"About ten years ago I started gaining weight. During my puberty my weight increased rapidly. When I was 14 I started following different diets and taking pills. All these measures initially made me lose weight, but shortly after I gained even more weight.

This made me feel depressed, moreover because I did not know what was wrong with me. I experienced one anger attack after the other until I decided, back in 2001, to visit my physician. I weighed 123 kg. He confronted me with my obesity and suggested the possibility of gastric banding. Two years later, on 3 July 2003 I had my operation. In the weeks immediately following the operation I started losing weight. As I was losing weight, I felt more active, took up sports and went cycling with my children.

Before my operation, I weighed 123 kg, now I weigh 68 kg. 55 kg makes a world of difference. I can do household chores on my own, I feel like no mountain is too high, my no longer feel depressed and I look so much better. Gastric banding has truly saved my life."

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