“I have fought the battle of the bulge my entire life. Even my baby pictures bring to mind Sister Shubert’s yeast rolls. My true struggle with weight became serious in my twenties. I bounced between the 190-220lbs as I partied through those years.
As thirty approached, the pounds seemed to harder to lose and even harder to keep off. I tried hitting the gym with obsessive regularity, which you can imagine didn’t last. I tried diet after diet; the Adkins diet, Weight Watchers–you name it. I even used prescription diet pills. Did I lose weight – oh yes, but I always gained back what I lost and then some.
As I approached 40 I weighed 290 lbs and was desperate for help. I heard about the lap band and decided on this procedure. By this time in my life, I had developed high blood pressure and lipid levels and I was pre diabetic. I quickly signed up for the surgery that I thought would be the end of my war with the scales–boy was I wrong! I lost weight and for first couple of years I hovered around 230 lbs. Unfortunately, I was able to out-eat the band and the pounds came creeping back. To add insult to injury, the band caused an esophageal stricture and I developed a wicked case of reflux.
What now?!?! All the previous issues came back and I needed to have the band removed in order to avoid esophageal cancer. Back to a surgeon…who suggested that I might want to look into the Gastric Sleeve procedure– a procedure which reduces your stomach to a tiny pouch. Eureka! I quickly signed up.
The sleeve surgery almost proved to be my demise. I developed a bleed post op which nearly killed me. I was taken back to the OR to fix the bleed and had several transfusions before started the my long recovery. I lost weight, but when I started eating whatever I gained the weight back for what seemed like the 100th time.
My wife was completely exasperated and lucky for me, when she makes her mind to change something, she wont quit. She recruited the help of our primary care provider, Jeremy Pepper, who referred me to Lindy Ford. I have to admit, Mel had to stay on me to make sure I made the appointment – she even emailed Lindy herself.
I went to the appointment with Lindy and I haven’t looked back. She helped me set realistic expectations for myself and my health. Lindy was firm but encouraging and I needed that. I have lost weight and inches and feel better than I have years. I am not on a diet, but follow a nutrition plan tailored to my health issues as well as foods that I will eat. After spending much of my life in what truly felt like fight, I am no longer at war with my body, but working to become a healthier version of me. Thank YOU Lindy!”