While we could tell you how safe and effective metabolic surgery is, with data to back us up, there’s something to be said for hearing about the experience from the patient’s point of view. Meet Stacy Masters, a patient of Dr. Sasse’s. Today, she’s sharing the story of her journey to a healthier, happier way of life.
Making a Change
Like many of the people Dr. Sasse sees, Stacy’s weight had lead to a number of health conditions and she was in a terrible cycle of ineffective dieting. “I had been on every diet imaginable but was unable to find lasting results and usually quickly regained any weight I’d lost,” she says. “I had been pre-diabetic for a long time, and had severe sleep apnea. My cholesterol was high and so were my triglycerides. Doing simple daily tasks started to feel like a chore and I decided I was too young to be in a body that ached every day. I decided I wanted to be a healthy role model for my children, and to live a long, healthy life.”
Stacy met Dr. Sasse before he opened his practice. “ I’d had a lap band done many years ago in another state, and he suggested that we take the band out and do VSG,” she says. “I was pretty apprehensive about another surgery, but he very calmly explained that it’s low risk and minimally invasive.” She was interested, but nervous about another procedure. It wasn’t something she was prepared to do at the time, but something Dr. Sasse said stayed with her. “He said, ‘if you were my sister, this is what I’d advise you to do,’ ” she remembers. “It took me a couple of years after our initial appointment to talk myself into it. When I was ready, I tracked Dr. Sasse down at his new practice, and he removed my lap band in 2017 and several months later performed my VSG.”
Once Stacy decided to move forward with the procedure, “those nerves quickly turned into excitement.” She says Dr. Sasse was very calming, and she took comfort in following his direction to the letter. “I strictly followed my pre-op diet and walked every day leading up to my surgery date,” she says. “I went to all of my pre-op classes and took tons of notes. I had no issues or complications following surgery, and I went back to work after five or six days.” Fast forward to today, and the difference is amazing. “I’m now living a very active lifestyle, including strength training and walking several times a week,” says Stacy. “My body is not uncomfortable or in pain and I truly feel better than I did 20 years ago!”
More than a Surgery
For so many people, metabolic surgery is far more than just surgery. It’s an opportunity for a happier, healthier life. “I think the best part of having metabolic surgery is learning to love myself,” Stacy shares. “I look in the mirror and genuinely like what I see. I will always be a work in progress, and I’ll never stop trying to be the best version of myself.”
To those finding themselves in the same place as Stacy was just a few years ago, she has some advice. “I absolutely recommend metabolic surgery and with Dr. Sasse. I would tell anyone considering the surgery that their only regret will be not doing it sooner. Dr. Sasse is top notch in his field, and his bedside manner makes you instantly comfortable around him.”
Stacy, congratulations on all your hard work! You deserve every bit of your success, and we wish you nothing but health and happiness going forward. Thanks for sharing your story.
