"I became obese by dieting." This statement is shared by many of my patients. It seems that the more you diet, the more weight you gain. No matter how hard one tries to diet and lose weight, the minute you stop dieting you regain the weight you lost plus a few more. You are not alone! Many obese individuals share this fact.

You try to lose weight for different reasons, but there is a common goal we all share. We all want to live longer, happier, and healthier. However, obesity can slowly rob you of your health, your energy and your life. Swelling of the legs and painful joints keeps you from doing the things you once enjoyed. Keeping up with the kids or grand kids becomes increasingly more difficult. Even simple tasks like personal hygiene can be challenging at times because of obesity.

Not only do you have to deal with the physical challenges caused by obesity, but with each pound you gain you are at risk of developing diseases that can shorten our live such as diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, infertility and a host of other medical ailments. The sad truth is that if you are over weight it is only a matter of time before you develop some of these medical illness. Obesity can even take away the simple joy of fitting into your favorite pair of jeans!

Social stigmata associated with being over weight can be challenging also. Social pressure makes you feel unattractive, and with low self-esteem. Some times you may even experience difficulty at work. Obesity can rob you of our energy making you more tired and as a result produce less than you are capable of at your job.

Being obese also costs you money. How much have you spent in weight loss programs, diets, and exercise equipments? How much time and money have you lost because you were too tired to go to work? You also spend a lot of money in medicines to treat your obesity related diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and arthritis. Not to speak of the co-pays for your monthly doctor’s visits.

We have come a long ways in the surgical treatment of obesity. Obesity surgery does not have to be dangerous or extreme. We can now offer obese patients safer less risky procedures that can treat obesity effectively and with minimal complications. I have taken care of over weight individuals that come to me because they are beginning to lose their health. I have seen and experienced first hand how weight loss surgery have completely transformed the lives of these individuals. Following are some of the patients that have changed the course of their lives with weight loss surgery.