For Elizabeth Vargas, being overweight had been a lifelong challenge. She started dieting in middle school and had tried many weight-loss methods. Some worked for a while, but she always gained the weight back.

As a child and adult, Elizabeth faced bullying because of her weight. She was constantly tired and struggled to keep up with her young child. Then a CT scan showed she had an enlarged heart — a complication of obesity that can lead to heart failure and heart attack.

That was a turning point. Elizabeth knew she had to get healthy.

Finding the Right Bariatric Surgeon

The idea of bariatric surgery came to Elizabeth from a friend who had lost more than 100 pounds after the procedure. Her friend’s surgeon was Brett Cohen, MD, at Memorial Healthcare System. 

Although Elizabeth lived more than six hours away, she scheduled an initial consultation with Dr. Cohen. Once they met and she learned more about weight-loss surgery, she felt confident she was making the right decision. Preparing for surgery would take another 10 months, but she was fully committed.

Presurgical Preparation Sets Up Patients for Success

Memorial’s Bariatric Surgery Center is accredited by the American College of Surgeons. This designation reflects a comprehensive approach proven to improve surgical safety. It also demonstrates a commitment to helping patients achieve their weight-loss goals.

The presurgical process includes several essential components:

• Nutritional assessment and counseling: Elizabeth’s insurance required three months of visits with a dietitian. During that time, she gained insight into her eating habits and began making meaningful changes.
  
  Psychological evaluation: Through conversations with a psychologist, Elizabeth learned she had generalized anxiety disorder. While anxiety didn’t interfere with her daily life, she recognized that it did play a role in her eating behaviors.

Elizabeth also joined the Memorial Weight-Loss Surgery Program Facebook group. Seeing both the successes and challenges of others helped her feel supported and prepared.

Although it took time, Elizabeth was grateful for the planning and preparation. It helped ensure she was truly ready for such a major life change.

Personalized Care at Every Step

Elizabeth’s weight-loss surgery, a sleeve gastrectomy, took place in September 2021. Before the procedure, Dr. Cohen took time to sit with her, ask how she was feeling and answer her questions. He was also there when she woke up after surgery.

Recovery took time, but guidance from her medical team helped her through those first few weeks. Her biggest challenge was gas pain, which she managed with focused breathing and walking.

Two months later, while she was still healing, Elizabeth developed a severe foodborne illness. After visiting her local emergency department and still feeling unwell, she called Dr. Cohen. He advised her to come to Memorial. Even though it was a weekend, he was there waiting for her with a room ready.

New Body, New Outlook

Elizabeth lost weight quickly and surpassed her goal within the first year, losing more than 130 pounds. Maintaining that weight loss has required ongoing attention to her diet.

She’s also still adjusting to her new body, both physically and psychologically. At first,
everything seemed to shrink. Now, her body is taking shape again. Sometimes, she forgets she’s thin and looks at photos to fully appreciate the transformation.

She recently renewed her driver’s license and shared her old and new photos in the Memorial Facebook group. That post sparked a trend, inspiring other members to update their licenses as well.

Bariatric surgery has allowed Elizabeth to become more active. She goes to the gym, hikes and rides bikes with her daughter. She’s reached a point where she’s no longer focused on the number on the scale. Her priority now is her health and having the energy to keep up with her family.

“Every day, I still use the tools that Dr. Cohen and his team gave me to maintain this new life,” Elizabeth said. “It’s not about restricting myself — it's more about balancing my decisions.”