Geneva was paid the ultimate compliment when a friend she had not seen in a year did not recognize her. Rather than be offended, Geneva was thrilled she had lost so much weight that she looked totally different. She felt like a completely new woman too since losing more than 100 pounds.  

Geneva credits the LAP-BAND^® adjustable gastric banding surgery she had at Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital with helping her drop from a size 20 to a size 8 after undergoing the procedure in September 2006. Today she has more energy to enjoy the activities she loves, which include going on long nature hikes with her husband. With her newfound energy, she now looks forward to going on bike rides, taking long walks or attending Pilate’s class.   

“Before surgery I had to take naps, and had problems with acid reflux and my knees,” explains Geneva. “Now my life had changed in so many ways with my appearance, self-esteem and energy level. My health issues are gone and I look forward to getting up every day, getting dressed and going to exercise. I am an absolutely, totally different person.”  

Before deciding on surgery Geneva tried many different diets, but would lose weight at the beginning only to gain it back plus more. “I was tired of being tired, my clothes didn’t fit and my knees hurt,” says Geneva. “That’s when I started looking into bariatric surgery.” Over the course of a year and a half, she talked to friends who had undergone the procedure and read everything she could find before deciding on LAP-BAND surgery. Today, Geneva is so enthusiastic about her success that she finds herself having to refrain from walking up to strangers to tell them about the surgery.  

Geneva has noticed other changes in her life since losing so much weight. Instead of getting out of breath on a treadmill after only 10 minutes, she can walk and even run without knee pain on the treadmill at the health club for over half an hour. She no longer fears fitting into airplane seats and does not have to shop for clothes in the large size section. After donating clothes that no longer fit to charity, she now has a new wardrobe and loves to shop.  

But some things have not changed. “My husband and I are very social people and we love to cook and eat out a lot,” says Geneva. “Even after having the procedure I still enjoy going to restaurants and eating what I want. The difference now is that I am satisfied when I eat one piece of pizza, not the whole thing.”  

Call Dee Siddens, certified bariatric nurse
coordinator, today at 281-949-3609 or e-mail her.  

LAP-BAND^® is a registered trademark of Allergan, Inc.  

As each case is different and must be independently evaluated and managed, actual weight loss will vary.