HEALTH & WELLNESS

Feeling Better In Your Own Body

Sponsored by Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center

Registered Nurse Laura Falvey, who was born and raised in Northern Virginia, knew weight loss surgery was a tool that could help her get healthy.

One year after surgery, she was down 100 pounds from her highest weight. “It was for me just losing weight and feeling better in my body when I do things,” says Falvey, who had gastric sleeve with Dr. Denis Halmi, Bariatric Surgeon and Medical Director at Sentara Weight Loss Surgery Center in Woodbridge. “Being able to walk up five flights of steps and not feel winded and exhausted, whereas before I wouldn’t be able to do that.”

Laura Falvey

No Easy Way Out

“Surgery certainly is not the easy way out,” says Falvey. “It’s a tool to help you with your weight loss. Being dedicated to all the things that you want to succeed in, and the things that you learned prior to having surgery, and then putting that into practice afterwards is where you get the weight loss from. I stick to my high protein, lots of veggies, fruits, and water, and making sure I’m keep that fluid up. And then exercising. When I exercise at home, my daughter’s usually right there with me and following everything that I’m doing, which is great because it’s that example for her. And that’s what I love the most is, you know, she sees this, she sees the good habits and she can take those into her life.”

Taking The Next Step

“If you are ready to take this step in your weight loss to make yourself healthier, to really commit to the process, I would totally recommend Sentara for that,” says Falvey. “A Bariatric Center of Excellence, it’s important to have that. You know they specialize in bariatrics and that you’re going to get the best care…so if you’ve been thinking about it…the best thing for you to do is go get a consult. Care that you’re going to receive at Sentara is going to be excellent.” Halmi, who has more than 20 years of experience with the surgical treatment of morbid obesity has seen thousands of patients who have struggled with weight loss. “Most patients, when they come to us, they’ve been struggling for many years,” says Halmi. “They’ve tried different diets; they go on different plans…but eventually they end up regaining the weight or not being able to lose the amount they want to lose. I usually tell patients that once you try losing weight on your own or on a diet plan, and if you fail, don’t give up because that’s the worst thing you can do. You need to do something, and surgery is here to help you.”

Wishing They Had Started Sooner

“We will help you,” says Halmi. “Don’t delay and don’t give up. Many people tell us that the only thing they regret, when we talk later, is not to do this sooner. Once they make that first step, then suddenly everything changes. They see this hope, they see this possibility that they can get back to a more healthy life. And the other good thing with the surgery is that the results come very quickly. So, patients experience a very steady weight loss. This is very motivating because many times people go on these very difficult diet plans or exercise plans, and they don’t see a lot of results, and they get discouraged. With the surgery, month after month, they see the weight getting lower and lower. So, they just get more and more excited.” To learn more, visit sentara.com/WeightLossSurgery or call 703-523-1188 to speak with the Weight Loss Surgery Program Nurse Coordinator.

Falvey and her daughter, looking forward to more healthy years to come.