Losing weight is a big challenge—nearly an obsession—for a lot of people who are so hung up on becoming thin.
However for a number of individuals, their reason goes beyond the physical appearance. “I could have died had I not decided to make some drastic measures to shed several kilos,” said the 54-year-old Anna Poco, who used to weigh 83.3 kilograms 10 years ago.
Poco is the country’s first patient to undergo Lap-Band procedure, which involves placing a silicone band (or ring) around the upper part of the stomach through minimally invasive, or laparoscopic, surgery.
“Back in 2004, even though the procedure was just being introduced here, it already has many success stories abroad. Considering there were no other less invasive options, we were able to convince Poco that this 30-minute procedure would change her life,” said general and cosmetic surgeon Ferdinand Samonte of the De Los Santos Medical Center in Quezon City, who pioneered the procedure in the country.
Samonte reminisced that when he first saw Poco, she already had type 2 diabetes, elevated cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. “These conditions make heart disease or stroke more likely. Moreover, she already felt sluggish and experienced joint pains as a result of having a weight that is way over the ideal,” he said.
Obesity is considered one of the leading causes of life-threatening diseases. Being morbidly obese can compromise one’s health, shorten life and even cause death.
Samonte trained under world-renowned experts Prof. Paul O’Brien, who heads the Centre for Bariatric Surgery in Melbourne, and Dr. Ariel Ortiz Lagardere, who was one of America’s “Top 15 Bariatric Surgeons” named by Newsweek magazine.
‘More lasting solution’
Poco said: “Before the procedure, I am one of those people who are very motivated to lose weight. I even shed several kilos but then, inevitably, gradually, I regained the weight. I needed a more lasting solution.”
After the Lap-Band procedure, Poco regularly visited Samonte, who has a team of other experts who would take care of her diet and exercise regimen. Ten years later and after losing 12.7 kg, she attested feeling much better and a lot healthier.
“I no longer have to take so many medicines since the ailments I used to suffer from were no longer present. I could not have enjoyed this had I not followed what Dr. Samonte told me after the procedure: Eating the proper food, doing exercise and making regular follow-up visits with my doctors,” Poco said.
Samonte further explained that the Lap-Band System not only reduces the stomach’s capacity to hold food but also allows one to eat less considering that person will already “feel full” even after eating just a small amount of food. “The Lap-Band is completely reversible should the patient no longer need it,” he said.
Anna also related that at 54 she already survived breast cancer. “I have a deep-seated joy in my heart knowing that I would never be fat again. All those years that I looked like a jolly, fat person, I was really miserable inside.”
She added: “The cancer that I had was obesity-related. After surviving cancer, I prioritized health … to feel and look good.” Anna now enjoys doing physically-challenging activities like mountaineering, a hobby she never even dreamt of doing when she was severely obese.
A study by the American Heart Association found that being overweight increases one’s chances of developing cancer by 50 percent. Women have a higher risk of developing cancer if they are more than 9 kg overweight. Moreover, a new study at the University of Oxford in England now suggests that obesity may raise the risk of dying from early-stage breast cancer for some women.
Indeed, her success story became an inspiration for her sister Antonia Lugtu, who in 2009 also underwent Lap-Band surgery. “I decided to have the Lap-Band because my weight kept on going up and it even reached 77 kg,” said Lugtu, who now weighs just 48 kg.
The Lap-Band procedure is a registered trademark of Allergan Inc., which was recently acquired by Apollo Endosurgery.