Karen’s story “Obesity runs in the family,” Karen Widajewski explains. “I was extremely overweight, and before I got any major health problems, I wanted to get the weight off. I had high blood pressure and high cholesterol, but I didn’t want to develop diabetes or have both of my knees replaced like my sister, and she’s seven years younger than I am.”

Karen says she had no problem with weight loss; keeping it off, however, was the problem. “I’ve tried every diet there was,” Karen confides. You name it, I’ve been on it. I’ve been on everything, and I would yo-yo. I would get to a plateau, and I would just quit. Then I would get disgusted and I would start eating again.”

Karen finally decided that dieting was not the right option for her. After a doctor recommended that her sister try lap-band surgery, Karen began to investigate the procedure for herself. “I went to one of Dr. Beltre’s seminars and it was exactly what I was looking for,” Karen recalls. “They told you what all of the weight loss procedures were—the difference between the gastric bypass and the lap-band. They told us that the band was reversible and that the weight loss was slower but steadier than the bypass.” After the seminar, Karen scheduled a consultation with Dr. Beltre to discuss her options.

“I went in to Dr. Beltre’s office, and we had a nice long talk. I felt that he knew what he was doing, and I was very confident with him. My husband went through all of this with me, and he was very impressed. We both decided that the lap-band was what I needed.”

After losing fifty-five pounds, Karen says she is thrilled to have kept the weight off, and notes that the experience has been life-changing. “I’ve got another ten to fifteen to lose before I hit my goal,” Karen acknowledges, “but I have felt fantastic! I’ve had to get some new clothes. I’ve yo-yoed so many years of my life; I had clothes from size twelve to probably size 2s. Since I’ve lost the weight, I have gotten rid of all of my big clothes. I’m not going back up there. It feels good.”

Both my husband and I were very impressed with Dr. Beltre as a doctor, and his staff. It’s a great program. For people who really need this, it’s a fantastic way to lose weight.”