For Lamar Smith, it was a startling visit to his primary care doctor that turned his life around. At the time, he was 45 and weighed more than 500 pounds. He had diabetes and high blood pressure. "My doctor told me if I didn't make some changes, I'd probably have a heart attack within 10 years," Smith recalls. "It was a shock at first. But it made me take stock of my life, and I started looking into surgery." In the spring of 2019, Smith underwent gastric bypass surgery through the Inova Weight Loss Surgery Program.

"Now is the time to face the dragon, or it will chase you for all of your life." I thought of that quote as I left my third doctor's appointment in a month. Each doctor told me that I would be a good candidate for roux-en-y gastric bypass surgery. My sleep apnea and fibromyalgia were getting me down. My arthritic knee was slow to heal after surgery and I was shopping for size 3X. I had to face the dragon. Inova Fair Oaks Hospital and my surgeon gave me the tools to fight on December 12, 2005, when I had the surgery.

We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to join a free virtual support group, which will provide the important support and motivation you deserve after your weight loss surgery. Call 703-348-4716 for more information or to register. You can also complete our online registration form.  Note: Inova virtual support groups do not replace individual consultations with your physician. We encourage you to consult with your doctor about information learned from our virtual support groups as he/she has a more comprehensive understanding of your health.

Several proven weight loss surgical procedures are available at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. We also offer a nonsurgical bariatric procedure using what is called the intragastric balloon. Our nationally recognized and highly experienced bariatric surgeons will expertly guide you as you evaluate the weight loss surgical treatment that suits your lifestyle and overall health.

We Help You Every Step of the Way You may feel uncertain and have many questions about weight loss surgery. All of us associated with Inova Weight Loss Surgery Program at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital are committed to helping you, every step of the way. We offer many services to assist you in your decision-making process. Should you choose weight loss surgery, we have informative classes and support groups to address all your new nutritional, fitness and lifestyle needs. Our door is open to you. Review the options and let us know how we can serve you better.

Life Support Classes Cancellations and Refunds To obtain a refund for ACLS/PALS classes, a request must be submitted 14 calendar days prior to the start of the class. All refunds will incur a 20% processing fee on the full registration amount. Refund requests received after the class has started will not be honored. To obtain a refund for all other classes, a request must be submitted 7 calendar days prior to the start of the class. This applies to non-ACLS/PALS classes only.

Offering Family Centered Care When it comes to giving birth and taking care of a newborn, you may feel overwhelmed with navigating the extent of information available. Inova Well's Childbirth Education Classes will give you piece of mind through research-based instruction and hands-on practice. We also offer maternity tours at all of Inova's birthing centers and postpartum and new mom support groups.   FIND A CLASS  SCHEDULE A TOUR NEW MOMS SUPPORT GROUPS  POSTPARTUM SUPPORT VIRGINIA GROUPS

Get Ready for Your Bundle of Joy! Childbirth Classes for Every Step of the Way Inova offers a wide array of childbirth and parenting education classes for every schedule and budget. We encourage you to schedule early and complete classes by your 32nd week of pregnancy. Frequently Asked Questions for Childbirth Education Read frequently asked questions about Inova's childbirth education classes  Cancellations, Refunds, Transfers & Weather Policy Learn about filing a claim for your Childbirth Education class with your insurance company