Despite regular exercise and an active lifestyle, Jacqui V. was always a “chubby kid.”  Then college came around and just like many other college students, Jacqui fell victim to the freshman 15.  The five-day-a-week work-out routine took a backseat as homework piled up and soon Jacqui had surpassed the infamous freshman 15.  But her busy schedule and the excitement of studying abroad in France prevented her from dwelling on the problem.

Age:  27
Height: 5’4”
Bariatric surgery:  July of 2004, gastric bypass from 280 lbs. to 155, and then Dr. Katzen took off 18 lbs in the first surgery
Plastic surgery: first surgery in February of 2006

As Jacqui settled into her job after graduating college she realized the severity of the problem, she was no longer overweight but had transitioned into obesity and it seemed that it had happened in the blink of an eye. She had become engulfed in a cycle of bad eating habits and lack of physical activity that was easy to fall into but seemed impossible to break. She had managed to gain nearly 100 pounds in three years.

“I finally realized that the bad habits had caught up to me,” said Jacqui.  “The road from 200 pounds to 280 pounds seemed so short but once there I realized how difficult it was going to be to make it back.”

It was then that a family friend approached her about the possibility of gastric bypass and she immediately knew that was the answer.  As soon as she got insurance she scheduled the procedure which went without complication.  Jacqui went from 280 to 155 and felt great but the excess skin remained an issue.  She knew she needed surgery and wanted to find a doctor that she felt completely comfortable with and that understood her needs.  After interviews with seven different doctors, Jacqui was amazed by Dr. Katzen’s calmness and understanding that she knew she had found the right doctor.

After two surgeries and several procedures, including a circumferential body and medial thigh lift, abdominalplasty, liposuction on torso and legs, breast, arms and a bracheoplasty, Jacqui is 18 pounds lighter and back to being a social butterfly. She says her quality of life has improved tremendously.

“The scars fade away but the results and the perks that come with it will always be there,” said Jacqui.