Weight Loss Surgery Success StoriesFor many who have been obese and have had weight loss surgery, the experience has been both physically and emotionally life-changing. However, a common misconception about weight loss surgery is that it is the easy way out or a magic solution to losing weight. In reality, it's anything but easy. People who have the surgery must adhere to a strict diet and behavior modification program before and after surgery in order to keep losing excessive weight or to maintain their newer, healthier weight. Many who have undergone weight loss surgery through the Bariatric Surgery Program at OSU Medical Center claim weight loss surgery has lengthened their life span, improved their physical and mental health and boosted their self-esteem and confidence. Learn how weight loss surgery has affected some of our patients as they share their stories below. Nancy Davis –after trying many weight loss remedies, Nancy turned to Ohio State’s Bariatric Surgery Program and finally got the results she was looking for. John Rankin – a mechanic who says he’s increased his earning potential and job productivity among other things thanks to weight loss surgery and his successful weight loss afterward. Debara Colegrove – who now says the sky's the limit after having weight loss surgery and finding her inner strength. She stands tall, is confident and above all, has respect for herself. Susan Riley – struggled her whole life with her weight and after having weight loss surgery went from 366 pounds to maintaining an astonishing 138 pounds. Nancy Davis
Nancy knew she was depressed because of her weight, and found everyday actions to be a struggle. Cleaning the house, activities with her children and grocery shopping were exhausting for Nancy. “I remember as soon as I would find a shopping cart in the parking lot of a store, I would practically throw my body on the cart handle and just push myself through the store, trying to get what I needed hopefully close to the check-out,” she recalls. Nancy researched multiple bariatric surgery programs and decided that The Ohio State University Medical Center was the best option for her. In October 2002, Davis received Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery. Weighing 282 pounds before her surgery, Nancy was only in the hospital for two days and was back to work within three weeks. “Surgery got me to my goal weight and now I work very hard to maintain my weight,” she explains. “To wake up every morning and know you are no longer fat, you have plenty of clothes in your closet that fit, you can cross your legs, walk all day and constantly have a smile on your face is truly a gift and blessing.” Nancy currently weighs 137 pounds after following a weight-loss plan outlined by her doctors. She lost a total of 145 pounds! Davis speaks highly of the care given at OSU Medical Center noting that she chose the program because of its before and after surgery support. She also says the care of Bradley Needleman, MD, was instrumental in her success. Nancy, an administrative assistant for OSU Medical Center, is now an avid cyclist. She bikes 20 miles daily, and on the weekends more than 50 miles. She also enjoys golfing and water aerobics. “I would recommend bariatric surgery for anyone who is fighting the obesity battle. If you work the program as you are told, it will get you where you need to be.” [back to top] John Rankin
As a mechanic, John says his obesity affected his productivity and earning potential because he couldn’t work efficiently and had trouble working on the ground and underneath cars as mechanics often do. After many failed attempts at losing weight on his own and much physical and mental anguish over his obesity, he decided to have weight loss surgery after meeting the requirements. Aside from making smarter food choices and exercising, John says a support system is essential. “The camaraderie in my support group through OSU Medical Center is wonderfully encouraging. I’m so grateful to the support group and staff there.”
Debara Colegrove says she was a “prisoner of her own fat” and had been overweight since her childhood. “My weight always made me feel socially unaccepted,” says Debara. Despite her efforts to accept herself for who she was, she couldn’t. Being obese made her feel as if everyone was always staring at her and she didn’t feel like she was good enough for anyone. Debara’s defining moment came while vacationing in the Bahamas alone. Upon arriving at the resort she became painfully aware of how out of place she felt. She spent her entire vacation on her patio – never once going to the ocean or the pool. Paralyzed with fear, Debara began thinking about her life, praying and soul-searching. When she returned home she says she found a before and after picture of a woman that looked just like her who had undergone weight loss surgery. “The picture took my breath away. I remember looking at it and thinking this is the person who lives inside of me,” says Debara. “I knew then and there that it was not a matter of “if” I’d have the surgery but “when.” She weighed 375 pounds on the day of her surgery. Today, Debara couldn’t be happier with the results of her surgery – she is now 193 pounds slimmer. “The surgery and weight loss has given me a caliber of life I never knew possible,” she says. She attributes her success to the great care and preparation for life after surgery that she received at OSU Medical Center. “Thank God my surgery was at OSU Medical Center. I received such great care from everyone at a time when I couldn’t take care of myself.” Debara says she doesn’t hesitate to do anything now – the sky’s the limit. “I walk tall and proud. I’m confident and I expect to be respected. But most importantly, I now have respect for myself.”
It’s no exaggeration when Susan Riley, 46, says she struggled with her weight her whole life. Her first visit to a dietitian was in kindergarten. At her heaviest as an adult, she carried 366 pounds on her 5-foot-3-inch frame. “Although I’ve always been a very positive and active person, my weight caused numerous problems,” says Riley. “For example, most people don’t worry about fitting into an airplane seat or amusement park ride, but I did for most of my life.” With limited success on numerous diets, Riley finally accepted that dieting alone wasn’t the answer. That’s when she started considering surgery. As the insurance manager at OSU’s College of Dentistry, Susan found expertise close at hand with OSU Medical Center’s Bariatric Surgery program. In April 2004, Susan had gastric bypass surgery, and by November 2006, had lost a total of 243 pounds. Ironically, at 123 pounds, Susan’s doctors decided she was too thin, so she now maintains her weight around 138 pounds. “Having weight-loss surgery was the best decision I ever made,” says Susan. “I know the education and support offered at OSUMC’s Bariatric Surgery Program, along with regular exercise at the OSU Center for Wellness and Prevention, have been key to my success. It’s been a miraculous change in my life, giving me the self-confidence to live life to its fullest. My only regret is not having the surgery sooner.” |
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