Erin Hensel of Osage was one of Dr. Daniel Smith’s first adjustable gastric band surgery patients at the Center for Weight Management in November 2007. In less than a year she took 100 pounds off her 5-foot, 10 1/2-inch frame and decreased her clothing size by 10 dress sizes. What is especially endearing about Hensel is the candor with which she shares her story and joy. She is open about the process that led her to surgery in the first place and the rewards experienced. Her story also highlights the different struggles she faces as compared with someone who opts for gastric bypass surgery. It isn’t always the easier choice, and Hensel knows full well the work that lies ahead. “The real challenge will be keeping the weight off and maintaining it,” she says.

Age on her side

Hensel carefully weighed her options throughout the evaluation process and spoke with Dr. Smith about her choice to go ahead with the LAP-BAND® procedure. She was more comfortable in choosing an adjustable gastric band procedure versus the gastric bypass surgery with “permanent” re-routing of the digestive tract. At her highest weight of 330 pounds, Hensel was a good adjustable band candidate since she was relatively young at age 33. She also was in no hurry to take the weight off because she had only minor health conditions as a result of the excess weight. She wanted to look healthy throughout the process for her children’s sake, so the length of time it took to lose the weight wasn’t a pressing issue. Hensel also wanted the faster recovery time the silicone band allows. She had her surgery on a Friday and was released from the hospital the following morning. The trade-off was that she knew she would have more follow-up appointments at Innovis Health Park Rapids. Sweet treats would still be a temptation since adjustable band patients don’t experience the dumping syndrome associated with gastric bypass. “It is easier for me to cheat,” she admits, “and if I’m not careful, I can still overeat. I can still eat something until it’s gone, and that’s a challenge for me.” Diligence and self-disciplined are words to describe her new routine. “It’s like any diet; you still have to follow the rules to be successful,” Hensel says.

Soul searching

The entire process took a measure of self-evaluation, and Hensel took an honest look at herself. “I was great at joking about my size,” she says, “and could hide behind my weight as an excuse.” She turned to the Center for Weight Management in the end for medical and emotional reasons:

• To be healthy for her family and set an example of how to eat.
• To address the concern of slightly elevated blood pressure.
• To alleviate back problems and skin breakdowns.
• To improve her self-worth and be taken seriously.
• To no longer be perceived as invisible.
• To be more accepted socially.

She still searches out reasons for overeating and tries to find new ways to replace food. A little trick she learned is to dish up her food and then put some back right away. She notes it’s tough for her to change habits and re-compute what is an appropriate portion size. “I do miss being able to overindulge,” she says, which is why she looks for ways to replace the relationship she once had with food. “I ate way too much before.” Hensel considers herself fortunate to have a good friend with whom she can venture out on walks. Now she can walk for an hour and still have energy to spare. “I’m getting stuff done I’ve been meaning to do for years.” Her family and husband have turned out to be her main support system. She knows her husband is on board with her decision and loves her no matter what the scale says, and her kids are there to remind her to stay away from the pop. “I’ve really enjoyed it actually,” she says. Gone are the days of cycles in which she would lose weight only to gain it back again and again. Hensel would like to lose another 20 pounds at which time her focus will be on maintaining the weight she has worked so hard to lose. Editor’s Note: The adjustable band or LAP-BAND® System procedure is one of several options available to patients at the Center for Weight Management. Dr. Daniel Smith and Dr. Robert Wroblewski also specialize in the Roux-en-Y procedure or gastric bypass surgery, considered a gold standard in the bariatric field. Non-surgical solutions are an option as well.