Liz Duggan's Story
I have struggled with my weight my entire life. I have gone on and off diets more times than I care to remember. As each year passed and after the birth of my son, I found it more and more difficult to shed the extra pounds. Each year my weight would increase by 7-10lbs. Every few months I would start a “new” diet. I could never stick to them because the pre-packaged food was awful, I was hungry (which made me grouchy), I would get overly tired or I would suffer from constant headaches.
In 2005, my doctor informed me that I was “Obese”. He explained that obesity is not just a cosmetic problem… it's a health hazard. Someone who is significantly overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as is a normal-weight person. This is because obesity has been linked to several serious medical conditions, including heart disease/stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, gallbladder disease/gallstones, osteoarthritis, gout and breathing problems- such as sleep apnea and asthma.
I went home and thought about what the doctor had said about what could happen if I did not make changes in my life. I was ready to make a change, but I wanted I wanted that change to be immediate. I elected to have gastric banding surgery. My starting weight was 223 pounds. After the surgery, I dropped down to 150 pounds in a relatively short time period. I was happy with the physical results and maintained the weight loss for about 2 years. The “band” was a good tool to prevent me from over eating (which kept the weight down) but it did not teach me how to eat in a healthy manner.
One day after an early morning workout everything changed. As I was getting ready for work I experienced the worse pain I have ever had in my life. It felt like someone was stabbing me through my rib cage and piercing my stomach. The pain was so bad that my sister called my lap band doctor. He informed her that she should immediately take me to the surgery center. If you are wondering why I did not go to my primary doctor or an emergency room, well the answer is simple. Gastric Banding patients can’t be treated in ER’s unless they have had all the fluid removed from their band. Doctors are not able to perform necessary test.
My lap band doctor was not able to isolate the issue… so he told me to go see my primary physician. My primary physician ordered a ton of test and was not able to identify what was causing the pain. Over the next 5 months, I was tested for almost everything you can think of and no one could tell me what was wrong. The pain was constant. After months of expensive test, visits with multiple doctors and exploratory surgery a brilliant doctor determined that the root cause of the pain was a nerve trapped in scar tissue that occurred as a result of the gastric banding procedure/surgery. After 6 weeks of painful therapy, the doctor was able to break up the scar tissue enough to “release the nerve”. By this time, I had gained back most of the weight I had previously lost. I went back to my lap band doctor to “get refilled” and he informed me that my “band” had been damaged since he last saw me and that the only way it would work again was to have another surgery.
I knew I needed to take a different approach. I needed something that would help me be healthier for the rest of my life. I tried for almost a year to lose the weight I had gained back. Through diet and exercise, I managed to get back down to 180 lbs… then the weight loss stalled. I could not seem to get “over the hump”.
My sister had just completed a round of the Dr. Teds program and experienced AMAZING results. Being skeptical, I asked how the diet was and she said it’s not really a diet. It is a life style change. She said that going through the diet helped her realize the importance of making smart choices when it came to food and she went on to say that was the best plan she had ever done. Something inside me clicked… When she went back for a second round, I decided to do the plan with her. It was the best decision I ever made!
I did not lose all my weight in one cycle- but that was ok. What impressed me the most was that during my maintenance phases I did not gain back weight. Now keep in mind, my maintenance phase was over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years! The diet (when followed correctly) in combination with the HCG proved to be the perfect combination for success.
As the pounds on the scale dropped, my energy level increased. As my energy level increased my mood seemed more elevated and stable. As my mood stabilized, I found myself more willing to participate in social activities that I previously was not interested in. Having a better attitude/mood and more self confidence has made a positive impact on both my personal and professional life.
Every time someone asks “how did you do it?” I tell them it was simple- I followed the HCG Program. I lost almost 60lbs and have easily been able to keep the weigh off. I have reached my “goal weight” at 121lbs. I have a healthy BMI for the first time in my adult life. I am full of energy and overall feel great!
My only regret is that I did not know about this program years ago.
Mike's story is really significant for me because he is the gentlemen who introduced to the HCG protocol to Stacy and I. When I saw him in the gym at the beginning of basketball season, I couldn't believe how much weight he had lost - it did not even look like him. He told me about the diet and suggested that I could lose just as much weight by the time basketball season was over. Stacy and I paid he, and his lovely wife, Shana, a visit one evening in the Fall and they laid out the protocol and their experiences for us. Of course, you know what happened, but if it was not for Mike Acquisto, I may have never discovered how to regain control of my health and fitness and also had the opportunity or courage to venture into this small business. I am most appreciative of him for encouraging Stacy and I to start the drops and for also allowing me to share his story and pictures with others. I'm sure you'll agree his transformation is astonishing.
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| September 2010 |
Wayne Cruchelow's Story
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