Bariatric Surgery Helps Rome Man Become More Active

Miguel Avina remembers when his sister wanted him to take a two-mile hike with her on her birthday.

“We were less than half of a mile into it, and I started getting so out of breath and so tired. And I realized whatever distance I walked to where I got to, then I would have to walk back. Everyone was like ‘We just started.'”

That experience sealed his decision to seek bariatric surgery in October 2021.

At his maximum, Avina weighed about 430 pounds. He now weighs around 260, is able to play with his two sons and enjoys walking his dogs. He has also been able to hike 14 miles in a day.

“My kids (two sons) right now are 16 and 17, and I figured if I didn’t do something very drastic, I might not be around too much longer. I always joke that no matter what I do I can’t die because my kids still need me and my wife does, too.”

Avina, 39, had sleeve gastrectomy, a laparoscopic procedure that removes approximately 75 percent of the stomach. This results in the body producing less of the hormones that stimulate hunger. As a result, patients often experience long-term appetite suppression.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Ryland Scott, Harbin Clinic surgeon and medical director of Atrium Health Floyd Bariatric Surgery. Other Harbin surgeons who perform bariatric surgery at the center include Dr. Peter Adams and Dr. Bennett Brock.

Avina also credits the expertise of dietitian Cala Dittmer for much of his success. She is a Harbin Clinic registered, licensed dietitian who provides nutrition education for patients throughout the bariatric process.

“One of the first things Cala taught me was how to count calories,” he said. Avina, who enjoys cooking and eating a wide range of food, did not want to follow any specific diet.

“I can’t do meal planning and meal prepping,” he said. “I want something that’s going to work.” He said counting calories has meant he can go buy a hamburger at a fast-food place, weigh it out and determine its calorie count. He uses that to figure out how much more he can eat that day.

“Calorie counting can be a helpful tool for bariatric patients, especially when it comes to managing portion sizes and ensuring nutritional balance,” Dittmer said. “It provides structure, helping people to monitor intake while still offering flexibility in food choices.”

For Avina, that process works. He said his weight still fluctuates but overall, he has been able to manage it.

Through dieting and simply making sure he walks so many steps, he was able to lose almost 100 pounds before he even had the surgery. That helped him realize that the surgery was going to help him be successful.

“The surgery is just a tool,” Avina said. “Everyone knows the basics to losing weight; you burn more calories than you consume. The surgery and counting calories have helped me manage my weight.”

​​Avina said he has three friends who opted to go through the bariatrics program after witnessing his success. He said his two sons, who are 16 and 17, have also worked to become healthier after seeing their father transformed.

“I’m more than happy to share my story because I know that I wasn’t mobile. I know how much it affected my life. I would sit on the couch and watch TV. I was never really physically playing with my kids, and I feel like I missed so much because I was tired all the time.”

Atrium Health Floyd’s bariatric surgery center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program  (MBSAQIP), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.