Steve's Journey To Losing 173 lbs With The Sleeve Clinic

Steve lost 173 lbs after receiving life-changing bariatric surgery by Dr. Scott Gmora at the Sleeve Clinic in Toronto, Ontario.

Before sleeve surgery, Steve never had a healthy relationship with food. He struggled with high blood pressure, knee pain, and mobility issues. "Every time I lost 50 pounds, I gained 60 back. That's what happened over 20 years. It was a battle back and forth. My name was always Big Guy, and it was because that's the way I had been all my life."

Our team sat down with Steve to ask him a few questions about his weight loss journey with The Sleeve Clinic:

What fears did you have going in?
“After speaking to you, I felt so comfortable. I was like, OK, I'm done being scared. I found you, and there was no more fear factor. Everything was really comfortable.”

What does it feel like to have a gastric sleeve?
“I didn't have a whole lot of pain. My relationship with food changed. It's a tool to help me get to my goals. It's altered my cravings. If I have a stressful day, I don't need to go home and eat. I'm really comfortable with the decision I made. Because my stomach's still there. I still have a stomach, but it's just much smaller, and I'm learning how to build a relationship with food that is positive.”

How has your life changed since having a gastric sleeve?
“It's hard to comprehend. Now, especially with my needs, losing that 173 pounds. My knees don't hurt, and stairs are no longer an issue. You know, none of that is an issue. I love walking the dogs, and that's not a concern anymore. The difference between my sleep now and my sleep before is night and day. I don't think I ever got any deep sleep at all before, and I haven't snored since the day I had my surgery. I can have everything I used to have before. Like when we go for dinner, I have steak. I was still part of everything. I didn't feel left out. Now I take things to go when I can't finish them. It's my lunch tomorrow.”

Was it worth the cost?
“The reality factor is that I was 50 years old, thinking, do I live to 60 or 80? That was it. That was the decision. The financial aspect of it was a factor, but when I realized that it could be 20 years of my life, you're talking a very small percentage, a very small amount of money every year for the next 20 years.”

What advice do you have for people considering a sleeve?
“The reality factor is if you're ready, if you know in your heart that this is what you want to do, and you're willing to follow what you've been told, your life will change. I followed it to the letter. I didn't go into it thinking this is a diet. It's not a diet. It's a lifestyle change. I just changed my life.”

What has the aftercare been like?
“When I was told there was a five-year aftercare program, I knew that's what I wanted. This isn't a quick fix. It's not a magic pill. It's a whole combination of experiences. The aftercare program gives you peace of mind. It absolutely floored me, the kindness of the staff. It's like I was the only patient. They're all rooting for me there. One of my distributors had the surgery with a different clinic, and the difference between what he's going through and what I'm going through is night and day. He has zero aftercare. There is no response, no nothing, and he's talking to me about these ups and downs. And I'm referring to what your staff have told me. So, I turned into his aftercare. The way your staff do it, it's been fantastic.”

What are your thoughts on the exclusive online patient group?
“The exclusive online patient group is really helpful because it's a private group. If I have a question, it's probably going to be on there because the people in the group are going through it or are about to go through it. And your staff see our questions, and they respond. If they think there's something we should try instead, they let us know. It's a really interesting tool that I didn't know of prior, but I'm glad it's there.”

To learn more about the Sleeve Clinic, find Dr. Gmora on:
YouTube:    / @thesleeveclinic3555  
Instagram:   / sleeve_clinic  
Web: https://sleeveclinic.ca/gastric-sleev...
Email: [email protected]