Published on December 07, 2010

Weight loss surgery gives man new lease on life

Braxton Berry strutted down the runway, with the confident swagger of a natural performer. There was no sign of the nervousness he felt just a few hours earlier as he prepared for this fashion show. The walk down the runway was something he never imagined doing before the Lap-Band surgery that is helping him transform his life. 

The fashion show, held at Merle Manders Conference Center last month, was hosted by Dr. Srinivasa Gorjala and his staff from Southern Regional Health System’s Bariatric Center, as a showcase for Gorjala’s patients, who like Berry, have successfully lost weight through his program.

Berry moved to metro Atlanta from West Virginia to pursue a career in the arts. However, last May, he found himself in a deep depression. His weight was spiraling out of control and after being laid off from his job, he took comfort in the food that was slowly killing him. At 430 pounds, even his six foot, five inch frame could no longer handle the excess weight. By the time he contacted Gorjala, his health was in serious decline. 

Only 23 years old, Berry suffered from diabetes, high blood pressure, shortness of breath and liver and heart problems, had his gallbladder taken out, and was on a variety of medications, including medicine to reduce fluid around his heart. He recently underwent surgery to have a heart catheter placed and getting around, even to do daily activities, had become increasingly difficult. 

“I tried so many diets, even diet pills to lose weight, would lose some and then I would always end up gaining it back.

He and his wife, Christina, searched the internet and found Dr. Gorjala’s bariatric surgical practice.  He said they researched other options, such as the gastric bypass surgery, but decided that the Lap-Band was a less risky procedure that let him be in control of his weight loss. 

“With the Lap-Band, you have to put in the effort. I felt that I got myself into this sick situation and I wanted to feel the glorification of getting myself out,” said Berry. 

Five months after the surgery, Berry had lost 100 pounds. He weighed 330 pounds on November 3 of this year and said his goal is to weigh 240 pounds. He said the surgery has helped him change his life, and even his wife, who did not have the surgery, has lost an astonishing 85 pounds, simply through the couples’ lifestyle change. 

Today, Berry is a student at Ashworth College and has started his own catering company, called The Berries Catering Service. He incorporates all of the foods he loved and makes them healthy for his clientele. 

"I was never a sweets person, but I love pasta and bread. My favorite food is lasagna, and I make a healthy version of it that customers say is better than the traditional version,” he said. 

He still performs, particularly at his church, and continues to pursue his dream of writing and performing Christian music. Berry will be performing a special Christian hip-hop show at Abundant Life Church on December 31, and said he has received a lot of support from his church, his family and particularly his wife. 

“My life has taken a 180 degree turn. I’m healthier, happier, and more spiritual,” said Berry. 

According to Gorjala, the Lap-Band surgery is an option for those with a BMI (body mass index) between 35 and 40 with at least two medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or sleep apnea, and those with a BMI over 40.  

Gorjala said that unlike gastric bypass, which rearranges the anatomy, the Lap-Band places a band around a portion of the stomach giving the patient a feeling of fullness after eating just a small amount of food. 

“Patients go through dietary counseling and a psychological evaluation to make sure they are ready for the change in lifestyle the surgery requires to be successful,” said Gorjala. “Our practice offers a lifestyle change and a monitored five year plan.” 

As with any surgery, there are risks, anesthesia with any surgery always presents a risk, and there is also the chance of band slippage and corrosion, al-though both are relatively rare. Gorjala said that Lap-Band surgery has been performed in Australia since the mid-80s and came to the U.S. in 1994. He has done the surgery for four years, the past two at Southern Regional. The surgery costs $18,000, which covers the hospital and doctor fees, as well as band adjustments for the first year.

He said the fashion show was a way for patients to see themselves in a new light. The models showed off their new, healthier bodies in gowns and suits provided by Upscale Fashions in Stockbridge and K & G Fashion Superstore in Morrow.   “Some of them still see themselves as unattractive. It was important for them to see how beautiful they really are,” said Gorjala.