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I had been fat most of my adult life. I had been diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension. My knees and feet hurt most of the time. I had been on every diet imaginable, only to lose some weight and then gain it back.
Then in 2001, I heard about the Lap Band. I researched on the Internet for a year before deciding I would have it done. One name kept popping up in my research and that was Dr. Ariel Ortiz Lagardere in Tijuana, Mexico. My best friend, an LVN, was very skeptical about the whole thing, especially having surgery in Mexico. So, one Sat. we made the drive to Tijuana to talk with Dr. Ortiz and see the hospital and "check things out." He put us both at ease and spent a great deal of time explaining everything and answering all of our many questions. I had my surgery on 10/5/02, and to date have lost 103 lbs. In my weight loss journey the first year, I hit several plateaus that left me frustrated, but I never gained any weight back and eventually, I would start losing again.
My knees and joints do not hurt anymore, my blood sugars became normal and I was able to go off my diabetic medication. To this day, my diabetes remains in the normal range and my blood pressure is normal. My primary care physician is amazed. Now even my physician is confident that this is a wonderful alternative surgery to gastric bypass.
I have encouraged my daughter, age 32, to have Lap Band surgery to help her with her obesity. I again sought out Dr. Ortiz and Lisa had surgery in Oct. of 2003. To date, she has lost almost 70 lbs. and is thrilled and on her way to permanent weight loss.
Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez have been the most caring, professional doctors I have ever met. They have given me a new, healthy life. This surgery has changed my life and is the best thing that I have ever done for myself. After my long 35-year struggle with obesity, I feel for the first time, that I am a regular sized person. I have gone from a size 22 to a size 10. I still cannot believe that is my slender body when I look in the mirror. I cannot express the confidence and joy that I feel about myself. I hope that my story will give someone else the courage to move forward and be helped by these wonderful doctors and life changing surgery.
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