Cruising To A Healthy Weight
June 3, 2013Before & After: Featuring Mike Strom
I’m Mike Strom. By the time I turned 30, I weighed more than 200 pounds. When I topped out at 292 at the age of 46, I knew I needed help. Help came in the form of gastric bypass surgery at Franciscan Center for Weight Management.
At first, my wife was worried about the surgery. But, with a painful skin condition called psoriasis, as well as a type of arthritis that accompanies it – never mind feeling like my head would explode when I reached down to tie my shoes – I was ready to feel better. Plus, I had elevated liver enzymes and was on my way to a diagnosis of diabetes.
Today at age 50, I have maintained a healthy weight of 184 for two-and-a-half years–a weight loss of nearly 110 pounds. My psoriasis is all but gone, and I have cut my arthritis medication in half. I have more energy to run my computer business and go on hikes with my wife. My liver enzymes are normal, too.
Maybe the most surprising result of my surgery is the decrease in my appetite. My wife and I went on a cruise just three months after my surgery, and I just didn’t want to eat. I can get out and enjoy life a lot more – and it’s great!
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