Weight loss surgery helped this young tech professional live more authentically

Monday, April 14, 2025

[6 min read]

In this article:

Weight loss surgery at Providence Swedish helped Lauren Gassman lose more than 130 pounds and find her confidence and self esteem.
Gassman chose to have Roux-en-Y surgery, which limits the amount of food a patient can eat and allows most food to bypass the stomach, reducing calorie absorption.
Today, she's logging lots of running and walking miles and living her best life.
Learn more about how the experts at Swedish Weight Loss Services can help you live your healthiest life.

This summer, Lauren Gassman will run a half marathon in San Francisco. Just a few years ago, she did not think it was possible. At 284 pounds, Gassman was introverted, frustrated with her weight, and exhausted.

“Everything I was trying was not working, so I decided to ask my doctor for a referral to Swedish Weight Loss Services," she says.

That request set her on the path to today, where she weighs 153 pounds and enjoys a happy and active lifestyle that seemed out of reach just 16 months ago.

Gassman, 32, a native of Kansas, is a busy and social professional in the tech industry whose climb on the corporate ladder has come with four moves in five years and a demanding schedule. Gassman and her dog Jess have logged a lot of road miles and hours packing and unpacking as Gassman has continued to succeed at work. Despite all her achievements, she could not outrun family history, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and other factors that contributed to her weight.

“I was definitely one of the bigger kids in high school. I wasn’t obese, but I would say that it definitely runs in my family,” she says. “Then college happened, partying happened, life happened and [my weight] got out of hand a lot faster than I realized.”

She decided to do something and found herself on the weight loss hamster wheel, trying many doctors, eating plans and prescriptions, she says.

“I’ve done almost every diet imaginable. Doctors have put me on different medications. There were very extreme and restrictive things,” she says. “Plus, I have always been active, even playing sports as an adult, so everything wasn’t adding up. I also have PCOS, which makes losing weight even harder.”

“I got to a point where I was really frustrated and feeling like I was doing everything right, but I looked at a piece of bread and I gained weight, so I was looking at surgery.”

“At Providence Swedish we have a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, accredited bariatric surgery program. We have always been at the forefront of innovation and cutting-edge technology. We provide the latest minimally invasive and robotic surgical treatment options for obesity. Our approach is holistic. Beyond surgical interventions, we believe in equipping our patients with the knowledge and resources to make sustainable, healthy choices in their daily lives.” - Shireesh Saurabh, M.D.

In the meantime, Gassman was in the midst of another move, this time from the San Francisco Bay Area to Seattle. She spent much of that time looking at options and learning as much as she could about medical and surgical weight loss.

A referral after emergency gallbladder surgery at Providence Swedish set her on the path to weight loss surgery. After the intake process, she met with surgeon Shireesh Saurabh, M.D., and decided that she would move forward with surgery. And to her surprise, close friends, family and colleagues were supportive and excited about her decision.

On Jan. 18, 2024, Gassman underwent a robotic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure with Dr. Saurabh at Swedish Issaquah. With a Roux-en-Y surgery, the surgeon creates a small pouch from the stomach that is connected to a newly created pouch in the small intestine. This limits the amount of food a patient can eat and allows most food to bypass the stomach, reducing calorie absorption.

“Lauren has worked very hard and has had a great result. She has lost around 130 pounds, and her weight is in the normal range. Her surgery will also help her avoid getting obesity related medical diseases in the future,” says Dr. Saurabh. “Our bariatric program — in addition to providing the safest surgeries — provides our patients with all the tools they need to succeed after surgery like nutrition classes, mental health support, monthly online support group meetings, and routine visits with our team members.”

“The surgery was easier than I anticipated in some ways and more difficult than I anticipated in some ways. The surgery itself was fine. I had gas pains, and I completely underestimated the difficulty consuming liquids,” says Gassman, who credits her friends with helping her get through that challenging postoperative phase.

“At Providence Swedish we have a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, accredited bariatric surgery program. We have always been at the forefront of innovation and cutting-edge technology. We provide the latest minimally invasive and robotic surgical treatment options for obesity. Our approach is holistic,” Dr. Saurabh says. “Beyond surgical interventions, we believe in equipping our patients with the knowledge and resources to make sustainable, healthy choices in their daily lives.”

“The support from the staff and medical residents was amazing,” adds Gassman. “At no point are you left alone to figure it out on your own.”

Today Gassman is happier and healthier than she’s ever been, but her new body is taking some time to get used to, she admits.

“There are days I have to put side-by-side photos together to really understand how much I’ve changed,” she says.

Learn more and find a physician or advanced practice clinician (APC)

Find out if you qualify for weight loss surgery by contacting Swedish Weight Loss Services to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also connect virtually with Swedish ExpressCare Virtual to receive treatment in minutes for common conditions such as colds, flu, urinary tract infections, and more. You can use our provider directory to find a specialist or primary care physician near you.

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