For many years, Juan Merino Martos’ days seemed repetitious: wake, work, eat, sleep, repeat. At age 33, he was overweight, tired, depressed and suffering from severe joint and back pain. He knew something had to change but wasn’t sure how.
“I didn’t have any energy,” the Freehold resident explains. “I’d come home, eat something unhealthy and go right to bed.”
A knee injury when Juan was younger limited his movement, and he struggled to control his weight for most of his life. He tried taking diet pills, limiting calories, exercising and even meeting with a nutritionist to learn healthier eating habits, but nothing worked for the longer term.
“I’d stay on track for a month, but once something stressful happened, I’d start overeating again,” says Juan, who has a fondness for pastries.
A Surgery Skeptic
While Juan thought about having bariatric surgery periodically throughout the years, he wasn’t convinced it would provide lasting results. But when a coworker had weight loss surgery and continued to see positive outcomes, Juan contacted Seun Sowemimo, MD, medical director of CentraState’s Bariatric Surgery Program, to learn more.
“Dr. Seun explained each type of surgery and what I could expect before, during and after,” says Juan. “He was honest and explained that the surgery itself was only one step on the journey.”
“With a high body mass index and sleep apnea that required a breathing machine, Juan qualified medically for bariatric surgery,” Dr. Seun explains. “He also understood the process and was willing to commit to lifestyle modifications once he had the proper knowledge. This made him a great candidate for success.”
Making Lasting Changes
Juan had gastric sleeve surgery at CentraState in November 2023. During this minimally invasive procedure, Dr. Seun reformed Juan’s stomach into a narrow banana shape by removing a large section. This restricted the amount of food he could eat while preventing the production of ghrelin, a hormone associated with hunger. He stayed in the hospital for two days to recuperate.
“The nursing team was amazing,” Juan says of his experience. “They were very attentive and made my stay run smoothly.”
After keeping to Dr. Seun’s post-operative instructions for about a month, Juan began to see results.
“Dr. Seun says 90% of my progress is because of the changes I’ve made and only 10% is because of the surgery, but I think it’s 50-50,” Juan adds. “It’s a partnership. He and his team provided the information I needed about surgery along with the tools and guidance to make lasting lifestyle changes.”
Since surgery, Juan’s weight has dropped from 295 to 182 pounds. He is no longer pre-diabetic or pre-hypertensive and has no back or knee pain. He also no longer has sleep apnea and feels more energetic, which fuels his workouts at CentraState Fitness & Wellness four or five times a week. He’s jogging again for the first time in years and goes dancing with friends. And while he still indulges in an occasional treat from the bakery, he’s having fun tweaking recipes he sees on TikTok to make them healthier.
“Juan’s prognosis is excellent,” Dr. Seun says. “He has continued to adopt lifestyle changes that favor maintaining weight loss, including increasing plant-based foods while reducing processed, animal-based foods and getting up to 20,000 steps a day.”
“Surgery has changed my life positively in every aspect,” Juan says. “I’m so much happier. It’s the best decision I’ve made in my life.”
BARIATRIC SURGERY AT CENTRASTATE
Learn more about bariatric surgery at CentraState.
