Lydia DelRio is a New Reflections Success Story!

"I can tie my shoes, cross my legs, go up and down stairs, I can go dancing and I walk for hours. And I have enough energy to take care of my kids and handle two jobs!"

Looking back on her childhood, Lydia DelRio says that around the time she reached second grade, she had a weight problem. She says her entire family is overweight so she didn't feel out of place then or in the coming years.

She continued to grow and by the time she was in her 30's, Lydia weighed 289. She didn't realize that her excess weight was harming her health.

"I would never walk up stairs, I would tire easily, I had high blood pressure, I was in the stroke zone for years, I had sleep apnea. I couldn't get on the roller coaster at Disneyland, so I'd just buy more ice cream."

Eventually, however, she started to understand that her condition was also harming her everyday life.

"When I was alone and couldn't get up or tie my shoes, I would just sit until someone could help me. I felt confined; I couldn't be myself. Then when kids started tying my shoes, I started to realize I was a little too big and that I needed help."

Because both of her parents died of heart disease, Lydia started looking for a permanent solution to her weight problems. After seeing a New Reflections commercial she called the office and talked with Program Director Jana Hanson who told her that she was a candidate for weight-loss surgery.

"I drove from Las Vegas to Norwalk, had some basic tests and had the surgery. I was ready for a change!"

Lydia lost 100 pounds in the seven months after surgery and another 57 in the months that followed. She no longer needs medicine for high blood pressure, CPAP for sleep apnea and takes no medicines other than vitamins. Her life is now radically different.

"I can tie my shoes, cross my legs, go up and down stairs, I can go dancing and I walk for hours. And I have enough energy to take care of my seven kids and handle two jobs!"

One of those jobs is working security at concerts in Las Vegas. People recognize her from the New Reflections commercial and ask her about the surgery.

"Some of these people are famous and they're talking with me backstage like I'm a celebrity. It's so cool!"

Keep in mind that everyone is different; individual weight loss varies and all patients don't receive the same health benefits. The outcome of weight-loss surgery greatly depends on your determination to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle as well as your willingness to follow doctor's orders.

You'll have a much better sense of what to expect from weight-loss surgery if you come to one of our support group meetings and talk with our surgeon, our staff and our patients. Then you can make an informed decision on your next steps.