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A Relationship Worth Having
Heidi Schmitz
Jul, 2020
Physicians: Seth Miller, MD
If you are struggling with obesity and other health-related problems because of your weight, you are not alone and it’s time to get help. Take the first step to living the life you have always imagined.
Visit lakelandweightlosscenter.com/onlineseminar to watch a free, online seminar and complete a short evaluation.
Having an unhealthy relationship with food doesn’t always mean being overweight. In fact, for most of 44-year-old Heidi Schmitz’s life she was considered underweight and was constantly eating to try increase her body mass. It was until undergoing a hysterectomy at age 30 that she began to gain weight at a rapid pace resulting from the hormone imbalance in her body. Before she knew it, it had gotten out of control.
While visiting Lake Tahoe in July 2019 for her cousin’s wedding, Heidi recalls wanting to try ziplining for the first time. After a gondola ride up to the top of the mountain, she learned the weight limit to ride the zipline was 275 pounds.
“I remember them making me get on a scale before I could put on the harness and seeing 289 appear on the scale,” said Heidi. “I had to walk back down in front of everyone waiting in line and felt so humiliated. From that day forward I vowed to never let my weight prevent me from doing anything.”
Shortly after returning from California, Heidi called her primary care provider and asked him to make a referral to the Lakeland Weight Loss Center. She attended a Lose Weight…Find Health seminar as a first step in the journey and knew right away this was the path she was meant to take.
“After attending the seminar, I knew I wanted to get started right away,” said Heidi. “I was ready to make a change.”
After an initial evaluation with bariatric surgeon, Seth Miller, MD, Heidi began attending six months of shared medical appointments which deliver patient education in a non-threatening environment with emotional support from group participants and health care providers. It was during these monthly sessions that Heidi realized she wasn’t alone on this journey.
“Obesity is so common in our world today and I really valued being able meet with other people who were going through the same struggles as I was,” said Heidi. “Without the education leading up to surgery I don’t think I would have had a clear picture of what I was getting myself into.”
Heidi formed a connection with three other women in the group who quickly bonded over their shared experience. They would text regularly with helpful tips or recipe suggestions. When it came time for surgery, three of the women had their procedures scheduled at Lakeland Hospital Niles on the same day.
“It happened sort of by chance that we were all in the hospital at the same time, but it was nice to be able to see each other when our surgeries were over and support one another during those first few difficult days,” said Heidi.
After discussing it with her family and friends and Dr. Miller, Heidi chose to undergo a vertical sleeve gastrectomy which makes your stomach smaller, so that you feel full a lot quicker. Overall, she is pleased with the experience.
“Dr. Miller has a very good bedside manner and I knew exactly what to expect going into surgery,” said Heidi. “I would give my entire care team five stars–it was a fantastic experience from start to finish.”
Since her surgery, Heidi has lost a total of 79 pounds. She no longer has to take medicine for high blood pressure and notices an overall increase in her mobility.
“I didn’t realize how much the extra weight was impacting my joints,” said Heidi. “I used to love hiking and riding my bike, but it had got to be really uncomfortable. Now I can do it with no problem.”
She is also focused on making healthier eating choices and limiting sugar in her diet. When she has questions or needs a little extra support, it’s helpful to know her friends from the Lakeland Weight Loss Center classes are only a text or phone call away.
“I would highly recommend this experience to anyone,” said Heidi. “There is nothing to be ashamed of. It simply means you care about your body and your health. There were certainly hard moments but anything this significant in your life isn’t going to be a walk in the park.”
Watch more of Heidi's story in the video below: