake City, visit BrighamCityBariatrics.com and BrighamCityHospital.com or call (435) 734-9471 to schedule an appointment. To learn more about post-bariatric surgery services or for help finding a doctor, call MountainStar Healthcare’s free, 24/7 Consult-A-Nurse line at (801) 715-4152.
