Alyssa Reed Starting Weight before the surgery: 259 pounds. Weight approx 12-15 months after the surgery: 130 pounds.
		My name is Alyssa Reed and this is how I changed my life with the gastric bypass. I have been over weight and miserable for years. I have fluctuated between 195 pounds and at my highest of 298 pounds. I am currently 5’6“ tall and I weigh 130 pounds. After trying various liquid diet programs, weight loss shots, pills, and packaged diet food plans, I was finally at the end of my rope. I could no longer fit into movie theater seats, I could no longer shop for normal size clothing, I had avoided all family functions, and I would always have an excuse to never to go out wearing a bathing suit.

I started to develop physical problems from being so over weight. No matter what I tried I just could not keep the weight off. I am a mother of five, a beautiful girl, four handsome boys, and a loving and supportive husband. My weight has always been an issue with me. I had done some research and decided to go through with the GASTRIC BYPASS procedure. There were several doctors in my area that performed this surgery and after careful investigation there was only one doctor who stood out from the rest and is name is Dr. Dheeraj Bojwani in India. This was one of the biggest and hardest decisions I have ever had to make. What really made me decide to go through with this procedure was when I over heard my oldest son’s friend say to him “Gee — your mom is really fat.” This is when I picked up the phone and made the call to Forerunners Healthcare Consultants. I went to India DR Dheeraj Bojwani support was very pleased with the positive outlook he exuberated. He gave me hope for a thinner and healthier lifestyle; this surgery has changed my life forever. My surgery date was on Jan 20th, 2005. My pre-surgery weight was 260 pounds. To those of you who think this was the easy way out for me need to think again. After surgery, you do not diet. You have to change the way you think and eat for the rest of your life. This is a lifetime endeavor and it will not be over in just 6 months or so. I had eaten healthy and exercised every day since surgery. In 11 months, I had lost 130 pounds and I went from the big lady store to Nordstrom’s. I made it to a size 6, full of life, and now I am what I have always dreamed. My husband does have a difficult time keeping up with me, though he does try his best. To be a go anywhere, do anything, wife and mom I still cannot believe how good I feel. During my 11th month post-surgery, I became pregnant with my fifth child in Dec of 2005. I was so happy and yet so sad. I was terrified to once again gain this weight back. After all the hard work I had gone through to be successful with this procedure, I was getting fat once again. I did not even have the chance to reach my one-year anniversary. It was all worth it, for my first and only girl of five. This surgery has strengthened my self-esteem. I am proud of my success and I can't thank Dr Dheeraj Bojwani and the support group meetings enough for helping me focus on the important things in my life. I continued with the same program of eating well and watching my weight. During my pregnancy I gained a total of 41 pounds. My baby girl was born on September 2006 . She weighed 6 pounds 6 ounces and was a healthy, normal, beautiful girl. I continued to follow the program of eating right and exercising. One month later I had lost all the 41 pounds I had gained during my pregnancy. Nine months after the birth of my girl, I continue to maintain my weight loss. I still weigh in at 130 pounds in a size 6. I now feel I firmly have control over my weight. “I WISHED FOR IT, I DREAMED FOR IT, AND THANKS TO FORERUNNERS HEALTHCARE CONSULTANTS. I AM LIVING IT.”

I have been overweight since my early teens. Through the years I have been on every diet around including Weight Watchers, calorie counting, carbohydrate counting, Atkins. I have also been on diet pills which made me high strung and a little crazy. No matter what I did, I would initially lose weight but always gain it back plus a few pounds.

I started researching weight loss surgery in June 2005 and fortunately came across a web site of Forerunners Healthcare Consultants for the Lapland surgery. I had a conversation with Dr. Dheeraj Bojwani on phone he took the time to listen to my concerns and even supported my decision for the Lap Band over gastric bypass surgery. This was of great concern to me since I had heard stories of other physicians trying to convince patients to go for the gastric bypass.

I flew down to India where I quickly completed my pre-op testing (nutrition consult and psych evaluation) and was scheduled for surgery. Surgery went very well and I did not experience any complications. Through all the ups and downs, both emotional (as I adjusted to my new eating patterns) and physical, deciding to have the Lap Band surgery was the best decision I could ever have made for myself. Thanks to Dr. Dheeraj Bojwani and my decision to have the Lap band surgery, I finally look forward to shopping, swimming, doing things with my family and just enjoying life.

I decided to have surgery for weight loss because I felt like my body was dying. I had high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and severe back and joint pain. I was on 4 medications for BP and used a BIPAP to sleep. I was always tired and depressed. After reaching the lowest point my life as i weighed 343 pounds and suffered from chronic reflux disease which resulted in very bad heartburn even though I was on maximum medication.  At night acid would run out of the corners of my mouth and burn my lips and despite being told by surgeons that I needed surgery to correct the problems with my stomach they also said that with my weight it wouldn’t be possible.

I began a battle for some sort of weight reduction surgery when finally i stumbled upon an article on internet about a lady who had had this operation in India through Forerunners Healthcare Consultants made some enquiries and decided to book her operation through Forerunners Healthcare Consultants less than a month later and after numerous letters and e-mails to & from Dr Dheeraj Bojwani, I decided to Fly to India.

The whole process was trouble-free; everybody was very kind and helpful from Dr Dheeraj Bojwani to surgeon and all the other hospital staff.  I was never made to feel fat. My recovery was quick, but better still my heartburn was immediately 90% better and I was able to half my dose of medication.  I started to lose weight straight away and three months down the line.  Since the surgery I have lost 135 pounds. I am off all my BP meds and I no longer need the BIPAP for sleeping. I feel like my body is 20 years younger. I can walk with less pain and I can breate much easier. Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Surgery saved my life; can’t wait to go on a roller coaster! I don’t think I have enough words to express how happy I am with my surgery. Thank your Dr Dheeraj Bojwani and Forerunners Healthcare Consultants for saving my life!