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Chuck Uglietta was always a “bigger kid.” He ate out of boredom and sometimes depression, and was often picked on in school.
“Obesity is something I’ve dealt with my whole life,” said the 34-year-old Peabody resident. “I tried Weight Watchers and all of the diets out there, but my diabetes and cholesterol kept getting worse. I knew I needed help making a change.”
So at the end of 2011, at 440 pounds, Uglietta made an appointment with BWH’s Director of Bariatric Surgery Scott Shikora, MD. Uglietta’s sister had recently undergone lap-band surgery, which bands a portion of the stomach to make it smaller and limits the amount of food it can hold, leading to weight loss.
“I knew BWH’s bariatric surgery program was one of the top programs in the country, and Dr. Shikora was the best in the business,” he said.
Last fall, BWH’s Center for Metabolic Health and Bariatric Surgery was reaccredited as a Level 1A Adult Bariatric Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons Bariatric Surgery Center Network (ACS BSCN) Accreditation Program.
Before undergoing bariatric surgery, Shikora required Uglietta to lose 40 pounds. “Dr. Shikora put into perspective for me what excess weight and obesity were doing to my body,” said Uglietta, who works as an assistant golf coach for Saugus High School, as well as a wedding DJ. “He let me know that I had an option, and that motivated me.”
Uglietta worked to develop better eating habits and an exercise regimen, beginning a lifestyle change and achieving the weight loss. He stayed focused on the end result: better health and a longer life. “A switch turned for me when I knew there was this option,” he said.
In February 2012, Uglietta underwent gastric sleeve surgery. For the procedure, Shikora laparoscopically removed 60 to 80 percent of his stomach and created a small, sleeve-shaped pouch, which accommodates less food. Uglietta recovered quickly.
“Currently, weight loss surgery, or bariatric surgery as it is called, is the only treatment that can deliver meaningful and sustainable weight loss that can result in marked improvements in health and quality of life for people like Chuck,” said Shikora. “However, the surgeries are only tools in a larger game plan that requires patient effort and long-term follow-up.” Uglietta soon began noticing changes to his body. In addition to lower figures on the scale, his energy level increased. Eventually, he no longer suffered from diabetes, his cholesterol level decreased and his sleep apnea improved. Since the surgery, Uglietta has lost nearly 150 pounds and gained a whole new lease on life.
“I do things I could never do before,” he said. “The way I play golf and perform as a DJ have improved. I carry and look at myself differently. I can run in the gym now, and I can fit into chairs with armrests.”
Uglietta says that eating healthfully is still a daily struggle, but that food is no longer his drug. “If I see something that might not be a healthy option for me, I think, ‘Not today; maybe tomorrow.’ That helps me avoid the temptation.” He has inspired Jennifer, his wife of nearly five years, to also lose weight, and they hope to start a family together soon. Uglietta would also like to help young people who are struggling with their weight regain control of their health.
“I hope to let people know there is help,” he said. “It may be a struggle in the beginning, but it will get better. You have to think in terms of how many more years you will have, and how much more you will enjoy living those years.”
To learn more about bariatric surgery at BWH, call the center at 617-732-8500, ext. 1, or visit www.brighamandwomens.org/weightlosssurgery.