Bariatric surgery paves way for new knee and active lifestyle

Knee pain is a common complaint for those who carry extra weight. But being overweight can actually hinder those who need knee surgery from qualifying for it.

This was the case for Gretchen Dolan, 57, of Graham, who struggled with her weight for 30 years and suffered from debilitating knee pain for five years. Her limited mobility affected her quality of life, and the extra weight kept her from having knee replacement surgery.

“My knee was so bad, if I went to a big store like Costco, I had to use a scooter,” says Dolan. “I felt like people were looking at me thinking, ‘She’s too lazy to walk.’ It was the worst.”

She tried to lose the weight on her own but couldn’t.

“I only dropped about 30 pounds, which wasn’t enough,” she says. “I knew if I wanted to get my knee replaced, I’d first need to have bariatric surgery.”

Dolan met with bariatric surgeon Michael Keating, MD, at the MultiCare Center for Weight Loss & Wellness – Covington in June 2022 to discuss her options.

“Dr. Keating immediately made me comfortable,” Dolan shares. “He told me we were going to be a team, and I knew he meant that.”

Her first appointment with Dr. Keating took place in his office, not an exam room, and lasted an hour.

“Never in my life have I had that type of time commitment with a doctor before,” Dolan says. “It was all just talking; no poking and prodding.”

“Dr. Keating immediately made me comfortable. He told me we were going to be a team, and I knew he meant that.”

Once she made the decision to have gastric bypass surgery, she consulted with the clinic dietitian, who had her follow a version of the Mediterranean diet.

“She was able to steer me in the right direction if I went off the path,” she recalls. “She helped me stay motivated and interested by offering alternative suggestions for meals. That made a big difference.”

Dolan lost 25 pounds over five months and was able to lower her BMI so she could have gastric bypass surgery that November.

She says the most impactful aspects of surgery for her were restricted portion sizes and meal frequency.

“In all the dieting I’ve done in my life, it was never ‘eat more often,’ it was ‘eat less often,’” Dolan explains. “This was a complete flip, and it works so much better for me. I can only physically eat a tiny amount at a time.”

Living the active lifestyle she always wanted

Having lost 75 pounds, Dolan was able to get the knee replacement surgery she so badly needed.

Once she fully recovered from that surgery, she started living the active lifestyle she desired.

“I always wanted to learn yoga, so I started doing yoga,” Dolan says. “My husband Mike and I also went on a trip to national parks and did a lot of hiking together.”

It was a goal of hers to visit Disneyland and Universal Studios. She and Mike made the trip to celebrate her newfound mobility following both surgeries.

“We covered 33 miles over four days, and it was no problem for me at all,” Dolan says. “There’s no way I would have even attempted that before surgery; I knew physically I couldn’t do it.”

She and her husband continue to visit Cancun every year, but now she’s able to enjoy the trip in new ways.

“It was an especially fun trip after surgery because not only was I able to take longer walks, I could also walk on the beach,” Dolan says. “That’s something I didn’t do before surgery, since walking in sand is difficult. It feels great to do those things for the first time.”

Dr. Keating attributes her continued success to lifestyle changes she’s made.

“Gretchen’s done an amazing job,” Dr. Keating says. “Getting her knee replaced after bariatric surgery was a self-fulfilling prophecy because then she could be even more active. It snowballed for her to a lot of success.”

Dolan has lost a total of 150 pounds.

“I started at 288; I’m now 138,” she shares. “I feel like I’m talking about someone else when I say that. It’s something I never thought I could accomplish.”