Has your weight bounced up and down over the years?

Are you worried about, or do you have some medical conditions that are directly related to being overweight?

I have been maintaining a 250 pound weight loss since 2006.

The following is my story of success after gastric banding surgery in 2004.

I have been fighting the fat war since I was 4 years old. I finally won the war, leaving only small skirmishes that crop up regularly. My friends tell me these little battles are what a “normal” person always deals with.

Just over five years ago, I was 424 pounds, had arthritis in my right knee, and had trouble walking across a parking lot. My asthma forced me to stop and catch my breath several times as I crossed a parking lot. I rented a scooter to be able to take my grand kids to Disneyland. I let my husband go into the market while I waited in the truck. People looked fearfully at me when I was getting on a plane, hoping I wasn’t sitting next to them. I had no life and no hope.

In March 2004, at 424 pounds, I had a hypertension crisis that got my attention. To this point, my arthritis, asthma, reflux, and sleep apnea had not yet been enough to make me take notice.

I have succeeded at most everything I have tried in life — I have a wonderful marriage of more than 40 years to my soul mate, a great daughter, four awesome grandchildren, and a successful business I built from scratch over 20 years ago. But I could NEVER get a handle on my weight for longer than five minutes.

On 5/28/2004, at 55 years old, I had life-changing, and life-saving lap band surgery. Within 28 months I had lost 250 pounds and made permanent lifestyle changes. Now, more than five years after surgery, I am holding at 175 pounds and loving it. I am off all my medications and move freely and vigorously through my new life.

With the help of this tool and a great support team I have reached a place where it is fun to go anywhere and try new things, and I actually enjoy looking at pictures of myself (well, most of the time).

The answer is unequivocally, yes,gastric banding works. The band has been the tool I have needed to help me make the permanent lifestyle changes that resulted in better health and a normal weight.!

As the old saying goes, information is power. If you are struggling with your weight, you deserve to have the information necessary you can make the best decision possible for you to have a richer life.

By: Sandi Henderson

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