Dana - Before
Dana never considered herself a candidate for bariatric surgery.
She had never really struggled with her weight, but once she gave birth to her third child later in life, she found it more difficult to lose the baby weight.
And once it started to hinder her family life, she knew she had to make a change.
“I had a toddler, and I was trying to keep up with him, but I would keep getting tired and that made it hard to get around,” Dana said. “I made the decision to change my life—to really get healthy— for my family.”
In addition to feeling tired, Dana was also suffering from the effects of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, taking medication to help control the symptoms.
To help her lose weight, Dana, like so many, turned to the latest fad diets and support groups. And while she would lose a few pounds initially, she didn’t achieve the sustained, long-term success she was looking for.
It was then that she was introduced to the Bariatric Surgery Institute at McLaren Macomb.
Dana - After
Says Dr. Carl Pesta, surgeon and medical director of the Bariatric Surgery Institute, “There still exists an unfair stigma surrounding bariatric surgery and who is considered a candidate. What it really comes down to is that there are many people out there who are experiencing health effects due to their weight.
“These patients’ conditions are not considered morbid, but they could use some help,” he continued. “And there is absolutely no shame in that.”
It was then that she felt confident about the procedure.
“I’m so glad preparation was part of the process,” said Dana, who changed her eating habits and even how she looked at all foods. “I no longer look at food as taste or something that comforts me. The preparation before the surgery really shows what it will take to be successful after the surgery.”
In February 2018, Dana went in for her procedure with Dr. Pesta, who opted for the gastric sleeve, which reduces the size of the stomach and limits food intake.
Dana felt the positive impact of the procedure almost right away, walking out of the hospital after the surgery already off her diabetes medication, with high blood pressure meds soon to follow.
“I really started to feel and look different,” she said. “I started to look and feel like I used to.”
With her reduced stomach size, Dana continued her lifestyle changes and lost almost 100 pounds in one year.
“It cannot be overstated how important diet and program compliance plays in the success of a patient,” Dr. Pesta said. “And Dana is a testament to that.”
She’s not as tired as she used to be and has no issues keeping up with her son anymore.
Says Dana, “It’s been the greatest thing ever.”
Learn more about the many benefits of bariatric surgery at mclaren.org/macombbariatrics.