I’ve always been a big guy. From early childhood, I’ve been always the overweight kid, just never ate the way I was supposed to eat. I grew up in a family of big people. My mother was overweight. My grandparents were overweight. A lot of my family is overweight. I just kept getting bigger and…
Before surgery, I was in a depression state, always in my room, eating a lot, a lot of health issues. I had GERD. I would rush to the ER at night thinking I was having a heart attack but it was just anxiety attacks. It affected me at work as well because I wouldn’t be…
I got up to as much as 351 pounds. I had no energy. I had all sorts of ailments, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea. Then I got into truck driving which that didn’t help at all. So the pounds just went up and up and up, and I tried dieting, but when you…
I have always been overweight, starting from about third grade. It’s something I have struggled with my whole life. I’ve always been active. I’ve always done sports, but I just could never get the weight off. From high school and college, I would constantly try to do different weight loss programs. I hated what I…
I’ve always been a bigger person. I was always bigger than everybody else. As I grew up I stopped being able to lose the weight. I stopped being able to exercise as much because I would lose my breath. My weight had gotten to an uncontrolled level. I was the highest I can remember at…
I mean, I have always been the biggest out of my family, sister, brother, mom, dad, cousins, just family in general. I was always the biggest one. I had always tried diets, tried not eating as much, tried eating better and just could never get off the weight. Then, I had my daughter and that…
Life was very difficult. My weight was so over to where it was hard breathing at night. I had sleep apnea, blood pressure issues, and then I also had diabetes due to my weight, and one day, I went to see my PCP doctor, and she told me if I did not do anything, they…
I had gotten sick. I got COPD and emphysema and was taking Prednisone. The Prednisone, of course, made me gain weight, and I got huge. The bigger I got, the less I could breathe, and I virtually could do nothing. I couldn’t go to Wal-Mart. I couldn’t play with my grandchildren. The main thing I…
When it comes to acid reflux—and particularly gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)—we’re all used to hearing how your diet can affect it. Cutting out trigger foods can help manage GERD, but sometimes, stress can play a role as well. If you’ve ever felt acid reflux symptoms get worse when you’re worried or anxious, you’re not alone….
March is National Nutrition Month® and there’s no better time to take steps to improve your nutrition. Nutrition month got its start as “National Nutrition Week” back in 1973 with members of the American Dietetic Association, now known as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In 1980, it was expanded into a month-long campaign to…
A common question we get from our patients is “How much does bariatric surgery cost?” It’s a valid concern—medical treatment usually isn’t cheap, though insurance and other forms of financial assistance can make it more affordable. The American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) states that the average bariatric surgery cost is roughly $17,000…
Losing weight is challenging and so is committing to the lifestyle changes associated with having bariatric surgery. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through these challenges alone. When you join a support group, you’ll benefit from getting to know others who are facing challenges much like yours. For instance, if you’re preparing for surgery, your…
If you’re obese and have difficulty losing weight, you may qualify for weight loss surgery. Typical qualifications for bariatric surgery include: A body mass index (BMI) over 40 A BMI of 35 accompanied with at least one comorbid condition, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease Over 100 pounds overweight Inability to achieve…
Undergoing bariatric surgery can be a major step toward controlling your weight, but you’ll still need to cope with numerous challenges on the course of your journey. In particular, you’ll have to deal with the various stresses that might trigger unhealthy or indulgent eating. As such, learning to reduce stress is a valuable key to…
Systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, is an autoimmune condition in which your immune system attacks your own organs and tissues, including the joints, skin, kidneys, brain, blood cells, lungs, and heart. This results in inflammation and other more severe effects. Those who suffer from lupus experience some or all of the following symptoms: Joint pain,…
