At the beginning of my journey I weighed 421 pounds. Currently I weigh 198 pounds which is around a 200 pound loss. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.

Before I had my surgery. I was so overweight that I could not enjoy life. I struggled with a variety of medical issues. I had sleep apnea, high blood pressure, an enlarged heart, and I had Acid Reflux Disease. I also had quite a lot of things that were going on in addition to all the medical issues that I had – I was extremely ashamed of how I looked. I was afraid to get out into society to create a life for myself. I essentially became a prisoner in my own home which was one of the saddest things that I ever did to myself. For that reason I really regret that I didn’t pursue getting bariatric surgery sooner.

For several reasons I had considered having bariatric surgery but for every reason I could think of to have it I could find 19 things why I shouldn’t. I was visiting with one of my doctors and he had suggested that I have bariatric surgery. And I sat there and thought, well, maybe this would be a good thing. He happened to have one of Dr. Ganta’s business cards, so after a few weeks of thinking about it I got the courage enough to call the office and set up an appointment with him. Before I came to see Dr. Ganta, I searched his background, his education and his expertise and he was A+ all the way. I was so impressed with his education including extra training and bariatric surgery and that told me he was the one that I should consider having him do my surgery. This was a life altering decision and I needed someone that really had an upper hand on how to do the procedures. The first time I went to see Dr. Ganta I’ll tell you I was very nervous because I was not sure how he would react to my size and my weight and my medical conditions. But after talking with him for just a few minutes he put me a total ease and he showed that he was very compassionate and very much in tune to what my needs were going to be. We discussed lots of different options. We came up with the Duodenal Switch being that I was so overweight that he needed to do a procedure that would have the biggest punch for what I wanted to get and would be the most lasting.

I’ve been working with Dr. Ganta for about four and a half years and he’s been with me every step of my journey along with his staff at a AIBL. He is compassionate, and he is strict – I will not lie – but he only does it for your benefit. He has made my life so much different now than it was, more accountable to what I do, what I eat, how I take care of myself. And with that accountability, I think that has been why I’ve succeeded in what I have achieved. He gave me the tools and he’s also taught me how to use those tools.

Having the decision to do bariatric surgery will be one of the most important decisions you will ever make. In most cases bariatric surgery is not reversible, so you will have to live with your decision. I would say if you’re battling obesity I would definitely consider using Dr. Ganta. Again, he is compassionate and very passionate about what he does. He is up to date on all of the latest medical trends. He strives so much to please and make your experience positive. I would definitely give him a chance to explain himself and present what he has to offer you and your family because a weight loss journey is not just you; it’s your family. And he has totally changed how I relate to my family and how my family relates to me. And again it was the best decision of my life. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Having bariatric surgery was one of my most profound and also one of my scariest decisions I’d ever had to make in my life. Dr. Ganta and his staff have. Personally helped me through this journey in the last four and a half years. He has taken me from an individual who had multiple health issues and has brought me full circle to a person that’s happy, healthy, and enjoys life.

I am eternally grateful for his work. I cannot express how wonderful Dr. Ganta is. He has been an angel that has been sent to me, and every night I say our prayers and he’s on the list of those I want to pray for.