A “life change” After Bariatric Surgery

After having bariatric weight loss surgery, Ashunta McMillan laughed at the things she noticed about herself. 

Following her gastric sleeve surgery by Dr. Christopher Taglia at LVMC, Ashunta looked in a mirror and noticed something she hadn’t seen in a long time – her collarbone. Then, looking at her hands, she saw the definition of bones, previously hidden by her weight. 

So much of her life has changed since her March 2023 surgery.  After having a weight that fluctuated throughout her adult life – especially since the birth of her oldest child 18 years ago -- she was able to lose 65 pounds. 

“I do not at all regret this,” the 37-year-old mother of three said. “It was the best decision.” 

Prior to having gastric sleeve surgery, Ashunta considered gastric bypass, which another relative had successfully chosen. In gastric bypass surgery, doctors make the stomach smaller and bypass the intestine to help people eat less and absorb fewer calories. In gastric sleeve surgery, the surgeon removes most of the stomach, leaving a small pouch about the size of a banana. That reduction in size helps people feel full more quickly and reduces hunger. 

Ashunta decided the gastric bypass wasn’t for her, despite her relative’s success with it. She also tried various diets, calorie counting, working out and more. 

“I’d lose weight, but it would not stay off … My weight would never stay under control, no matter how disciplined I was.” 

She also tried the popular weight loss drug Ozempic and lost 16 pounds. She was concerned about the history of diabetes and obesity in her family. 

Finally, she asked for a referral to a gastric bypass specialist – Dr. Taglia. 

“I was so ready to have a life change,” says Ashunta, a Certified Nursing Assistant. “I was exhausted. My flexibility was not there. I didn’t feel good; I didn’t feel my best.” 

At that time, she weighed 235 pounds. She had a consultation with Dr. Taglia and learned about the various types of surgery. She also learned about the steps she’d have to take prior to surgery, such as having an endoscopy, seeing a nutritionist and having a cardiac check-up.  

“I was so ready for the surgery,” she recalls.  

Dr. Taglia told her about using robotic-assisted surgery for her gastric sleeve, and she learned that her post-operative pain level would likely be decreased. 

She says the adjustment to her “new” stomach has been manageable.  She relies on protein drinks to supplement her nutritional intake and has discovered new foods and recipes that contain the low-carb, high-protein diet she now needs. 

She’s also noticed she doesn’t get as winded as she did previously and she can get up from a sitting position on the ground with no trouble. 

“I can sit in ways I never could before,” she noted. “I can cross my legs. That’s a huge milestone. And I’m so far away now from my steering wheel.” 

And 20 years after her high school graduation, she’s back to the same size she was at that time. 

“I still see myself at 235,” she said of her body image. “That’s also common. But I feel I can do more, comfortably. At amusement parks, it feels better. It’s made my opens a lot more open. I can do this for a longer period of time; I can fit in a seat comfortably.” 

She gives 100 percent of the credit for her success to Dr. Taglia and his team, and is thankful for their care. 

“This was the best choice I’ve ever, ever made ... This is my new life.”