Gastric Bypass Surgery Patient Stories

In 2010, when Kristen Hugus of Castle Shannon, Pa., enrolled in a UPMC research study that led to her undergoing gastric bypass surgery, she was 36, at her highest weight, and had been a patient diagnosed with type 2 diabetes since 2001.

Read Kristen Hugus's story

Whitney Resch always struggled with her weight — no matter how active she was or what weight-loss program she tried. But at 355 pounds, she realized her weight was holding her back from the life she wanted to live. Determined to become healthier, she turned to UPMC Bariatric Services and lost 142 pounds following gastric bypass surgery.

Read Whitney Resch's story

For Ken Schnur, a married father of two from Munhall, choosing to have gastric bypass surgery at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital was a life-changing — probably life-saving — decision. His job as an emergency dispatcher, which involved shift work and long hours sitting behind a desk taking calls, had taken its toll.

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Weight was never a big deal to Nicole Seal, a Monongahela native. At 5 feet, 7 inches, she was accustomed to the scale hovering between 215 and 230 pounds. Then she took a job in a personal care home working odd hours and night shifts. The weight started piling on.

Read Nicole Seal's story