Sharona’s Testimonial

Sharona Thomas had an idea that bariatric surgery might offer her the lifeline that she was looking for. Yet others around her weren’t so sure. In fact, they were very down on the idea. Sharona knew she needed serious help, however. So, when she met Longstreet Clinic’s Center for Weight Management staff and they recommended weight loss surgery as an ideal solution, she listened to herself and the experts. And now Sharona’s so thankful that she shut out the doubts and forged ahead.

Benefits of weight loss surgery

  • High Blood Pressure Relief
  • Sleep Apnea Disappears
  • Reduced Joint Pain
  • Lower Cardiac Stress
  • Improved Mental Health
  • And More.

To learn more about the benefits of weight loss surgery, click here or call 770-534-0110.

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Keeping it off for good.

Sharona remembers the negative reactions, remembers the doubters, remembers the loaded questions. She remembers those things, and she smiles – because she knew she was right then, and now everybody can see just how right she was.

Just a few years ago, Sharona began serious consideration toward bariatric surgery. But when she told her friends and relatives about it, the response was almost always skeptical.

“People around me didn’t want me to have surgery,” said Sharona, who teaches first grade in Cobb County. “There is a stigma around surgery, but I made the decision to go ahead with it because I knew I needed help.”

Sharona found the expert help and sympathetic ears that she needed at Longstreet Clinic’s Center for Weight Management, an approach to care for which she is eternally grateful. After undergoing a vertical sleeve gastrectomy (gastric sleeve) in 2023 from bariatric surgeon Dr. Robert Richard, FACS, Sharona has lost – and kept off – over 110 pounds.

“I made the decision that was right for me, and once I made up my mind, people have supported me,” Sharona said. “Once I made that decision, it hasn’t all been easy, but it’s definitely been worth it. And I’m glad I listened to my body and stuck with it.”

A FIRST STEP TOWARDS BETTER HEALTH

Sharona started thinking about surgical weight loss for myriad reasons. First, there was the reality of her weight. Her slender frame, which in her early 20s typically carried 95-125 pounds, had ballooned to 240. Then there was the pain. Due to the excess pressure on her joints, bones, and organs, she spent much of her time in physical distress, either hurting or out of breath even after the most basic physical activity. She was also suffering from high blood pressure and sleep apnea – all common side-effects (known as “comorbidities”) of obesity. And, finally, there was the fact that even hardcore diets and determinations had failed her.

“At one point I got really diligent and had got back to 140 pounds, and I even kept that off for four-five years, but then I lost control again, and I really began to put on weight,” Sharona said. “I went overseas to teach, stopped working out and began eating a lot of processed foods. From there it was a constantly losing battle.”

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REACHING OUT FOR HELP

Obesity is recognized as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher – morbid obesity is a BMI of 40 or higher. And there is a reason why these conditions are now recognized as chronic illnesses, including the fact that obesity is persistent and progressive (gets worse over time). Obesity is also caused by numerous health factors, has severe health consequences, and is prone to recurrence. In addition, weight gain, and the chronic disease of obesity, will continually be impacted by a list of other things including biochemical factors, demographic factors, medications, hormones, sleep, and genetics.

Sharona experienced each of those factors – to the point of emotional and physical misery.

“When I crossed the 200-pound mark, my blood pressure shot up. I started having sleep apnea. I could barely make it up stairs to my bedroom; I lived in a three-story home, and it would take me 10-15 minutes to get up to the top floor,” Sharona said. “My self-esteem got really low, and I stopped caring how I looked. I had lost control, and I really needed help.”

At her lowest ebb, Sharona reached out to Longstreet Clinic’s Center for Weight Management, where she met Dr. Richard in the fall of 2022. It proved a turning point in her life.

“He told me I was a good candidate for the gastric sleeve surgery,” said Sharona, who was immediately impressed by the supportive approach to care that the Center for Weight Management utilizes. “I love that they have dieticians, nurse practitioners – a whole team that works with you. And Dr. Robert Richard was wonderful. He really does care about your health and performing a perfect surgery.”

A CONCRETE PATH TO BETTER HEALTH

Dr. Richard has been performing bariatric surgeries for more than 26 years.  In fact, Dr. Richard just recently completed his 7,000th weight loss surgery.  (to put that into perspective, as noted in in a 2018 study in the journal of Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases a typical bariatric surgeon’s average case volume over a 20-year career is around 4,000 cases.)

The team at the Center for Weight Management also works with insurance carriers to help those patients who do qualify for bariatric surgery to get the coverage they deserve. So it was with Sharona, who was approved for surgery by her coverage in January 2023. When she discovered this, she scheduled it almost immediately, undergoing a gastric sleeve the following the month.

“Bariatric surgery isn’t some magic bullet or shortcut to health; it’s simply a way to give the patient a concrete route to better health,” Dr. Richard said. “For someone like Sharona, that means she still has to be dedicated to living better. However, what surgery does is make that new life attainable when it might not have been before.”

The results have been nothing short of life-altering for Sharona.

“I got down to 122 pounds by 2024, and I’ve kept that going ever since. I stay within 120-130 pounds, which is a good weight for my height. I’m small framed; people don’t realize I lost half my body weight,” Sharona said. “It’s been very satisfying. I don’t use the APAP for sleep apnea anymore. I can move easily, and my health and appearance are better. My students even noticed how much healthier I was. They said things like, ‘you can pick things up easy, and you’re not breathing hard anymore.’ ”

STAYING THE COURSE

Gastric sleeve surgery wasn’t a magic wand, however. In fact, Sharona still had a few psychological and physical hurdles in the immediate months following surgery, specifically dealing with the realities of her new diet – which was based around high-protein meals and constant water intake, along with zero sugar consumption.

Yet the staff at the Center for Weight Management helped keep her focused and positive.

“I was a little embarrassed right before my three-month appointment after surgery. I didn’t want to come because I felt I hadn’t lost enough weight. I was losing, but I hadn’t been perfect with my diet to that point,” Sharona said. “So, when I tried to put it off, Dr. Richard and the staff implored me that it was important to be there and that they would get me on track and keep me there.”

That approach helped Sharona to stay focused and overcome any further weight loss plateaus.

“At my six-month visit I was already down to 160 pounds. The losses slowed a little bit at that point, but he told me what to do to keep it going,” Sharona said. “They’re so genuine, and they really want to help.”

It is help that Sharona appreciates more than she can express in words – though her life certainly reflects a new positivity.

“I did a 5K with my sorority, and I’m training for the (10K) Peachtree Road Race,” Sharona said. “I went from wearing size zeroes to wearing size eighteens. Now I’m in twos and fours. And my mom looks at me now and feels she like she has her old daughter back.”

It’s all thanks to her own hard work, the expertise of the Center for Weight Management, and Sharona’s refusal to let the negative opinions of others make her decisions for her.

“If you’re in a situation like I was, you have to know that there will be people that are negative about surgery and will talk bad about it, but you cannot listen to people like that,” Sharona said. “You have to make the decision to have surgery for yourself. I am so glad I did, and I am not going back to the way I was before.”

No surgery is without risks. To learn of all the potential risks with weight loss surgery, click here.

More Patient Stories

The decision to have weight loss surgery is more than just a quick fix – it’s a lifelong journey. But for many who make the decision to change their lives, the long-term effects mean more than just a smaller number on the scale. We invite you to explore just a few of the many tremendous stories we witness each day.

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Contact Us

Our specialized bariatric care team is here to answer your questions and help you achieve your weight loss goals.

770-534-0110

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Our Providers

Our bariatric team includes experienced surgeons, medical weight loss specialists and a registered dietitian.

Robert L. Richard M.D., FACS
Eric J. Velazquez MD, MBA, FACS, FASMBS
Eileen D. Javellana M.D.
Oteia Keion Morris FNP-C
Maria Mercedes Hall FNP-C
Sheenagh King RD, LD, CPT

Locations We Serve

Longstreet Clinic Center for Weight Management has three convenient locations across Northeast Georgia plus telehealth options making appointments available across the U.S.

Gainesville
Braselton
Suwanee