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We asked one of our patients about her experience with Dr. Meadows’ medical weight loss program. This is her story…
“Hello. It’s me. All 234 lbs. of me. And it’s time.
My story is probably similar to many. I was thin and trim in my growing up years, and even managed to steer clear of gaining that ‘freshman 15’ in college. In my early adult years, I added a few pounds each year, but nothing that seemed significant at the time. Those pounds kind of snuck up on me. I dieted some, exercised some, and my weight fluctuated here and there, but mostly the scale went up, not down.
Then I got married and started having kids.
With each pregnancy, I gained somewhere between 10-20 lbs. With the necessity of a c-section with each child (and the recovery that followed), and having several children in relatively quick succession, I found that I was too tired and busy to focus on my weight. What energy I had was spent resting, healing, and then entirely on others… with very little focus on taking care of myself. Before I knew what had happened, it happened. I became the woman that I swore when I was younger that I would never become: the woman who ‘let herself go.’
Each January, I toyed with the idea of getting serious about weight loss, but it seemed like a lot of hard work that I still didn’t feel I had time for. I convinced myself that I didn’t really care. And for a long time, it was a non-issue, but each year I gained a few more pounds. From a health perspective, I used to feel invincible, but to my surprise, with both age and weight advancing, I found I had aches, pains, complete lack of energy, and health issues that couldn’t be ignored. I had to face the reality that all of this was due to my weight. I needed to do something about it, but I dreaded it and was in full procrastination mode.
And then I heard about Braley.
Braley wasn’t some random, anonymous woman whose story was published in a magazine, who may or may not have actually lost weight. Braley’s real. Braley is local, and she actually did lose the weight… quite a bit of it. Her story of her incredible transformation with 105+ lb. weight loss (WOW.) was so inspiring… and it seemed so doable. I was so impressed with her willingness to share both her story and pictures of her weight loss journey. Her energy and optimism were so contagious.
After hearing Braley’s story and seeing her before/after pictures, I decided to follow in her footsteps and try Dr. Meadows’ medical weight loss program. I was ready to shed the excess weight and feel like myself again!
On my first visit to Meadows Surgical Arts, I sat in the waiting room for just a couple of minutes, and the lady sitting next to me started to chat. She said, “I wish they could just start at my neck and work their way down.” She was looking for a transformation, and I thought, “Well, why not?” Meadows Surgical Arts has a well-earned, rock-solid reputation for amazing transformations… so this was the right place, right time.
Almost immediately, it was my turn, and I followed Caitlin, Dr. Meadows’ nurse, to the back. I stepped on the scale, thoroughly embarrassed that another human being was going to witness whatever weight the scale would come up with. I don’t tell anyone my weight. So the number on the scale climbed and climbed and climbed… and landed on 234. My heaviest ever. I didn’t even weigh this much when I was 9 months pregnant with my largest child. Sigh. I was mortified, but to cover my embarrassment, I started chatting with Caitlin. Was I hoping she wouldn’t have noticed? I didn’t even want to acknowledge that she was actually going to write it down. It turns out that I cared a lot more about my weight gain than I had previously allowed myself to believe.
Still mortified at the number on the scale, but undaunted in my determination to take care of business this time, I followed Caitlin to one of the consultation rooms, where she outlined the details of Dr. Meadows medical weight loss plan. I decided that the plan was doable, and I decided to opt in for weekly B12 injections. I received a months’ worth of medication, was advised to drink lots of water, and was given my first B12 injection (which, for those who don’t like needles, was hardly noticeable and virtually pain-free).
And so my journey began! Like Braley, I didn’t do anything different in the first month: I took the medication, and I had weekly B12 injections. That’s it. To my surprise, the medicine actually worked (did I think it wouldn’t?); I found that I wasn’t all that hungry, even at times when I knew I should have been ravenous. Food became less of an issue for me… I ate when I needed to eat, not when I was bored. I didn’t change what I was eating, just noticed that while I didn’t consciously eat less, my portions got smaller as my appetite diminished. I went to the Meadows Surgical Arts office in Buford on a weekly basis, and the staff there were amazing; they were compassionate, incredibly helpful, and enthusiastic about the possibilities. They seemed like my own personal cheerleaders.
I was thrilled with the results! I lost eleven pounds in one month! That was the easiest weight loss ever. I felt more energized, and I wasn’t in pain all the time. And even though the silhouette of my body didn’t change significantly, I could tell it was shrinking. I immediately noticed that my belt was too loose, and for the first time in years, I had to tighten it up. My jeans started to actually fit, rather than feeling like I was stuffed in a size too small. My feet and ankles were less swollen, and all of a sudden my shoes fit much better. When I walked, I felt just a little more free, less encumbered by all the excess weight. It was working!
In the interest of full disclosure, I did notice a side effect of the medication: I felt thirsty all the time. My mouth felt dry. Caitlin had mentioned this as a common side effect. The appetite suppressants will boost your metabolism, and the fluid will burn off more quickly than you are used to, so I was advised that I must increase my water intake. So I had to up the ante on drinking water, which has always been a struggle for me. It was drink, or deal with a very dry mouth… so I’m working on increasing my water intake.
I’m loving the results I have experienced on this program! Weight loss, increased energy, and becoming pain free… I could never have imagined that I would be experiencing such great results so quickly. I’m so excited about this journey! I feel motivated now to take it to the next level. The increase in energy, coupled with the freedom of shedding some of this weight, has made me feel like I want to start exercising… something that has never been a priority for me. I also think it’s time to take a closer look at what I’m eating, and see what I can change in that area in order to fast-track the weight loss even more. I don’t want to stall! I’m embracing this experience, and excited about the days, weeks, and months ahead. This is my time… and I’m not going to squander it. I have a goal. And for the first time in a really long time, I actually think that my goal is attainable.
Anyone want to join me?
If you’re interested in medical weight loss and want to join me for this incredible ride:
Looking for specials on medical weight loss, or other procedures and treatments? Check out our current specials here and in the store here.
