Blogs

Thomas Martin

Patient enjoys the open road after bariatric surgery

Losing weight and developing a healthier lifestyle is a journey many people want to take. Thomas Martin is living proof that it can be done.

The 67-year-old former gas and fuel oil plant operator has retired with his wife to their more than five acres near Frankston where he raises goats. He spends his days building and repairing fences for their livestock.

But at 340 pounds, Thomas had difficulty maintaining his energy levels while working around the home. To make matters worse, his weight was preventing him from enjoying his real passion: riding his motorcycle.

“I... Read More »

How to Run Series with Dr. Peebles

How to Start Running with Dr. Peebles is a six-week video series. Click the next or previous button to navigate through the weeks.

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Rachel Villanueva

Rachel Villanueva was not used to being on the receiving end of patient care.

As supervisor of the UT Health East Texas Physicians pediatric clinic on Fifth in Tyler, Rachel oversees the care of dozens of patients throughout the week.

But when it came to managing her own weight and overall health, she needed her doctors' guidance.

"I have battled my weight for many years," Rachel said. "Four years ago my OB/GYN diagnosed me with PCOS, which makes it difficult to lose weight," she said.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition in which a woman's... Read More »

Tips for Healthy Eating Through the Holidays

The holidays bring both excitement and stress in our lives. Managing health and weight goals can be especially challenging this time of year. Here are some tips to help reduce anxiety and keep you on track.

Don’t show up too hungry.
It can be tempting to skip meals earlier in the day if you have an event planned, but this can lead to making poor choices and overeating later in the day. Stay on track with balanced meals throughout the day.

Bring a healthy dish.
Offer to bring a healthy dish to gatherings. This will ensure you have something... Read More »

Shaun Rivers

At nearly 400 pounds and a 48-inch waist, Shaun Rivers was ashamed to be seen in public and didn’t want to leave his house. All he wanted was to improve his health and knew it was time for a change. Today, he is down to 201 pounds and a 34-inch waist.

Rivers’ journey to better health started eight years ago when he found out he had stage 4 Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid. To treat it, he took a medication that stopped his metabolism. At the time, he was about 240 pounds. Within 10 months, he weighed 393 pounds.

“I lived with it,” Rivers said... Read More »

New Bariatric Procedures

What’s old is new!

You may have noticed that we’ve added two new procedures to our website, Lap-Band® and duodenal switch. Neither of these procedures are new operations, but we are now presenting them as options for patients for whom they may be a good fit. In this blog, we’ll give an overview of both procedures.

Lap-Band®

Lap-Band®, or adjustable gastric band has been in use in the U.S. since it gained FDA approval in 2001. This procedure was very popular for a while, but usage has gone down significantly over the last five years. Many surgeons,... Read More »

Virtual Lunch & Learn Presentation with Dr. Babineau

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Nancy Henderson

When Nancy Henderson developed sleep apnea and became borderline diabetic, her primary care doctor told her she was eligible for bariatric surgery and asked if she was interested.

Nancy started researching her options and decided to reach out to the UT Health Tyler Bariatric Center. She went into her first appointment with Dr. Hugh Babineau wanting to have the sleeve gastrectomy. However, due to her other medical conditions, Dr. Babineau said she needed to have the gastric bypass procedure instead, which was not something she previously considered.

“He was very adamant that... Read More »

Heart Disease and Bariatric Surgery: A chat with Dr. Charles Keith

Did you know that being overweight can significantly increase your risk of heart... Read More »

Dixie McInnis

At 74 years old, Dixie McInnis didn’t think she would be dancing the night away, but since having bariatric surgery in October 2017, she has been moving better than ever. She’s living her life without her health holding her back.

Deciding to get weight loss surgery is a big choice, but McInnis’ health kept declining. Her family physician recommend bariatric surgery and said it could help her get off all of her medications.

“I had been diagnosed the year before with type 2 diabetes,” McInnis said. “I had high blood pressure. I was taking about a half dozen medications every... Read More »