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Weight loss surgery is a life-changing experience. At Pardee Bariatrics and General Surgery, we treat our patients like family, and will support you every step of the way. Our board-certified bariatric surgeons and surgery team provide complete, surgical weight-loss care through a personalized experience and customized health plan for every patient. From your first visit to lifelong follow-up services, you will have an expert team guiding you through your weight loss journey.
Find the right surgical weight-loss procedure for you at Pardee Bariatrics and General Surgery. As part of our surgical preparation process, you’ll meet one-on-one with one of our bariatric surgeons to discuss your goals, health and treatment options. Depending on your needs and goals, you and your surgeon may choose to pursue one of these minimally invasive bariatric surgery procedures: Gastric Bypass, Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, and Duodenal Switch.
Start your journey toward a healthier life at Pardee Bariatrics and General Surgery. Check out our BMI Calculator to see if you may qualify for surgery.
Next steps include attending a free in-person informational seminar or watching a video seminar to learn the basics about weight-loss surgery.
Dr. Chris Edwards is a board-certified bariatric surgeon with UNC Health Pardee and the medical director of Pardee Bariatrics and General Surgery. Dr. Edwards has developed and directed bariatric surgical programs nationwide and has performed over 2000 bariatric surgeries to date.
Rebecca Rice, DO, is a board-certified and fellowship-trained general surgeon specializing in minimally invasive surgery, including bariatric, foregut, and hernia surgery as well as abdominal wall reconstruction. Dr. Rice treats her patients as she would her own family, aiming to provide the highest quality care.
Hear from Donald and Eileen Ferrell as they share their weight-journey with Pardee Bariatrics and General Surgery.
We know that you have many options when deciding where to have bariatric surgery. And at Pardee Bariatrics and General Surgery, we are proud to be an MBSAQIP accredited center. MBSAQIP stands for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program and was developed jointly by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, to foster patient safety and surgical excellence. To become accredited, a facility like Pardee undergoes a rigorous process of evaluations to ensure their level of quality across safety, training, follow-up, and surgical volume standards.
Pardee Bariatrics and General Surgery is proud to be recognized by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina with a Blue Distinction Centers+ for Bariatric Surgery designation, as part of the Blue Distinction Speciality Care program. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally recognized healthcare facilities that show a commitment to delivering high-quality patient safety and better health outcomes. The Blue Distinction Centers for Bariatric Surgery program provides a full range of bariatric surgery care; including surgical care, post-operative care, outpatient follow-up care, and patient education.
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PARDEE BARIATRICS AND GENERAL SURGERY NOW OFFERS CONVENIENT ACCESS WITHOUT NEEDING TO LEAVE HOME. OUR VIRTUAL OFFICE VISITS OFFER A PRIVATE AND SECURE WAY TO VIDEO CHAT WITH OUR PROVIDERS ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY. WE ARE ALSO TAKING EXTRA PRECAUTIONS TO ENSURE YOUR WELL-BEING FOR IN-PERSON APPOINTMENTS, PROCEDURES AND SURGERIES.
ALL BARIATRIC INFORMATION SESSIONS ARE CURRENTLY BEING HELD VIRTUALLY. VISIT OUR VIDEO SEMINAR PAGE TO SIGN UP.
INSTEAD OF VISITING THE OFFICE, YOU MAY PURCHASE VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS ON THE CELEBRATE WEBSITE HERE.
Like many others, I have done pretty much every diet out there. I have lost the same 50 pounds time and time again and am always left feeling frustrated. I decided after weighing in at 233 lbs with 2 children who need me and being 43 years old it was time to pursue extra help. I attended one of the bariatric seminars with Dr. Edwards after hearing great things about him and his staff. Everything I had heard ended up being true and then some.
Is this the easy way out? No, not at all. There is work involved. You must make changes to eliminate sugar and caffeine initially as well as reduce portion sizes. Overall health is important so incorporating an exercise routine is also highly encouraged. The online and in-person support groups, resources, tools, and consistent follow-up kept me motivated. They 100% cared about me, my progress and wanted me to succeed, which impacted my positive experience. It has been incredible and an experience that has changed my life forever. I feel like for the first time in my life, I am confident that I will achieve my weight loss goals.
Since surgery on Feb 27, 2020, I have lost a total of 70 lbs and have 30 more to go before I reach my goal weight of 130 lbs. I have Dr. Edwards and his staff to thank for changing my life!
-Stacey K., Pardee Bariatric and Weight Loss patient
I have always battled obesity, but in spite of it, I have always been a very active person, holding down two jobs as a beautician and also an EMT. After I was diagnosed with High Blood Pressure at the age of 17, my weight began to climb. From then on, my body and my blood pressure medications began to fight against one another. Very quickly, five pounds turned into ten, and the next thing I knew I had gained 130 pounds. Looking back now, I know that while I gained the weight quickly, it did not happen overnight, and I could have done more to keep myself from gaining the weight as fast as I did.
In January of 2017, I was hospitalized due to stroke level blood pressure coupled with chest pain, something that no 27 year old should have to experience. Referred to a cardiologist, over the course of the next year we tried everything from diets, exercise, numerous tests and medication. After a year of failed attempts to improve my health, my cardiologist looked at me and said he was referring me to the bariatric surgeon. I broke down. My health and my body had lead me to defeat, we had tried everything, and I wanted to get healthy on my own.
I attended Dr. Edwards’s orientation on April 14th, and it was the wake up call I needed. I really needed their help, and before I left that night, I had filled out my paperwork and turned it in to begin my weight journey. A few short weeks later, they called to set up my first appointment to discuss my options. My insurance said they would cover my surgery after a 12-month program.
However, my blood pressure was never below 200/100 every time I went to the doctor despite the various medications I was taking. Dr. Edwards and his staff pulled all of my health records from all my other doctors and sent them to my insurance company so that they could get me qualified under medical necessity. My 12-month program turned into 3 months so quickly, and I remember getting the call that my insurance had approved the surgery for July 26. Little did I know that July 26th would not only be the first day to a new healthier me, but the best day of my life.
Having weight loss surgery has not been an easy journey. Most people will tell you that you are taking the easy way out because of how quickly you drop the weight. In all honesty, it is hard. Having to retrain your mind and body on how you eat how you drink is not easy. Having to avoid greasy fatty food is not easy. Having to avoid cravings for sweets is not easy. Yes, I still want to eat a whole pizza or have a big juicy cheeseburger, but I tell myself it is not worth it.
Having bypass surgery has not only changed my life for the better, but has saved my life. I am now 6 months out from surgery, down 122 pounds that will be forever gone, and I am on two medications plus my vitamins. I am in a better place now then I have been in over 10 years. Dr. Edwards and his team have saved my life and I would do it again tomorrow it I knew it would keep me in health that I am now.