WORCESTER, Mass. — Losing weight is never easy.
Now, some patients are relying on a one-two punch to drop those unwanted pounds.
A growing trend is to use a combination of bariatric surgery and popular prescriptions like Ozempic or Wegovy.
Ericka Newman struggled with her weight since she was about 20 years old. “Over the course of 15 years, I probably gained about 150 pounds. . . but in my late 30s I decided that I didn’t want to go into my 40s feeling like I did, so I wanted to make a drastic change.”
That change was bariatric surgery, the procedure in which the stomach is reduced in size, so a person feels full quicker and consumes fewer calories.
“I did really well in the beginning,” said Newman. “I lost a total of 150-160 pounds over the course of 2 ½ years, and I started to plateau, which is normal.”
Dr. Richard Perugini, the Director of Bariatric Surgery at the UMass Memorial Medical Center Weight Center, said: “The intervention of bariatric surgery is extremely powerful, but its most powerful effect is within the first two to four years after the intervention, and at some point after that, it’s not uncommon for people to regain some bit of weight.”
He said some patients are now improving their results by adding GLP-1 medications to their treatment plans.
Research indicates that about 14% of bariatric surgery patients use these medications at some point following bariatric surgery.
“Losing 60-70% of your excess body weight is really an excellent target and will do wonders for improving metabolic health, but sometimes leaves people at a weight they’re uncomfortable with,” added Dr. Perugini.
He says most people tolerate these drugs after surgery without any serious problems.
“It actually reacts really well. . .Most people will see that as a positive impact on their existence. There are negative side effects of these medications, but for the most part, it you look at everybody whose using these medications, I think the majority will say they’re positive.”
That’s the case for Newman. She says she’s happy being able to exercise and travel again.
She’s also a nurse at UMass Memorial Health and feels like she’s now better at her job.
“I struggled with trying to teach people how to live a healthy lifestyle as a nurse who struggled with her own health. Now, I have more confidence at the bedside because I’ve been there. I understand it. I respect it.”
Most importantly, every day she feels like she’s taking another step towards a life she once could only dream about.
“I’ve exceeded my expectations in my weight loss.”
She says that makes her feel incredible. “I weigh less now than I did in high school, which is more than I could ever have asked for.”
These days, the biggest issue with any of these weight loss drugs is insurance.
Dr. Perugini told Boston 25 News that coverage for these medications is now extremely strict.
Newman is paying for her prescription out of pocket.
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