BEFORE & AFTER GALLERY

Melissa R.

Procedure: Gastric Sleeve

Total Weight Lost: 142 lbs

For as long as I can remember I have struggled with my weight. Even as a child I felt like I was always going to be on a never ending roller coaster of loss and gain. I had tried everything and finally had enough. I wanted my life back but not only for me but for my family I wanted to be able to fully play with my daughter who at the time of my surgery had just turned 4 years old. I wanted to be the best part of me for her and for my husband. My husband has been my biggest supporter he knew first hand how unhappy I was and even though he married me at my absolute worst and didn’t care about my outside appearance he wanted me to be happy. So I had decided enough was a enough and we started meeting with surgeons until we found DFW Bariatrics. We both instantly loved him and his staff. (Note: My husbands in the medical field so we had to have the very best.) I started my Journey in October 2013 and from there I completed everything I needed to be approved for surgery and on May 5, 2015 I had my surgery! I have to say it was the hardest thing I have ever done, but by far the best thing I’ve ever done! I am 11 months post op today and have lost a total of 95 lbs, I started in a size 20 pants, and a size 2X top, and I now wear a 5/6 in pants and medium to small tops! Its been an amazing journey not only do I feel better I have learned so much about myself. I now see what everyone who has ever loved me has always seen in me! Im strong, and fierce, I am funny, and so full of love and compassion I feel free to be me! The best part is I love myself again and my healthy lifestyle its not just changed me its changed my family and I am excited for our daughter to see all of me and learn and grow with me! The doctor and his staff have an amazingly supportive system in place for after surgery and I account that to my success, there is no other surgeon out there that provides all the support his staff does and I couldn’t be more grateful! Thank you to the team at DFW Bariatrics for giving me the tool, and guidance I needed to be successful I will forever be grateful!

January 2016 Update: Total Weighloss: 142 lbs

This is an update to my last “Tell Your Story”. For as long as I can remember (early childhood) I struggled with my weight I was always bigger then my family and friends, never got to wear the cute clothes that all my friends could wear, or play the sports they played. I honestly felt like an outsider from about age 10. As you can imagine the kids weren’t nice either. I accepted this as just how it was going to be. By the time I was a teenager/young adult I had very little self esteem or hope that I would be active and healthy or even a dress size at/or under a size 16. I had tried all the crash “diets” and miracle pills that had hit the market from a teen to my early 30’s. I yoyo’ed through life. Well as you can imagine life happened I met an amazing man who loved me for me. We got married when I was 27. On my wedding day I weighed 232 lbs from 264lbs. After getting married I lost another 54 lbs. But at 29 we found out we were expecting our first child and as excited as I was to be a mom I gained most of the weight I had lost back and struggled for 4 years after trying to get it off again. The struggle was real. I could never get under 210lbs no matter how hard I tried. It was exhausting. All I wanted was to give my daughter and my husband the best part of me, my husband has always been my biggest supporter (my cheerleader you could say) he knew first hand how miserable and unhappy I was and even though he married me at my absolute worst and loved me for me not how much a weighed. He knew I wasn’t happy and being happy is all he ever wants for me and his daughter. So after many long nights of talking and soul searching I decided enough was enough I wasn’t going to short change myself or my family any longer I was determined to do whatever was necessary to give myself and my family all the best parts of me. Shortly after that decision we met with a doctor at DFW Bariatrics. We both instantly knew he was the Dr. we wanted to help me with this journey and that the level of service his staff and his self would provided would be the very best. When walking into his office and meeting everyone you instantly know you are important and worth it, you became one of his number one priorities to not only the doctor but his staff as well.

After meeting with DFW Bariatrics in October 2013 I completed everything my insurance required to be approved for my surgery and the staff helped me through the whole process. They took all the stress away. The process was organized and seamless. I couldn’t have been more grateful for their assistance. All the staff is there for you to help you succeed. It’s truly a one of kind experience.

So the day came and on May 5, 2014 I had my surgery. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but by far the best thing I’ve ever done! I am now 19 months out and have lost a total of 110 lbs since surgery but have a total loss of 142 lbs since my highest weight. I started in a size 20 in pants, and a size 2X in tops. I now wear size 1/2 in pants, and S/M in tops. It’s been an amazing journey so far. Not only do I feel like a totally different person physically, mentally I changed as well. I am truly ecstatically happy almost giddy most of the time. I’m living my life not hiding in my house. I’m teaching my daughter and myself that you have to love yourself first in all things. I’ve learned that exercise is the absolute best stress reliever and anxiety reducer you can get and I would testify there is not a medicine on the market that can do what exercise does for you. I now see what everyone who loves me has always seen in me and it’s beautiful, it’s honest, and it’s silly! I’m strong, I’m fierce, I’m unstoppable!

Thank you DFW Bariatrics and staff for my new life, thank you for all the support you give to all your patients before, during, and after. It’s a one of kind experience that no one else offers. You care about us all and it shows and that means more to all your patients then you will ever know. I am truly and forever grateful!