Success Stories

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Sleeve Revision

Success Stories

A Weight Loss Transformation, From the Inside Out: Teresa’s Endoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Revision Journey with True You

Growing up in a family faced with poverty, Teresa developed an unhealthy relationship with food that stayed with her for many years. Her family of five got by on food stamps, but it felt like there was never enough food in the house.

“I became overweight as a child because of the eating habits I developed during those years,” Teresa remembers. “I was conditioned to believe that I needed to eat any food that was available because it may not be there next time.”

Fortunately, times have improved for Teresa, 34, now a successful team leader for a real estate company in her current hometown of Jacksonville, Fla., where she lives with her husband and two dogs. However, it has taken a lot of work for Teresa to reach a healthy weight and change her thoughts and feelings about food.

BEFORE

AFTER

“I used to cover every inch of my body, even in the summer, with baggy pants and long sleeves, Now, I am proud to wear anything, short dresses and leggings included!”

Teresa

Unsuccessful Dieting Leads Teresa to VSG

In her early adult years, Teresa was doing well financially – which provided an abundance of food that was new to her, leading to weight gain. By age 23, Teresa had reached 320 pounds. After trying countless unsuccessful weight loss methods, including WeightWatchers®, the ketogenic (keto) diet, and counting calories, Teresa chose to have a laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG).

“All the dieting methods I tried would work for a while, but then I would plateau and start gaining the weight back again,” Teresa explains. “I now realize that there is a lot of inaccurate information out there about losing weight, and I never had a doctor or skilled nutritionist who could provide me with the expert guidance I needed to be successful.”

While Teresa’s VSG went well and helped her drop to 165 pounds, she still had not addressed the issues that developed during childhood.

“It was a mistake to rely on VSG while not dealing with any of my underlying emotional issues or my unhealthy relationship with food,” Teresa says. “In fact, I didn’t make any emotional or mental changes, so I fell victim to the transfer addiction that is often linked to VSG. Specifically for me it was alcoholism.”

Ready for a Change, Teresa Chooses Gastric Sleeve Revision with True You

After completing a consultation that she describes as efficient and easy, Teresa quickly committed to having a gastric sleeve revision with True You. She had her introductory phone call with the staff around August 2022, and by October 2022, she was arriving in Atlanta for her procedure with her doctor, one of the country’s first dedicated bariatric endoscopists. The purpose of the gastric sleeve revision is to tighten the original sleeve created during a previous vertical sleeve gastrectomy using sutures to help patients lose weight and stop weight regain after bariatric surgery.

Sleeve Revision

Success Stories

Teresa - Before

"I was conditioned to believe that I needed to eat any food that was available because it may not be there next time."

Sleeve Revision

Success Stories

Teresa - After

"True You made a huge difference in my life, and I cannot thank them enough."

STATS AT A GLANCE

Top Non-Scale Victories:

Teresa Feels Confident in the True You Team

Prior to her procedure, Teresa joined the True You community Facebook group so she could read about other’s experiences and gain support and advice. By the time she arrived in Atlanta, Teresa was not nervous at all, only excited. Due to her prior discussions with her doctor and her Facebook community, she knew exactly what to expect. She felt even more comfortable when she met face-to-face with the nurses and staff.

“Everyone was incredible, and the facility was so nice,” Teresa remembers. “I had a wonderful experience, and the procedure went really well.”

Compared to the long, difficult recovery she experienced with VSG, Teresa’s recovery was seamless. Since this was her second attempt at a weight loss procedure, Teresa also felt motivated to follow every instruction that was given to her.

“I was desperate to change my body and move on to the next chapter of my life,” Teresa remembers. “I wanted to do everything the right way, and I listened to every word said by my care team so I could achieve the best results possible.”

Endoscopic Sleeve Revision is an Extraordinary Success for Teresa

Teresa’s hard work and determination soon paid off, because just three months after her procedure, she had lost an incredible 40 pounds. her doctor called her weight loss “extraordinary” and said it was “well above expectations.” As the pounds melted away, Teresa started to feel better. With the help of her nutritionist, Teresa learned how to increase her energy by balancing her nutrient intake, and then she started to feel great. Meanwhile, she committed to therapy sessions so she could tackle her relationship with food, in addition to engaging in activities to enhance her emotional and spiritual health. Teresa spent time reading, writing, painting, and meditating.

Today, Teresa is down to 141 pounds – an 84-pound weight loss – and has been able to maintain this weight for a year. Her pre-hypertension has been completely resolved, and her anxiety and depression have improved as well. Teresa says her life has been transformed.

“My common denominator is willingness,” Teresa says. “I’ve made a lot of life changes – overcoming poverty, getting sober, and now losing all this weight. My belief is that I don’t know better than the experts. If I truly want something, I am going to work hard, follow all the rules, and listen to what the experts tell me to do. I’ve seen the consequences of letting things slip too far, and I refuse to allow weight gain to happen again.”

STATS AT A GLANCE

October 2022

Age

BMI

Before Weight

250 lbs.

July 2024

Age

BMI

Weight

145 lbs.

Teresa Focuses On Good Health & Life

One way Teresa’s life has changed relates to exercise. Prior to her weight loss, Teresa never exercised, and she was too embarrassed to set foot in a gym. However, upon advice from a friend, she started doing Pilates, and it’s now her passion. Taking a daily class has enhanced her body by toning muscles, firming up excess skin, and easing back pain.

“Without the weight loss, I never would have tried Pilates, and now I can’t imagine my life without it,” Teresa says. “It feels so good and it is so good for you. I was only three months in to doing Pilates, and people started to compliment me for how great I looked. Now, it’s an incredible feeling to know that my health, my future, and the things I want for my life are within my control.”

With the help of True You, Teresa has learned a lot about nutrition, especially regarding the negative impact of sugar on health. Better nutrition has helped Teresa maintain her weight, improve her mood, and sleep better. Additionally, Teresa is enjoying a new sense of self-confidence, which has allowed for many new opportunities in her life – including public speaking, something she says she’d have been too nervous to do before her weight loss.

In her new, slimmer body, Teresa enjoys each day to the fullest, without taking naps or sitting out like she used to. She loves to explore and travel, and she has more energy. Some of her favorite travel destinations include Asheville, N.C., and West Virginia, both mountainous areas that she can now navigate with ease. While she used to feel like an inconvenience to her travel partners because she couldn’t walk very far, now Teresa can be seen leading the group. Meanwhile, shopping and getting dressed are more enjoyable.

“I used to cover every inch of my body, even in the summer, with baggy pants and long sleeves,” Teresa says. “Now, I am proud to wear anything, short dresses and leggings included!”

“I used to cover every inch of my body, even in the summer, with baggy pants and long sleeves, Now, I am proud to wear anything, short dresses and leggings included!”

Teresa Looks Toward the Future & Feels Grateful for True You

In the future, Teresa will continue to find a healthy balance in her life. She says she never could have achieved her weight loss goals without the support of True You and the clinic’s community Facebook group.

“The True You team and my nutritionist were always supporting me, and I am happy to know I can continue to reach out to them for nutrition services, if I need to, for many years to come,” Teresa says. “They made a huge difference in my life, and I cannot thank them enough.”

COME FIND YOURSELF AT TRUE YOU FREEDOM IS WAITING