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16 Year Old Loses 140 Pounds & Gains New Lease On Life!
Michael Strawn
Seattle, WA
-140lbs
We could not find a doctor in the United States who would perform bariatric surgery on a teenager without having to go through years of a special program (and even then, the option to get bariatric surgery was not guaranteed). OCC was so professional, prepared, understanding, and caring and Dr. Ortiz was simply the best.
I had been overweight since age 4 and my weight kept going up. By age 16, I was 312 pounds and was having excruciating back pain every day. I felt like a prisoner in my own body, had no friends, and no hope for the future. The only thing doctors would say was, “eat right and exercise.” They made it seem like it was just a matter of simple self-control (even though obesity was genetic in my family).
About 5 years prior, my mom had gastric sleeve surgery done in Seattle, WA and had incredible results. But sadly, we could not find a place in the U.S. which would perform the surgery on a 16-year-old. The final straw was when we went on a family vacation to a lake where I was in so much pain, I had to pretty much miss out on every activity. I told my mom I couldn’t take it anymore and she said she had been following the success of OCC online and had talked to their staff several times over 3 years about my situation. My mom said she would do everything in her power to find me the help I needed.
We told OCC we had made the decision to move forward and they set us up with a virtual meeting with Dr. Ortiz within days. In fact, before our vacation was even over, my surgery was scheduled. I found the pre-surgery diet easy to follow and finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. When arrived in Tijuana, we were treated like gold. Everything was properly explained and my comfort and safety were clearly their top priority.
It only took a year to lose all 140 pounds and the kids at my school couldn’t believe their eyes! I started getting straight A’s, making friends, graduated with honors, and even started my own company, using my skills as a videographer. Now, I feel like a new person, inside and out. Before my surgery, I was tired and angry at the world having suffered for so long. I’m about to start college to study film production and have a long, healthy, and happy journey awaiting my participation every day. Thank you, OCC and Dr. Ortiz! You saved my life several times over.
Here is the YouTube link to my professionally made story: https://youtu.be/rF8xczV8-Zk
