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Lost 235lbs!!! Changed my life!!!
Nicki Braz
Spring hill, FL
-243lbs
I was very nervous about the health risks of any bariatric procedure. I researched for a very long time and found that Dr. Ortiz was more qualified than any of the local doctors. The price was much more affordable as well. Going so far was scary, but I read and spoke to others who had been and always got great stories so I decided to do it!
I was in a very abusive relationship for ten years. I had been thin, a cheerleader & in drill team in high school, but years of abuse and then losing my mom to a brutal murder brought me to a very unhealthy relationship with food. By the time I had my 2nd child, my weight had risen to over 300lbs. I tried for 7 years after finally breaking free from the abuse, to lose the weight. I tried every diet imaginable. Sometimes I lost weight, sometimes I didn’t, but either way, it never stayed off and usually I gained it back, plus more. I always saw my doctor twice a year and my blood work was always fairly normal, until one day it just wasn’t. I had done nothing different, just all of the sudden my doctor got my blood work results back and said it would be easier to tell me what wasn’t wrong than all that was. He said I would die, if I didn’t lose weight. At that point I had no choice. I had been researching so now I just needed to do it. It was the most comfortable and best experience of my life. The hospital environment and staff were amazing. I kept in contact through the years. I lost my first 100lbs in the next year and by Jan 2012 I had lost 235lbs. It’s now been almost 6 years and I have kept it off! I’m so excited to be healthy and comfortable again! I went skydiving in Feb 2015! One of my life’s dreams! I can’t wait to experience even more!
