Lifechanging Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Success with Dr. Amanda Cox

Eight years ago, Amanda Taylor was tired of her struggle with obesity and ready to consider bariatric surgery as a weight loss option. Unfortunately, she discovered that her insurance company would not cover the cost and she was forced to consider other alternatives. Committed to losing weight, Amanda hired a personal trainer, hit the gym every day, and focused hard to achieve her goal. In time, she not only lost 120 pounds, but gained a husband! After falling in love over the course of her weight loss journey, Amanda and her personal trainer, Nick, were married.

Fast forward to 2020. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Amanda endured a difficult first pregnancy and severe gestational diabetes. She tried to maintain a post-partum exercise regimen, but health issues, including high blood pressure, made it challenging. Her second pregnancy was even more difficult, resulting in an injured pelvis that required a year of physical therapy. By January 2024, Amanda weighed 378 pounds, having regained all of the weight she lost a few years earlier. “I felt overwhelmed and knew I needed to get healthy,” recalls Amanda.

Despite the setback, Amanda secretly attended a free weight loss workshop on bariatric surgery options offered by LewisGale Physicians General and Bariatric Surgery in Salem, Virginia. “I didn’t tell anyone because I wasn’t sure whether it was something I would ultimately pursue, but within minutes of the presentation starting I was so confident in both the facility and the surgeons. It felt like the right path for me,” remembers Amanda. Her first appointment was scheduled within a week of the workshop.

In the four months between her first appointment and her scheduled surgery, Amanda lost 60 pounds by closely following the pre-surgical parameters set forth by Dr. Amanda Cox. “I knew this would be a lifelong change for me and so I had a heartfelt conversation with my entire extended family about needing their ongoing support, both before and after my surgery. From the first day, they have come through for me,” Amanda says. In addition, Amanda’s new insurance company approved almost full coverage for the cost of her minimally invasive Roux–en–Y gastric bypass procedure, in which a small pouch is created from the stomach and connected directly to the small intestine.

Having had two Caesarean sections and a pelvic injury, Amanda was understandably concerned about the impact bariatric surgery might have on her body. “Dr. Cox was so reassuring and has the most incredible bedside manner. I had full faith in her,” Amanda recalls. On July 1, 2024, Dr. Cox performed Amanda’s gastric bypass surgery using a robotic technique designed to minimize scarring, reduce pain, and hasten recovery time. By the afternoon of her surgery, Amanda was up and walking, without needing any pain medication.

Post-surgery, the greatest struggle is ensuring proper nutrition. Amanda set timers in the beginning to drink one ounce of fluid every 10 minutes, which she found to be more of a mental challenge than a physical one. Over the next several weeks, she progressed from liquids to soft foods to solids, but cannot eat more than four and a half ounces at a time. “I have learned to identify head hunger versus actual hunger,” recounts Amanda. “Surgery was the tool to get me started, but I am responsible for putting the work in every day to maintain my weight loss over the long-term.” Four months after surgery, Amanda has already lost an additional 72 pounds.

Amanda’s advice? “If you struggle with weight or are just curious about whether bariatric surgery is an option for you, go to a consultation to see what your options are. Dr. Cox has changed the trajectory of my life — she runs a daily online support group and a monthly in-person group that have made me feel supported through each stage of my gastric bypass journey. Both of my grandparents died relatively young because they did not take good care of their bodies. I want my own children to know that I did everything I could to be around for them as long as possible.”

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Amanda Cox, call (540) 772-3620.