DENVER (KDVR) — Lindsey Gyger’s before and after photos show a dramatic change. The registered nurse and mother of two had gastric sleeve surgery two years ago and lost more than 100 pounds.
“I just tell everybody that it completely changed my life,” Gyger said.
She adds that she tried diets, workouts and medical weight loss and nothing seemed to work until she had bariatric surgery.
“I feel more myself and I don’t have that lingering feeling of self-consciousness,” she said.
Plus, the health issues that Gyger was experiencing due to the weight are resolving.
“My cholesterol has gone down to normal. My husband is grateful I don’t snore anymore, you know my blood pressure is low normal,” she said.
Dr. Frank Chae was her surgeon at the Denver Center for Bariatric Surgery at Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree.
“Obesity is a disease, it’s not some sort of a lifestyle choice,” Chae said.
He said patients with a body mass index of 30+ can talk to their doctor about surgical options.
“The vast majority of the patients in the U.S. either have an option of the gastric sleeve and the gastric bypass, which offer safe effective outcomes, and those two have been the most studied,” Chae said.
Once the weight comes off, he said patients can live longer and have a better quality of life.
“People have lived longer due to a dramatic reduction in death due to heart attack, stroke, diabetes and cancer,” he said.
Gyger is glad she made the change for herself and her family.