Bariatric surgery: The Baria-life experience

This is the solution for obese people who cannot stay thin after losing weight, for those people who suffer from overweight-related diseases and for people who have psychosocial problems related to obesity. Bariatric surgery can help you obtain long-lasting results, since it limits the intake of food. In the past, this kind of surgery was made to patients who suffered from gastrointestinal ulcers. Since this procedure caused a considerable loss of weight, it started to be use on people who suffered from overweight. Over the years, and thanks to the great technology advances, techniques that are used in surgery have become more precise and postoperative periods less painful. The main difference between the first surgeries and the ones that started to be performed in the early 90s is that the former were performed through open techniques and wide wounds, whereas the later are performed through laparoscopic techniques, i.e. through small wounds or incisions. Severe clinical obesity has considerably grown in the past decades. Their permanence in the society implies a great medical, psychological and economic impact. If we stop for a minute to consider the responsibility that obesity has for different medical complications such as high blood pressure and diabetes type II, we may say that bariatric surgery is the last alternative, not to lose weight but to continue alive. For this reason, it is more and more common for people to choose bariatric surgery to recover their physical and psychological health. It is chosen all around the world and offered here in Argentina. It is one of the many specialties of Plenitas.com.

In order to learn more about this problem we decided to contact Jack and Tina, two American citizens who suffered from chronic overweight and suffered the consequences of this disease.

We found the solution in Argentina, in the hands of a specialist in Bariatric Surgery of Plenitas, Dr. Eduardo Alberto Babor.

Jack and Tina tell us how their lives have changed after the bariatric surgery
Scale going up and down

I met Jack and Tina at the Howard Johnson Buenos Aires Hotel. In the case of Tina, this is not her first trip to Argentina, last year she visited this country to have a bariatric surgery. “Back then I used to weigh 260 pounds” said Tina. She had severe health problems due to overweight. “We both had a poor health condition”. The scale would move down and right away it would move upwards. She kept gaining weight and it was starting to limit her daily life. “I wasn’t even able to tie my shoes”. Her lifestyle was becoming more and more sedentary. “I could not breathe. We used to walk a few blocks and right away we should stop to rest. We would stay home sitting in front of the TV all day long. We weren’t able to do anything.”

Obese people usually do not have a good response to traditional diets to lose weight. Jack and Tina found it very difficult not to gain the lost weight again. “The thing with Jack is that he has been a well-built person all his life. We have tried lots of diets. Everything from liquid diets to eating virtually nothing” Tina added. “Last April Jack got on a special diet. At first he lost weight, but then he recovered it quickly.”

“I couldn’t breathe…I couldn’t do anything”

A decision based on life quality

Tina used to weight 260 pounds when she decided to undergo surgery. It was a tough decision. Any person willing to undergo this surgery must understand its implications, must be informed about the procedure and the effects of this surgery. “I thought it out for a long time. I’m a nurse in the US, I knew I needed to be healthier urgently” Tina said. “After talking with many of my colleagues in the field of medicine I decided that this would be the best option”. Tina was determined to lose weight and be in a good health condition. On the other hand, Jack states: “I read the research work on which Tina based her decision. She did all the hard work; I saw how convinced she was about this and I decided to do the same”.
Both surgical cases were within the required parameters to undergo this surgery, their body mass index and health condition. So, once Tina decided to do it, she just needed to establish when, where and who was going to perform it. “I couldn’t afford this surgery in the US. Luckily, I found Plenitas and Dr. Babor and I said that’s where we are going!

They lost weight and gained hope

It’s been 8 months since Tina’s surgery. Today, she weighs 130 pounds. She has already had time to enjoy this change. This surgery was a turning point in her life, both physically and psychologically. Now, not only does she look better and feel more confident but also no longer has the physical limitations that used to prevent her from doing simple daily-life chores. “Now I can take care of my personal hygiene by myself” said Tina with tears in her eyes. Now we can have a glimpse at the lifestyle she used to have. The difficulties and obstacles that she had to overcome in every activity she engaged. Jack’s case was very similar: “I had to sit on the bed to put on my shoes and even though it was difficult to put them on because I could not bend without feeling short of breath.”
The impact generated by this surgery in the health condition of Tina turned out to be a considerable improvement in her quality of life. She started to feel filled with energy, she even engaged in new activities. “Now I can swim, walk and ride a bicycle. I can go up the stairs instead of using the elevator” Tina said. She clearly notices the change in her health condition and this has boosted her self-esteem considerably, which makes her more agile and willing to be in motion. “Now I can sit on the floor and play with my dogs, take them for a walk.” Moreover, in being healthier physically the risk of having overweight-related diseases decreased. “I don’t suffer from diabetes or high blood pressure anymore. Now my heart is so much stronger. Before the surgery I couldn’t do anything, not even breathe”.

“Now I can swim, walk and ride a bicycle…my heart is so much stronger… before the surgery I couldn’t do anything”

Life after surgery

Jack underwent surgery just a few days ago. He feels much better. “Dr. Babor was fantastic I feel really well.” I was very anxious to continue traveling across Argentina. “It’s the first time I visit this country and I love Buenos Aires.” Although this time Tina only came to be with his husband she said she is going to make good use of the trip and have a buttocks lift.
Meanwhile, both of them are planning their next visit to Argentina. “Next year we are coming back to Plenitas to have other procedures” said Tina. “Jack is going to have an abdominoplasty, Neck lift and a penile augmentation. I’m thinking about having an abdominoplasty and breast augmentation. We have already talked to the doctors who performed the surgeries and they told us that as soon as we are determined to do it they will gladly perform the surgeries”.
Now they have a wide variety of opportunities: Tina’s life has already started to change a while ago, you can notice that by only hearing her talking. She has told us some of their experiences, but she has kept to herself the most important ones to tell them then, she wants to share them with Jack. “Once Jack loses more weight we are planning to take a trip to Tahiti and Hawaii for two weeks. We are going scuba diving” Tina said. For the time being, they can tell us what they are planning to do in the near future. “We are going to ride our bicycles! Jack has a bicycle waiting for him in the US.”
It is absolutely clear that for them this is the beginning of a new life, filled with new projects and expectations. They’ve know each other for a long time, but they will discover each other again, in different physical and psychological conditions. They’ve lost a lot of weight and gain in quality of life. Now they only have to enjoy their lives, something that they sure know how to do pretty well.

Bariatric surgery in Plenitas.com