Living His Best Life After Bariatric Surgery

Meet Matt Lenke and learn about his gastric bypass surgery success story.

On February 18, 2018, Matt had a life-changing revelation. He woke up in the middle of the night in a dead sweat and decided he needed to make a change. The change was not only for himself, but for his family too.

“It hit me like a ton of bricks,” Matt says.

Matt had the realization that he was 38 years old and his son was eight. Matt was also eight when is 38-year-old mother passed away due to complications from Type 2 Diabetes. It was as if history was repeating itself, and Matt knew he did not want his son to have the same experience.

At the time, Matt weighed 348 pounds. Today, he weighs 183 pounds, having lost 164 pounds thus far. Matt credits undergoing gastric bypass surgery as being the greatest decision he has ever made.

“My quality of life is so much better,” Matt says. “I’m so much more active. It’s amazing the stuff I am able to do now that I wasn’t able to do before, even something simple like walking upstairs.”

Matt stays busy working at the Department of Transportation and enjoying Demolition Derby. While he may not make it to the gym every day, Matt makes up for it with his new, healthier lifestyle. Maintaining weight is easier now that he has the energy to stay active.

Mercy Health Bariatric Surgeon and Director of Bariatric Surgery at Mercy Health – St. Vincent Medical Center, Matthew Fourman, MD, performed Matt’s procedure. And Matt cannot thank him enough.

“I couldn’t ask for a better doc. Dr. Fourman is very personable and easy to talk to. He reassures you so that you don’t have to have any worries,” says Matt.

Additionally, Dr. Fourman says weight-loss surgery can work in ways that diet and exercise don’t.

“There’s neural hormonal changes in the gut. There’s even changes in the gut bacteria after these surgeries,” Dr. Fourman explains.

For Matt, it was the best option and he is thrilled with the results.

“I don’t want to go back to being that guy,” Matt says, “He’s gone.”

Learn more about the different weight loss options Mercy Health offers.