After years of struggling with weight, doctor opts for surgery

Dr. Ronald Kader, a 39-year-old emergency physician, wasn’t always the picture of health.

In his college years, he turned to food to deal with stress.

“I've tried all sorts of fad diets and tried exercising,” he said. “I could lose 40 to 50 pounds, but I still was overweight.”

He felt sluggish and even developed sleep apnea.

“It's funny, I never even considered bariatric surgery until it was kind of a last resort,” Kader said.

He connected with First Health Moore Regional bariatric surgeons Dr. David Grantham and Dr. Ray Washington about surgery options.

Gastric bypass surgery was once the most popular choice. It reduces the stomach to the size of an egg and makes a short cut with the intestine, so less food goes into the body.

But Kader chose sleeve gastrectomy.

“So, with this we simply tubulerize the stomach - or take a bag for a stomach and turn it into a tube, roughly the shape and size of a banana,” Grantham said.

Weight loss comes slower, but surgeons say the long-term results are the same as gastric bypass, with fewer complications.

Kader got back to work sooner and was more inspired to eat right and exercise more.

“I was able to do more things with fitness than I'd ever done before,” he said.

He got down to his goal weight and resolved his sleep apnea.

“I had a repeat sleep study - my sleep apnea is completely gone,” he said.

He even wrote a blog about his experience to inspire others.

“I think it's important to be an encouragement to others and say, ‘Look, I had a problem. I was able to accomplish this. You can do this, too.’” he said.