By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – In 1900, just 5 percent of Americans were overweight. Today – 107 years later – 63 percent of Americans are overweight, while 5 percent are morbidly obese. That number is not only scary, but also gives America the label of being "the fattest country."
People all over the United States are turning to trendy exercise routines, diets that claim to make you lose 10 pounds in 10 days and pills or supplements that promise a slimmer waist, but the majority of the time, these don't seem to work at all. In fact, according to Dr. Michael Schuhknecht, only 2 to 5 percent of people who try a non-surgical approach to weight loss succeed. Thanks to Schuhknecht, a bariatric surgeon and co-founder of the Center for Obesity Related Illness, and his staff, this area can now rest comfortably knowing weight loss help is right in their own backyards.
"It's a problem not only America, but all over the country. People are not educated enough on proper eating and lifestyle habits and, as you can see, it's taken it's toll on a number of people," Schuhknecht said.
Schuhknecht is the newest physician with Lakeland Community Hospital-Niles. His office, Lakeland Comprehensive Weight Loss Center, is located at 6 Longmeadow Drive, Suite 2. Schuhknecht admitted he is very excited to be back in Southwest Michigan and is looking forward to helping anyone who is in need of weight loss assistance.
"I am originally from Berrien County. I grew up in Benton Harbor and lived in Bridgman for a while, so to be back is something I am very happy about and I'm looking forward to helping the community," Schuhknecht said Monday.
Bariatric surgery is life changing. It's for people who are serious about wanting to lose weight and keep it off. "It's something people have to dedicate the rest of their lives to. It's not a surgery that requires an operation, you heal after a few months and that's it. This is a life-altering experience that focuses on losing weight and keeping it off," Schuhknecht said.
He explained there are around 64 different illnesses related to being overweight, including diabetes, heart disease and cancers, to name a few. Obesity is also the number one cause of preventable deaths.
Schuhknecht said this can be changed.
What is Bariatric surgery?
Gastric bypass surgery or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is an operation performed for the treatment of severe obesity.
In Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, a small stomach pouch is created, and that pouch is then connected to a shorter length of the small intestine. The normal stomach is the size of a melon or a football, and gastric bypass reduces it to the size of an egg. This procedure helps you lose weight as it encourages you to eat smaller amounts of food, and, because part of the stomach and part of the small intestine are "bypassed" in the digestive process, fewer nutrients and thus fewer calories are absorbed.
Though Roux-en-Y gastric bypass has been performed for many years, this surgery now can be done using laparoscopy, also called minimally invasive surgery.
With laparoscopy, surgery is performed through a few small incisions in the abdomen. The surgeon uses the incisions to insert a laparoscope, a small telescope connected to a tiny video camera. The camera transmits a picture to a video monitor that the surgeon uses to guide the instruments during the surgery.
Having gastric bypass surgery using laparoscopy means that you have a shorter recovery time and can return to normal activities sooner. Laparoscopy also significantly reduces wound complications including infections, hernias and wound reopenings. Other advantages include less pain after surgery, a shorter hospital stay, and fewer stitches.
"When people think about this surgery, they think a three to four hour surgery with about four days spent in a hospital recovering. Bariatric surgery has come along way in that my procedures can take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes and often times the patient can be sent home. It's more of an outpatient surgery now," Schuhknecht said.
Who is qualified for Bariatric surgery?
Anyone who is 100 pounds or more overweight is qualified for the surgery. Though the actual surgery itself is not long, the time leading up to it and after it is complete requires dedication and the will to want to keep the weight off.
"Before a patient can have the surgery, we offer them non-surgical weight-loss programs that monitor a patient's progress before surgery is considered an option. After the patient has the surgery, we offer a number of follow up programs, including proper diet and exercise, psychological help and support groups," Schuhknecht said.
Schuhknecht stressed the importance of following a healthy lifestyle after the surgery is complete.
"It's a big step. Eating habits are changed – which means no more junk food – and how you eat is changed as well. Instead of filling yourself with a huge meal, patients will have to get used to eating smaller meals throughout the day and eating a lot slower than they used to. If a patient doesn't follow the steps, they can experience stomach pain, nausea and vomiting," Schuhknecht said.
Unlike other centers, Schuhknecht and his staff make it a point that "once they are my patient they become a patient for life. We don't send them off to see someone else. They are with us from the day they decide they want the surgery until the day they die. It's a lifelong commitment and we are with them every step of the way," Schuhknecht said.
Why has obesity become such a problem?
That answer is simple."We are not educated at all about what we eat. Bad eating habits are a major problem with so many people. Unfortunately, the bad foods are cheaper and more convenient. The better foods are more expensive and require more time to prepare. With society today, it's easier to drive through a fast food restaurant than actually take the time to prepare a healthy meal," Schuhknecht said.
Also, a lack of exercise is to blame for obesity, especially in younger children.
"Technology has come so far. When I was younger, we got outside and played kick the can and rode bicycles for fun. Now, kids sit in front of a television set and play video games and eat chips and drink soda and people often wonder why we are having these problems. We really need to educate not only adults, but children too on what's good and what's bad," he said.
Schuhknecht explained that, with some educating, younger children and their parents can also learn the importance of healthy eating and lifestyles.
"You teach them to say no to drugs and sex, what about saying no to bad foods? I'll admit, it will be hard for any kid to say no to a Happy Meal, but if they knew what it was doing to their bodies, they could possibly thing twice before considering the food. God put natural foods on this earth – vegetables, fruits – he didn't intend for us to eat Twinkies," he said.
One good piece of advice and a great way to start a healthy lifestyle Schuhknecht said is to stay on the outside walls of the grocery stores.
"Think about it, all of the healthy foods are on the outside walls – fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy – when you shop the aisle, you are buying the junk, like boxed and canned foods that are filled with trans fat, calories and sugar," he said.
Is bariatric surgery expensive and what if someone does not have insurance?
Schuhknecht said bariatric surgery is pretty expensive, running around $17,500 for the operation. That's a lot of money even for people with insurance, but those without may look at that figure and turn their heads.
However, options are available and Schuhknecht works with those who may not be able to afford it.
"If you have insurance, check with your insurance company first to see if they cover it. If they don't, or if you are without any insurance at all, payment plans are available," he said.
He added that most obese patients are poor and often get turned away because they do not have insurance.
"I get a lot of them who were turned away five, six, seven times. You can't not help people just because they do not have insurance. Other options are available and I want to make sure everyone gets the help they need. Health care alone has a bad reputation right now and we want to do whatever we can to make people feel there are things they can do," he said.
Schuhknecht grew up with a single mother who provided for himself and his brother, so he understands what its like to have nothing. "We didn't have anything and I always knew I wanted to do something to help other people out," he added.
About Dr. Schuhknecht
Schuhknecht got his undergrad and medical degree from Michigan State University. "I'm green and white all the way," he said.
He completed his residency at St John Detroit Riverview Hospital, Henry Ford Bi-County Hospital. He is board certified by the AOA Board of Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons (FACOS) and member of the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons. He is also a co-founder of the Center for Obesity Related Illness (The CORI Center) and worked in Illinois, New York, Michigan and Florida.
"I enjoyed what I did with The CORI Center, but that lifestyle was killing me. I lived in Manhattan where it is never quiet. It's worse than Vegas. I always heard trains, people yelling outside, it was not fun. Plus I only saw my two girls about twice a month and I knew something had to give," he said.
That's when he made the move to Michigan, first living in the Detroit area.
"I worked at a hospital where we worked with people who were without insurance. That hospital was shut down and I was replaced at other area hospitals, but I was never truly happy. My wife (who is also from this area) and I always knew we wanted to come back here, and things in Detroit just weren't going well. The auto industry was bad and that's really all that's there. Here, there are plenty of farms and industrial parks so we moved back," he said.
When it comes to weight issues, Schuhknecht admitted he is a little overweight himself.
"I do eat right and try to do things to keep my weight from going out of control, but I find that my patients are more comfortable with me being overweight as opposed to a skinny doctor who can't relate with them," he said.
Schuhknecht has performed thousands of bariatric surgeries including laparoscopic band placement (Lap-Band), laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, revision and conversion. He also performs advanced laparoscopic surgery, general surgery, reconstructive surgery (post-bariatric surgery), breast and oncologic surgery.
He also said his office takes patients who have already had bariatric surgery."People are often stuck driving to Muskegon or Grand Rapids just for follow ups. We will take patients who have had the treatment and don't like driving that far away," he said.
For more information on the Weight Loss Center, call 687-HOPE (4673).