Tatum had gastric sleeve surgery with Dr. Nicholson in July 2021. Since surgery, she has lost more than 75 pounds! This is her story.
Life Before Surgery
“Life before surgery was really hard mentally and physically. I was known as the fat funny friend at least that’s how I felt inside. I really hid behind clothes; I would feel like I looked like a “curtain” in some instances in large group settings etc. Although I know I am pretty it took a while for me to gain my confidence back. I decided to have surgery because I was having liver issues-leading to fatty liver disease due to my poor diet. Had I not made the decision to do so or lost the large amount of weight on my own I’m not sure where I would be exactly.”
The Nicholson Clinic Experience
“The Nicholson Clinic staff was great, and it was a very interesting process. It can be a little harder than it looks to complete the pre-op and post-op diets but I think if you change your mindset it really can work the way you need it to. Dr. Nick was great! I really dreaded afterwards though (he warned me of this prior) and the gas pains were the worst part for me.”
Life After Surgery
“Life now is much different. I am noticed more and I feel better mentally and physically. I believe I have lost close to 80 pounds. I have since been back to my liver doctor and the MRI showed that my weight loss has positively affected my liver. Obviously, my clothes are smaller, I have had to get an entire NEW wardrobe. It is a little harder sticking to a diet outside of being home. I am human and I definitely haven’t been perfect through the entire process eating wise, but overall I do try to stick with the recommendations offered.”
Joe had gastric sleeve surgery with Dr. Nicholson in August 2020. Since surgery, he has lost more than 135 pounds! This is his story.
Life Before Surgery
Life before my surgery was actually very similar to my current life (outside of my diet). But, I was at a place in my life where I was struggling with medical issues due to my weight and I knew I needed to prioritize my physical well-being. While setting out to conquer my physical well being I found that this surgery had just as great of an impact on my mental health as well!
The Nicholson Clinic Experience
Pre-Op, the Nicholson Clinic staff was VERY informative! Dr. Nicholson really made sure I understood just exactly the hard work and dedication that it would take for this to be successful after my surgery.
Post-Op, he continued to be very encouraging and caring for me and my well-being
Life After Surgery
Life now is amazing! My energy levels have skyrocketed and I feel more confident in myself and what I have to offer in this world! I have lost 137lbs, going from 370lbs to 233lbs! Both physically and emotionally I feel amazing. I have more energy, more confidence and am ready to take on the world! I am so grateful to the Nicholson Clinic, not only for performing the surgery, but for the clear instructions and support I received from them. For me, the true difference in keeping the weight off is remembering the conversation I had with Dr. Nicholson before surgery and holding myself accountable to follow through with their instructions!
Britney had gastric sleeve surgery with Dr. Nicholson in May 2021. Since surgery, she has lost more than 70 pounds. Britney shared some wisdom with other patients in our private Facebook group. She wrote, “This tool is NOT one size fits all! There are things that work for many of you but not me. The biggest thing that I can recommend is to not beat yourself up if you’ve hit a stall or are not dropping as quickly as others because you are not them! You are you and YOU WILL lose the weight, just be patient and eat your protein, drink your water and learn self love at every stage you’re in.”
This is her story.
Life Before Surgery
“I have been overweight most of my life growing up. I was never taught a good relationship with food. I ate all the wrong things and once out of high school wasn’t very active. The weight continued to creep up on me especially after having two kids. I found myself over 200 pounds when I first investigated having the sleeve surgery. I was miserable, my body hurt all the time and was unable to do simple things with my kids and wife because I was embarrassed of the way I looked and how easily worn out these activities made me. I was so sick of always feeling so bad and knew that this surgery was more than just weight loss, it is a tool that would help me regain my life as well as create new relationships with food. In March of 2021 I decided that for my 32nd birthday I was going to have sleeve surgery and start living life to the fullest.”
The Nicholson Clinic Experience
“Choosing the Nicholson Clinic was the second-best decision I made during this process. I researched several facilities/doctors in the Texas area. When I called the Nicholson Clinic I had a ton of questions, all of which were answered with ease and kindness. From start to finish the staff was beyond amazing and helpful. Any concerns I had were met with understanding and kindness. If you are struggling to decide which doctor is right for you, just set up a consultation with Dr. Nick. He is very professional and makes sure you have a clear understanding of the journey you’re about to be on. He takes the time to give you all the information to select the appropriate procedure.”
Life After Surgery
“I am now eight months into my new life and have lost 74 pounds. I went from a 15/16 to a size four in jeans and from a XXL to a small shirt. It has been an emotional rollercoaster of excitement. I wish I could say I was a brand-new woman, but I am not, I still have days where I struggle with my body image but the knowledge I have gained going through this journey is exactly what I needed to break the bad habits I made with food. With this tool, I’ve created healthier eating habits not only for me but for my family as well. I now have the confidence in exercising and doing the everyday things with my family that I once avoided. I take each day one step at a time and have learned to listen to my body as what works for some doesn’t always work for others. This tool is not one size fits all, we are all different and though our journeys will be similar we must learn what works for us individually to have a successful outcome. Stick to the basics but listen to YOUR body!”
Life Before Surgery
“Life before my surgery was getting really hard. My feet and legs were always hurting. My blood pressure, acid reflux, and prediabetes were just making life miserable, I just felt so lethargic and “yucky” all the time. I was always embarrassed to go anywhere, I was so self conscious of how I looked so I just started to stay home. I couldn’t play with my kids, I couldn’t move around very well, it was just hard all around.”
The Nicholson Clinic Experience
“The process with The Nicholson Clinic was wonderful! They made everything so easy. They answered all my questions about the surgery, the healing process, the life long changes that I needed to make and everything in-between. They were all so kind and knowledgeable. Dr. Roshek was very honest and confident in this surgery and how it would go. It went perfectly and the healing was quick!
“I had my sleeve surgery at The Surgicare Baylor in Garland, they were amazing! They took such great care of me, informed my family of everything I needed to know for when I got home and just provided excellent care.”
Life After Surgery
“This is the BEST thing I could have done for myself! I feel AMAZING! I’m confident, I go places, I play with my kids and we do all kinds of fun things now. My feet and legs no longer hurt, my acid reflux and pre diabetes is all gone. I feel like a new person! I would do it again a million times! I had surgery 7/09/2020 I have lost a total of 115 pounds, just amazing!”
Life Before Surgery
Life before surgery was rough but I still enjoyed life! I always want people to know that I was “happy” at a heavier weight but the weight definitely impacted my life. At my highest, I weighed 335lbs. I am 5’7” tall. I was always tired, had to request a seat belt extender every time I flew and couldn’t ride rides at amusement parks. I teach high school and take my seniors to Six Flags every year. I always lied and said I was scared of roller coasters. This past May, I rode the rides! It was the best feeling ever; second to being able to cross my legs all the time!
I choose the surgery simply to be healthier. While I don’t have my own children I have many nieces and nephews that I wanted to be around for. I also wanted to be healthier to indulge in my love of travel.
The Nicholson Clinic Experience
For me the process with Nicholson Clinic and Dr. Long was amazing. My insurance didn’t cover the surgery so being a cash patient it was much quicker. I made the conscious decision in March to investigate the surgery. Had a consultation sometime in May and surgery scheduled for July 9. I was traveling in June, otherwise it would have been sooner. The consults with all the required personnel were easy (met via Zoom during COVID), personable and they answered all the questions. I had my surgery at Baylor Surgicare in Garland and they were great! Nurses were very friendly and joking around before my surgery, and they were hands on after surgery. The PA I’ve seen for every Post-Op visit is the ABSOLUTE BEST! He genuinely cares, asks questions and makes sure he is as invested in this as I am! So so so encouraging!
Life After Surgery
Life now—that’s the million dollar question! It’s amazing! I won’t lie—there are days that mentally you question every piece of food that goes in your mouth. You question that one pound gain and freak out.
But…
I feel so good about myself (don’t get me wrong I felt great about myself before too!) I had no complications from surgery; I’m healthier; I can move quicker and further than before; I’m in clothes that I haven’t seen in decades and actually have to buy frequently because I’m still shrinking. I go to amusement parks; I wore a two piece to Vegas; no more seat belt extender on planes and just enjoy life. My disposition (probably because I’m not as tired) is much happier and noticeable by friends and family.
Hands down this was the best decision ever. Ultimately I’d like to lose a few more pounds but my body is happy right around 198-200.
After being diagnosed with PCOS and learning she would be unable to have a child of her own, Sarah underwent gastric sleeve surgery. A decision that changed her life in more ways than one. This is her story.
Life Before Surgery
“I was constantly sick, I would throw up every night and I was constantly hungry. I was diagnosed with PCOS and was informed that I was unable to have children. I was in constant pain and discomfort, it triggered self doubt within me.”
Sarah made the decision to contact Nicholson Clinic. After her consultation and tests, it was also determined that Sarah had a hiatal hernia that could be repaired at the same time as her gastric sleeve procedure. She had underwent surgery in 2016 with Dr. Roshek.
The Nicholson Clinic Experience
“Everyone was very friendly and proactive with me telling me they will take care of everything I just need to do my part. Within six months of having surgery, I was down 100 pounds and back to feeling myself.”
Life After Surgery
Following her procedure and weight loss, Sarah’s leg pain is gone. Her cycles were back to normal, and she finally started to live her life, even doing a little modeling! The biggest change for Sarah, however, is that she was able to have her own baby and is now the mother of a beautiful baby girl. “I’m very thankful that I had the surgery. My healing process went by very quickly and it’s just been amazing,” she says. “I have a baby girl, a loving husband and I’m on top of the world!”
In July 2020, Amanda made the decision to take control of her health. She had gastric sleeve surgery with Dr. Long. Since surgery, Amanda is down 70 pounds! This is her story.
Life Before Surgery
“Before surgery I tried many ‘diets’ and workout plans. These would work temporarily but never a long term solution. I would lose a little weight and then it would come back. I was very unhappy with my size. I really hated shopping! I reached out to an old high school friend that had the surgery to get more information. Her results were amazing and she referred me to the Nicholson Clinic.
The Nicholson Clinic Experience
Everything from the time I scheduled my initial appointment has been smooth. I feel like they just talked me through the process from the beginning and I never felt pressured. The staff has been helpful when needed. Dr. Long always made me feel comfortable and listened to me and some doctors just don’t do that. I feel like the staff really wanted to help me and I wasn’t just another patient for them.
Life After Surgery
Since surgery my life has been way different. I have lost just over 70 pounds. I am working out six days a week and have even started running! That was something I never would do before. We even do a timed mile in my workout class and I can run a nine-minute mile. I get told all the time how amazing I look and it just really makes me feel so good to hear those words from the people in my life. I am so grateful to Dr. Long and the Nicholson Clinic.
Life Before Surgery
“I’m a single mom of one son. After my divorce, I devoted all of my time to making sure my son was well taken care of, but in the process, I neglected myself. When my son graduated from high school, I decided to focus on getting my life back. My family has a history of high blood pressure and diabetes, and these are ailments I didn’t want. I had previously looked into having surgery but opted to try and do it on my own. But I found this task to be difficult, my eating habits were trash and physical activity was often a chore because the weight caused joint pain. Illness in late 2018, early 2019 had me at my heaviest of 315 pounds, mind you, I’m only 5’4. I reconsidered and decided to make a go at surgery.”
The Nicholson Clinic Experience
“My initial consultation was uneventful, as I had done the research and some of the surgery prerequisites previously before moving to Texas. Dr. Nick and the staff made the experience not only informative but eased my mind to no end. The entire process was so easy. The information provided during the process helped me to think of food differently and redirect my mind to a healthier lifestyle. I also think the process was somewhat easy, because I was READY for a change. Post-op was probably a little different for me than most because my process was in the midst of COVID. The staff kept in contact with me and was available to answer any questions or concerns. Dr. Nick and his staff are exceptional in how they cared for me.”
Life After Surgery
“Many think weight loss surgery is the easy way out, this is far from the truth. The process is more mental than anything. Not only has my journey been physical, but it has been emotional, in that I never realized how much I had neglected myself. It has also been spiritual in that I realized that I was made unique and that my journey is for me and me only. My purpose is to be a living example to show that self care is essential in being able to help others. Life now is fantabulous. I’m able to make better food choices and the highlight is being able to move and be active without pain. Seeing results is my motivation to keep pushing. So far, I’ve lost 87 pounds.”
Since having gastric sleeve surgery, Tracy is down 84 pounds! This is her story.
Life Before Surgery
“Life before surgery was exhausting to say the least. I felt uncomfortable in all my clothes and sleep was horrible. I guess overall I felt pretty insignificant. I decided to have surgery because of Covid. I didn’t want to be considered “high risk” because I was overweight.”
Nicholson Clinic Experience
“The pre-op staff was all great and supportive. I like that they had me speak with a nutritionist and/or psychologist prior to surgery to be sure that I was ready. Post-op staff checks on you after surgery and follow-up visits with the office staff have been great and very encouraging. My questions about vitamins or blood work are always addressed and explained.”
Life After Surgery
“So far I have dropped 84 pounds (8 months out). Everything is different physically. At 55, my knees don’t ache anymore, my lower back issues are gone, I have a ton more energy and I sleep like a well fed baby! Emotionally I’m learning to love myself and learning to have fun with my friends and family and not have it center on food. It’s hard and sometimes I still see the heavy lady and feel fat, but then I remember I’m not her anymore. I eat for nutrition now, not just because it tastes good. My energy is amazing, some saggy skin here and there but I think it may be manageable. Thank you Dr. Long and Nicholson Clinic!”
John has lost more than 100 pounds since having gastric sleeve surgery. This is his story.
Life Before Surgery
“I gradually gained weight over a six to seven year period till I hit my top weight of 327. At this point, I decided it was time for a change. I had done diets before and lost 30-35 pounds but nothing long term. My physical exercise had gone to zero, not even being able to enjoy a short walk with my wife. I had become sedentary without even knowing it.
“My personal ‘ah-ha’ moment was visiting my mother. She has a knee problem that has left it very hard for her to move easily. She had gained 60-70 pounds and was hardly moving. You could say that scared me into action. Knowing that I did not want to be without movement due to my weight in my later years. Shopping in the big and tall section for 4X shirts and 54-inch pants was embarrassing, which led to a lot of online ordering of poor fitting clothing. Being able to shop for a large shirt and 36-inch pants is much more enjoyable.”
The Nicholson Clinic Experience
“I had consulted with another weight loss doctor and felt the experience was very impersonal, with no real concern with the welfare of the patient, only the ability to perform the surgery and collect the fee. While visiting with Dr. Roshek, the one thing he said that resonated with me was that weight loss surgery was just a tool in the tool box. That without a commitment to a lifestyle change centered around food and exercise, surgery would be a waste. Also the fact that he told me up front not to get hung up on a number for weight loss. The challenge of losing five percent of your body weight before surgery was key in that it helped you prove to yourself that you can do it.
“Nicholson Clinic staff was very personable and non-judgmental. When you are so overweight for so long, you invent reasons not to do things and always think that someone else is judging you as a person that can’t handle themselves. At the Nicholson Clinic, I always felt like everyone there was behind me and willing to help at any point. Granted, I did not avail myself of the many support programs Nicholson Clinic offers, it was nice knowing they were there. Best thing about Dr. Roshek is that he always seemed confident in what I was doing, which in turn gave me confidence to be successful.”
My Weight Loss Journey
“One thing I did to help with my food intake was to keep a food diary in a small 4×2 paper binder. Just what I ate, when I ate it, the calorie count and the protein count. Each morning, I would tally the day before and see if it was a good day. If not, I would look to see what I needed to do differently to make it a good day. This helped me enormously along the way. I kept it for a solid year.
“On the day I decided to start losing the pre-surgery weight, I took measurements of myself, chest, stomach, thigh, neck so I would have some means of comparison. This is also something I would highly recommend to other weight loss surgery patients.”
Life After Surgery
“Life now is completely different. I have lost 109 pounds so far and continue to lose. I move much more easily, free of the little aches and pains. I walk three-to-five miles a day to keep myself going. I am able to work longer with more focus since I am not worried about how long I can stand/move.
“My wife introduces me as her “boyfriend,” which after 33 years of marriage is pretty cool. My parents see me and ask where the rest of me went! My energy level is off the chart, as my 28-year-old tells me that I am constantly moving and need something to do all the time. I like looking at the “guy in the mirror.” He has done well and will keep doing well for himself and his family.”
