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Kerby Mellott Height: 6 feet Weight before surgery: 315 lbs. Weight after surgery: 225 lbs.

Kerby Mellott enjoyed being physically active all his life. When he was younger, Kerby loved to play sports. Tall, lean and athletic in his youth, Kerby was a high school state basketball team champion and played for his college’s championship football team.

After college, he began steadily gaining weight. A Kansas native and self-proclaimed “meat and potatoes guy,” Kerby was comfortable with his larger physique.

“I didn’t mind being barrel-chested and thick-calved,” said Kerby. “In fact, I was very comfortable being a bigger guy.”

However, Kerby’s attitude about his weight began to change 11 years ago when he was 49 years old. He began experiencing chest pains after working out at the gym. Because his father passed away at age 48 from a massive heart attack, he was worried that he would share the same fate.

As he suspected, he did have a serious heart condition. Kerby’s physicians told him he had suffered a mild heart attack.  In addition, they informed him that three of his arteries were 60 to 90 percent clogged and he needed to undergo angioplasty immediately.  Unfortunately, a few months after having the angioplasty procedure, one of his arteries collapsed and heart bypass surgery was required.

After undergoing triple bypass surgery, Kerby lost nearly 70 lbs. through dieting. Unfortunately, seven years later he had gained all the weight back and more. His weight had ballooned to 315 lbs. and he again started experiencing chest pains with any type of physical exertion – even walking up a flight of stairs.  Another angiogram showed one of his bypasses was occluded. Another angioplasty procedure was performed to widen his artery. At this same time, his cardiologist warned him that if he wanted to be around in five years, he needed to lose 100 lbs.

Kerby had a friend who had undergone the Roux-en-Y procedure (gastric bypass surgery) and was doing well. He decided to make an appointment with Dr. Ninh Nguyen, director of UC Irvine Healthcare’s bariatric surgery program.

“Dr. Nguyen was extremely professional and knowledgeable,” said Kerby. “His confidence in the success of the surgery put my mind at ease.”

Kerby was approved for the surgery and on Oct. 10, 2003 Kerby underwent the Roux-en-Y procedure. Sixty days after surgery, Kerby had lost 60 lbs. and after one year had lost 125 lbs. – which was almost too thin for his body frame. However, for the past three years, Kerby has maintained a healthy weight of 225 lbs. Now 60 years old, Kerby feels great. He works out three to four times a week at the gym. His surgery was such a success that other friends and family members have either had bariatric surgery or are seriously considering it.