Welcome to CommonSpirit Bariatrics St. Anthony North, a comprehensive medical and surgical weight loss center at St. Anthony North Hospital. We proudly offer the latest and most comprehensive surgical weight loss procedures using state-of-the-art equipment as well as the latest in medical options for those interested in non-surgical treatment options.
Our team will meet you wherever you are on your weight loss journey with compassion and understanding, and with a shared goal of helping guide you toward a full, active, and healthy life. We have a team of caring providers that works with patients throughout their journey, including physicians, dietitians, psychologists, program managers and coordinators.
We're thrilled to have Dr. Jonathan Schoen and his multidisciplinary weight-loss team bring their expertise to Northeastern Colorado with clinics every other month. Dr. Schoen’s weight loss programs prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing throughout the treatment process. If you feel your weight is holding you back from living the lifestyle you want, come to the clinic to learn more about treatment options. Call 303-426-2130 to schedule your appointment, or click here to fill out a confidential consultation form.
In-person support group located:
Bariatric Weight Loss Center
500 West 144th Ave Suite 130
Westminster CO 80023
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Can’t make it? Join the hybrid version with Passcode: 1111
Register here to add to your personal calendar and set up reminders:
https://commonspirit.zoom.us/
Dates & Topics:
Online support group via Zoom, open forum style
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Register here to add to your personal calendar and set up reminders:
https://commonspirit.zoom.us/
Passcode 1111
Dates:
Cori Ruiz MSN, RN works as a bariatric program coordinator specializing in education, support, and encouragement throughout the lifetime of her patients' health journey.
Cori received her Registered Nursing degree at Clovis Community College, in Clovis, New Mexico. She completed her Masters of Science in Nursing at Grand Canyon University specializing in Nursing Education. After spending more than twenty five years in Emergency care; her focus has shifted to Bariatric Nursing, reigniting her passion for nursing in a whole new focused area. Cori prides herself in demonstrating compassionate, empathetically focused care to all patients she encounters. Her daily goal is to share a smile or a laugh with all those she comes in contact with.
In her free time Cori enjoys all things Colorado: hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, paddle boarding, and playing pickleball with her family, friends, and greatest loves Shamus, Mavie, & Dexter.
Excess weight can cause health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic joint pain/osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, PCOS, urinary incontinence, and infertility. You do not have to keep struggling to achieve weight loss and wellness on your own. We are here to help you achieve a better quality of life, improved mobility, and overall mental well-being through the surgical weight loss options offered within our program.
Dr. Schoen has been performing bariatric surgery procedures for over 25 years using the most up-to-date, minimally invasive techniques, so you’ll heal faster and have less scarring.
A physician referral may not be required. Most insurance companies, including Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare, provide benefits for bariatric surgery.
You might hear this procedure referred to by several other names, including:
As some of the names suggest, biliopancreatic diversion is two procedures in one. First, your surgeon will remove about 80 percent of your stomach, leaving a tube-shaped stomach pouch. This is similar to a sleeve gastrectomy.
Then, your small intestine is divided in two. The top portion is separated from the stomach. The second, lower portion is then brought up and connected to the pouch. This way, the food you eat bypasses about three-fourths of your small intestine.
Not only does your stomach pouch hold less, your body will absorb fewer of the foods you do consume. You’ll lose weight, feel less hungry, and have better control of your blood sugar.
In a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, sometimes just called a sleeve gastrectomy or “sleeve,” your surgeon removes about 85 percent of your stomach. The remaining banana-shaped section is closed off with staples.
The new, smaller stomach holds less food and liquids, so you can’t eat or drink as much. As a result, you’ll lose weight and reduce your blood sugar. Removing a portion of your stomach also decreases levels of hunger hormones.
As with every other type of bariatric surgery, you’ll have to change your lifestyle to have long-term success with a vertical sleeve gastrectomy. This includes eating less and exercising.
Fortunately, your team at CommonSpirit Health will be there to guide you. With our support in developing new habits, you’ll reduce your risk of complications and weight regain.
While gastric bypass has been available for more than 50 years, our surgeons use the most updated techniques and technology when they perform it.
When you have a gastric bypass, your surgeon will use staples to create a new, smaller stomach pouch. Because the pouch holds less food than a full stomach, you’ll feel satisfied sooner and consume less. Plus, you’ll absorb less, since food bypasses so much of your digestive tract. Your hormones and metabolism shift too, meaning you may see improvements in conditions like diabetes and acid reflux.
A successful gastric bypass surgery involves long-term lifestyle changes, such as eating smaller meals and exercising. Sticking to your treatment plan, with the help of your team, means you’ll avoid complications.
During laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery, our surgeons wrap a silicone band around the upper part of your stomach to make a small pouch. Then the incisions are closed with stitches. The small size of the stomach pouch means you will feel full after you eat a small amount of food. Our providers can then adjust the size of the band by inflating or deflating it via a port.
The LAP-BAND procedure is minimally invasive and doesn’t require our surgeons to cut or staple the patient’s stomach. Accordingly, it can have a lower risk of complications than other bariatric procedures such as sleeve gastrectomies and gastric bypasses. This procedure is rarely, if ever done anymore due to disappointing long-term results but could be considered for select patients. We often see patients for band removal or revision to another bariatric procedure.
Referred to as SADI-S, the single anastomosis duodendo-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy procedure is similar to the biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD) surgery with a couple notable differences. During a SADI-S, your surgeon will remove about 80 percent of your stomach, leaving a tube-shaped stomach pouch. The first part of the small intestine is then divided just after the stomach. Finally, a loop of intestine is connected to your stomach.
Because it involves only one intestinal connection, the SADI-S is simpler and faster than the biliopancreatic diversion, and nutritional deficiencies tend to be less common than with BPD surgery.
Revisions may be needed to fix an issue or complication from a prior surgery or to address weight loss failure or weight regain. These revisions could include changing from a lap band to a sleeve or gastric bypass, making a sleeve smaller (re-sleeve gastrectomy), converting from a sleeve to a gastric bypass or SADI, or simply repairing a hiatal hernia.
Weight loss medicines may be an option for people who have obesity or who are overweight and have weight-related health problems, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. These medicines may help some people who haven't been able to lose weight with diet and exercise.
Prescription weight loss medicines include semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic), liraglutide (Saxenda), tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound), Dulaglutide (Trulicity) phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia), and naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave). These medicines work by helping you eat less. Another medicine, called orlistat (Xenical), prevents some of the fat calories you eat from being absorbed by your body.
Different weight loss medicines produce different results in each person. Many people are able to lose 5% to 20% of their body weight, depending on how they respond to the medicine. Our doctors can help you understand your options and decide what might be right for you.
Weight loss medicines are used long-term along with healthy eating and being more active. Many people regain some or most of the weight they lost if they stop taking the medicines. If you stop taking the medicine, healthy eating and activity may help limit how much weight you gain back.
Weight loss medicines don't work for everyone. If you are having trouble reaching your goals, talk with your doctor about other things you can try, including surgical options.
A successful bariatrics procedure begins long before you enter the operating room — and continues with daily shifts that last a lifetime. From the first time you contact our center, you’ll receive expert guidance on what to expect, how to take care of your health every day, and ways to make behavior changes stick.
Your support crew may include dietitians, nurses, trainers, and psychologists or other therapists. We’ll connect you to the best, most experienced clinicians in the community. You’ll also have the option of joining with support groups, in person or online. This way, you can get both practical advice and emotional reinforcement from others just like you, coping with the same challenges and victories.
CommonSpirit Bariatrics St. Anthony North is an American College of Surgeons MBSAQIP-accredited center, demonstrating our commitment to superior quality and patient safety, and resulting in demonstrably lower complications and better outcomes for metabolic and bariatric surgery.
At St Anthony North Hospital, our experienced surgeon has been performing bariatric surgery since 2003, and before starting our program he served as the medical director of the surgical weight loss center at a university hospital training many generations of the next general and bariatric surgeon.
Dr. Schoen has earned top certifications and distinctions in the field, including those given by CIGNA, Aetna, Optum, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program. He is also the only bariatric surgeon in Colorado to have ever received the 5280 top doctor award.
But great outcomes and long-term success take more than one person. At St. Anthony North, we have an incredible team of caring clinicians to expertly guide you from your very first visit to the day of your surgery and throughout your recovery. As part of our program, you’ll find a medically-supervised weight loss program, nurse-led education classes, nutritional counseling, and a free monthly dietitian-led support group.
To undergo bariatric surgery, you must meet the following guidelines:
Do I need a referral from my physician to have surgery at the Bariatrics St. Anthony North?
No, in most cases, you do not need a referral. You can contact our coordinator, directly to see if you’re eligible for weight loss surgery.
Will insurance cover my procedure and the related counseling and support?
Most insurance companies provide benefits for bariatric surgery. A self-pay option is also available.
When can I schedule my surgery?
Before you book a date, you must undergo evaluations by experts in nutrition and psychological health. Some insurance companies also ask patients to undergo a period of trying to lose weight, with supervision, before approving you for weight loss surgery.
What should I expect at my first visit?
Please plan on spending approximately three hours at St. Anthony North for your first appointment. Our bariatric coordinator will meet with you and describe all the services and support we provide.
In addition, you will complete a nutritional evaluation by our registered dietician. Finally, you will complete a comprehensive psychological evaluation by our licensed psychologist, who specializes in bariatric surgery.
What changes should I make to my lifestyle, before and after surgery?
Small steps to improve your health — starting right now — can go a long way toward a successful weight loss surgery.
The nutrition and behavior change experts we work with will guide you on specifics. But in brief, eating a nutritious diet, getting regular physical activity, quitting smoking, and avoiding alcohol all help you prepare, recover, and return to a full, active life.
Why can’t I have caffeine right before or after surgery?
Good hydration is essential for health and healing. After weight loss surgery, it’s a challenge to drink enough, because of the changes in your stomach. And caffeine does more than wake you up — it also acts as a diuretic, removing fluid from your body.
In addition, caffeinated and carbonated beverages also can irritate your stomach and contribute to ulcers. So, it’s important to follow the guidance of your surgical team and avoid these drinks.
Can I get pregnant after weight loss surgery?
Yes, absolutely. In fact, many people find it easier to get pregnant after weight loss surgery. However, you’ll want to wait at least 12 to 18 months. That ensures that your baby will get enough nutrition to grow and develop properly. Your bariatrics team at St. Anthony North will work with you for family planning that makes sense for your lifestyle.
