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Health

Patient enjoys the open road after bariatric surgery

Losing weight and developing a healthier lifestyle is a journey many people want to take. Thomas Martin is living proof that it can be done.

The 67-year-old former gas and fuel oil plant operator has retired with his wife to their more than five acres near Frankston where he raises goats. He spends his days building and repairing fences for their livestock.

But at 340 pounds, Thomas had difficulty maintaining his energy levels while working around the home. To make matters worse, his weight was preventing him from enjoying his real passion: riding his motorcycle.

“I...

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Patient on the road again after successful bariatric surgery

Our body is like a finely-tuned automobile. Treat it right and it can last for a very long time.

But when you overload a vehicle with too much weight, the tires can wear out quickly and you face the possibility of a blowout. This extra strain also means the engine has to work harder to make the vehicle move, which usually means more problems down the road.

Merribeth Norman, who with her husband shares a love for driving and showing their antique car (above), had similar health concerns that led her to take serious steps to get back into good health.

Medical...

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Shortness of breath and headaches turn into cardiac event for UT Health practice administrator

As the practice administrator for nine different rural health clinics in east Texas, Rhonda Keller regularly drives hundreds of miles to check-in with the doctors, nurses and staff who operate the clinics.

She talks to them about the patients they see, the care they provide and how more serious cases have to be transferred to UT Health Tyler.

So when Rhonda started having symptoms of extreme fatigue, she didn’t realize she would soon become one of those transferred patients to UT Health Tyler.

“I just thought it was all stress related, caused by work and everything...

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Have questions about vasectomy? We have answers.

Man and doctor discuss vasectomy surgery.

Have you been considering a vasectomy? As you consider this option, questions are sure to arise. We have gathered a few of the most popular questions related to having a vasectomy and have compiled the answers here. Be sure to consult with your healthcare provider for specific information and recommendations that apply to your personal health needs.

UT Health East Texas Urology offers vasectomy procedures in Tyler, Athens and surrounding communities. For more information on this procedure, or to schedule an appointment, visit uthealtheasttexas.com/vasectomies.

What happens...

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Gastric sleeve surgery patient sees brighter days ahead

Rachel Villanueva was not used to being on the receiving end of patient care.

As supervisor of the UT Health East Texas Physicians pediatric clinic on Fifth in Tyler, Rachel oversees the care of dozens of patients throughout the week.

But when it came to managing her own weight and overall health, she needed her doctors’ guidance.

“I have battled my weight for many years,” Rachel said. “Four years ago my OB/...

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American Diabetes Association Diabetes Alert Day

The American Diabetes Association Diabetes Alert Day serves as a reminder that many of us are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Approximately 90-95% of people diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Diabetes affects 34.2 million or about 10.5% of Americans. So, who exactly is at risk?

...

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Rehab patient now on the road to good health

When Chad Jackson told his wife he had a stomach bug, he had no idea that for the next three months he would be in and out of small community hospitals with a variety of ailments. Fortunately, he recovered, and his health improved greatly after three weeks of care and exercise at the UT Health East Texas Rehabilitation Center.

Jackson, 47, has been an over-the-road truck driver for more than 27 years, driving an estimated 2.7 million miles during that time. Still, he wasn’t prepared for the rough road ahead.

Multiple illnesses...

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Importance of a Prostate Exam in Detecting Prostate Cancer

As you get older, keeping up with your health becomes much more important. That’s why it’s vital to get the health screenings that can identify serious illnesses, perhaps long become they become severe cases.

For men, the most prevalent form of cancer is prostate cancer, with 3 million cases occurring in the U.S. every year. Fortunately, it can often be diagnosed early in men who undergo a prostate exam.

We’ve asked Dr. Clark Wilson, a board-certified urologist at UT Health East Texas in Tyler, to answer some of the more common questions about prostate cancer.

I...

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Breast Reduction

Breast Reduction

What is Breast Reduction Surgery?

Breast reduction surgery is a surgical procedure that removes fat, breast tissue and skin from the breast. This reduces breast cup size and weight, while at the same time lifting, reshaping and repositioning the nipple/areolar complex to a more youthful position.

While there is a large population of women that may want to augment their breast size by adding volume, there is an equally large number of women that want to reduce the size and weight of their breasts.

Reasons one may consider breast reduction surgery

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Preventing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

As I drop my children off for school, walk through an airport or look out into my office waiting room, I see people of all ages wearing various types of headphones and listening to their phones or tablets. As the surrounding environment becomes noisier and noisier, the volume of the device slowly increases to maintain the clarity of the sound. Currently, the CDC has shown that one out of 10 children aged 6 through 19 is experiencing some level of noise-induced hearing loss. This is why it is important to understand how loud noise exposure affects the inner ear, the ear signs of hearing...

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