Laproscopic gastric bypass surgery gives new life to Milwaukee hairdresser

Milwaukee, WI

At age 37, local hairdresser Ann Marie Heim learned that if she didn't do something to improve her health, she would die by age 40. Heim suffered from morbid obesity for nearly 15 years and after undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery in 2002 has lost a remarkable 225 pounds. Thanks to the surgery, last month Heim turned 40 and feels better than she ever imagined.

An adopted child, Heim believes her biological mother was obese but concedes that despite healthy offerings from her parents, she ate whatever she wanted and constantly craved sugar. In her adult life, Heim suffered from severe weight induced diabetes for nearly 10 years. She constantly felt sick with physical aches and pains and had difficulty carrying her nearly 418 pounds around every day.

"My doctor said, 'I have nothing vested in you, you have nothing vested in me, but you should know that you are going to die.' He was cut and dry. He said, 'You need to take hold of your weight,'" Heim admits.

It was this honesty that Heim needed to begin looking into the options to save her life. Dr. Manfred Chiang at the Bariatric Institute of Wisconsin required Heim to complete months of clinically monitored exercise and diet before undergoing the surgery. More >>

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