INDIANAPOLIS — In this Check Up 13, we're sharing an inspiring weight loss success story. Meet Amy Losee, an Indianapolis mom who decided to make a permanent change after years of struggling with her weight.
The journey
Losee spent much of her life caring for others, often neglecting her own health and well-being. At 237 pounds, the mom of three had tried various diets, including Atkins, Weight Watchers, and newer injectable medications. However, these solutions only provided temporary results, and she would often regain the weight.
"I spent that time taking care of everybody else and hiding in my own shell of my own body. And I decided finally that it was going to be about me, and I was going to take care of myself," Losee said.
Frustrated with the cycle of losing and regaining weight, Losee began researching more permanent solutions. This led her to consider gastric bypass surgery with Dr. Christopher Crawford at Ascension St. Vincent.
The surgery
Crawford addresses a common misconception about laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. He emphasizes that it's not an easy way out, but rather a viable option for long-term weight management.
"Probably the number one misconception is that this is cheating or somehow the easy way out. What we've really learned about the metabolism and how your body handles weight is that this is not cheating. Nor does it sit as the easy way out," Crawford said. "People who have long-term success with bariatric surgery have to put in the same kind of hard work that other people do having weight loss with simply diet and lifestyle changes."
The results
One year after her surgery, Losee now weighs 150 pounds. She shares that the biggest victory is not the physical transformation but the mental and emotional benefits.
"It was more mental, to be quite honest. The physical part of it has been a benefit, but the mental piece, I can't put into words. I can't describe how much better it's made me feel," Losee said.
Crawford highlights that most patients do exceptionally well with the surgery. Many, like Losee, find the recovery process less demanding than anticipated and wish they had opted for the surgery sooner.
"The vast majority of people do really well with this. And they come and tell me that this was not as physically demanding in terms of our recovery process that they thought it might be — and they had had concerns about it — but then everything turned out quite well, and they wish they had done this much sooner," Crawford said.
Learn more
You can learn more about weight loss options at a free bariatric seminar, courtesy of Check Up 13 and Ascension St. Vincent.