I finally stopped the excuses and started living!
Leslie Flores
Wanship , UT
-156lbs
After diligent research and driving down to meet with Dr. Ortiz, I knew he was my doctor! I’ll never forget that first meeting with him and his exact words “You are at a point of no return.” That sounds harsh, but honestly it was the truth, and his manner was everything but harsh. I like the fact that I didn’t get the same spiel most doctors give. I’m a straightforward person and like that approach and appreciate it!
Know this: I’m not one to usually write reviews and such, but I vividly remember searching the net religiously before choosing to have the sleeve and choosing Dr. Ortiz. If this helps even one person to make that final leap of faith, well then, this will be worth it! I want anyone who is struggling with weight to understand that there is help while it’s not a guarantee of being skinny or never gaining weight back it’s definitely a much needed tool that with your efforts of changing eating habits you will succeed! Here’s a little about myself: I had the sleeve at 30 years old 9/9/15 my highest recorded weight was 355LBS (7/24/15) that was my 1st consult with Dr. Ortiz (I drove down to Tijuana before choosing him as my doctor) surgery day (9/9/15) I weighed in at 312LBS and today (6/9/16) 9 month’s to the day I’m beyond ecstatic to report I’m 199LBS!! My whole life I’ve been obese and struggled with weight except for a brief moment in high school I decided to lose weight fast and dangerously and got down to 123LBS! Me 123LBS you would think I was happy but I wasn’t I still struggled with self image (youth is wasted on the dumb) anyways I ballooned up to 300+ after high school and the scale just kept climbing! I love food and love to eat that will never change sadly once you have those habits they never go away but with the sleeve I no longer feel deprived! I literally starved myself to lose weight people don’t understand when you are that big your stomach can hold an enormous amount of food! Now with my small pouch it’s so much easier to make better decisions I get full off 2oz of protein (chicken, steak, fish, etc)! Of course I can still eat anything I want (nothing makes me sick) but I make the effort to make the right decisions daily and allow myself to splurge here and there for me it works I cannot deprive myself of what I want! I can’t even begin to explain the little victories I have experienced along the way. Fitting into a plane seat comfortably! Actually using the plane seatbelt, fitting into movie seats or any other seat for that matter without the fear of it breaking! Getting up in the morning and not experiencing pain in my knees from all the weight I had been carrying for years! Buying department store undies! I’m sure you know what I mean! Those plus size stores panties were tents and cost like $10 each! Now I can buy a box for under $10!! They are cute comfy and have like 5 pairs! Ok sorry I’m rambling now. But know I would choose the OCC over and over again! Dr. Ortiz is simply the best at what he does I’m literally a baby I experienced no pain just a little nausea the day after but quickly felt better the following day and walked down the street cut and colored my hair! I have no side effects from surgery thank goodness and I can’t even begin to explain how good it feels to actual start living! I was always one to say “I’ll lose weight on my own” how naive I was! I wish I did this sooner and I wasn’t afraid of the stigma with weight loss surgery it’s definitely not a fix all but it’s a great tool that of you work it you will succeed! I’m living proof! Just like drug addiction they need help to get sober and it’s not frowned upon if someone checks into rehab (as it shouldn’t be) it’s applauded well Dr. Ortiz is our rehab food addiction is real and the sleeve is a tool that allows us to fight this addiction! Thank You for reading my rant and I hope it helped even one person! Best of luck on your journey!
