Nikki S.
Before I give my testimonial, I have to thank the wonderful staff at the St. Francis Surgical Weight Loss Program for everything that they have done for me so far. Dr. Chaudhari, Dr. Anderson and the entire staff are the best choice for those who are thinking about losing weight through weight loss surgery. I have never seen such a caring facility go above and beyond the call of duty. Believe me; I've tried enough clinics and products to get to the right choice.
I'm 26 years old and I had LAP-BAND surgery on December 7, 2009. So far, I've lost 30 pounds and Im still losing weight with the help of the Surgical Weight Loss team at St. Francis.
I have had a weight problem my entire life. I was the "husky" child to most of the kids that were in my class in elementary and middle schools; the "pretty fat girl" to my friends in high school and eventually the "Youre-too-pretty-to-be-fat!" adult. I had a happy childhood, but growing up with a weight problem is hard. At the age of 14, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which caused most of the weight problems that I have today. Ladies, if you have it, you know what I mean!
I've tried every kind of diet that you can think of and nothing seemed to help. If I lost 10 pounds by following a diet, I would eventually give up due to hunger and I would ultimately gain the weight back plus some. Everyday was a battle in my mind. I would constantly ask myself "What can I do to lose weight? Should I keep a food journal? Should I work out more?" I couldnt help but think about my weight, literally, every hour that I was awake. It was emotionally frustrating and ate at my self confidence.
In October of 2009, I decided that the worrying needed to stop. My searching and constant thinking came to a screeching halt as I went to the LAP-BAND website. I don't know how I ended up there, maybe it was God, and maybe it was something that I heard on the radio or television. At first I was a little worried and that the decision to have surgery to lose weight was a little extreme. But, I took a step forward and decided to attend one of the seminars that are held at St. Francis. All of my questions were answered and I knew right away that having the LAP-BAND surgery was right for me. It was like a weight (no pun intended) had been lifted off of my shoulders.
Emotionally, my mind is now clear and the only thing that I think about is what can I do to live for today. Even after losing just 30 pounds since December, I am more confident and fearless about my weight. I know that it is coming off steadily and healthily. It's very encouraging when co-workers, family and friends give you compliments when they see your progress.
Physically, my knees and back feel better. Before surgery I had a hard time going up or down stairs because of my knees, and I had a lower back problem. I have more energy now than I have had in a very long time. I can walk 30 minutes now, without hurting or totally giving up because I cant breathe. Granted, I'm not where I need to be yet, but I am on my way with thanks to the wonderful staff at the St. Francis Surgical Weight Loss program! If you are considering the LAP-BAND surgery, do your research, go to a seminar and get on the "BAND" wagon!
Nikki
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