Abby Luce was tired of always being behind the camera. For years, she’d be the one taking the photos of her groups of friends, shying away from being in them because of her size. Eventually, after finding that exercise and countless ways of dieting didn’t help, it was time to take a more effective step – one she’d do all over again if needed. It was time for bariatric surgery.
“It’s been such a life changer in so many ways, and the program at Gundersen is just kick butt,” Abby says. “It’s super intense, but it’s intense for a reason.”
‘Do it now or never’
Abby, a Green Bay native, moved to La Crosse two years ago to be closer to family – specifically, one of her favorite cousins. She began settling into a new job, establishing relationships at work and developing close groups of friends – all critical pieces of the support system she says are needed to move ahead with this kind of surgery.
And it’s a surgery she knew well. A self-described Type A person, Abby did her research for nearly seven years, reading about the procedure, watching videos and scanning social media, which allowed her to connect with people around the country who’ve already gone on the journey she was curious about. They spoke about the highs and lows of the process, which helped Abby mentally prepare.
“With the surgery, you have to be in a somewhat good mindset, otherwise you won’t be successful because, it’s physical, but it’s a lot of mental that goes into it,” she says.
An otherwise healthy person, Abby finally decided she was ready for a journey of her own. She was tired of the swollen ankles and painful knees. She wanted to go shopping again – something she avoided – and she wanted to fit into jeans, which she couldn’t bring herself to wear for almost two years. And then there was a family history of health issues she wanted to skirt.
“There are so many things that could go wrong,” she says. “None of my numbers were showing anything; the only bad number was my weight.”
It was time.
“You have your support, you have your resources, you did the research. Do it now or never,” she says.
The process
When Abby moved to La Crosse, she began researching Gundersen Health System’s bariatric surgery program. Eventually, she connected with Josh Pfeiffer, MD, and from that meeting forward, she knew her best interests were at heart.
“It was great because I felt they were truly invested from the very first meeting,” Abby says. “They were like, ‘What’s best for you? What are you interested in?’”
The process begins at least six months out from the target surgery date. It’s filled with appointments, meeting a physician’s assistant, surgeon, dietician and other providers. Patients will also attend nutrition classes to learn about their relationship with food and how to adjust their diet and lifestyle to maximize the effectiveness of surgery.
“They really teach you how to shop, in a way, as well,” Abby says. “So, what to look at for labels, how to understand it, how to measure things out.”
Patients also meet with a psychologist to determine how to best be mentally prepared for the transformation their body will undergo and ensure that behavioral health support is in place if needed after surgery.
Once patients clear all evaluations and are approved by insurance, surgery is scheduled two weeks out, and during the run up, patients must follow a specific diet to prepare the body for a successful procedure. Each step in the process is vitally important.
“That’s one guideline I give everybody: listen to your surgeon,” Abby says. “Listen to what they tell you. Follow the rules, because if you’re not going to, there’s no point in going through the process.”
The road ahead
At her heaviest, Abby weighed 359 pounds and was 339 at her surgery date on Sept. 6, 2023. Now, she stands at 199 pounds, with a goal of reaching 185. By all accounts, her surgery was a success, but it didn’t come without hard work and strict adherence to her diet – and a few unusual changes.
Post-surgery, doctors spoke with Abby about what to expect and potential complications. For her, she hasn’t had an appetite since her surgery. In fact, many times, she has to schedule times to eat, or she simply won’t. And when she does, she’ll get a runny nose and hiccups, which is her body’s new way of telling her she’s full.
Abby, like all patients, was on a strict liquid diet for at least two weeks after surgery to allow the stomach to heal. She says this was the hardest part for her. What wasn’t necessarily difficult was the transition from what she ate before surgery to what she could eat after. It was more about quantity than anything, she says, and when she was tempted by a food that would no longer benefit her, she steered her mind back to her purpose.
“I was very much a binge eater or a comfort eater,” she says. “It was really more of a mindset of, this is how much you can eat, but also keeping your ‘why’ in front of you. Why did you do the surgery? Why are you trying to improve?”
Now, Abby can shop at clothing stores and fit into straight sizes, something she hasn’t been able to do since high school. Those are the kinds of goals to keep in mind, she says, not just the number of pounds lost.
And she’s never felt healthier.
“I have so much more energy, so much more excited about life,” she says. “I love taking pictures now, engaging with people. I have more self-confidence, too.”
Her success is a model held up for others considering bariatric surgery.
“Abby has had tremendous success in our program, and this speaks to her dedication and hard work,” says Dr. Pfeffer, who was Abby’s surgeon for her procedure.
Abby calls her experience in Gundersen’s program “5 star.”
“I’d talk to anyone about it,” she says. “I’ve never not felt supported, and that’s a huge thing. Everyone is always there.”
Getting started
If you’re interested in learning more about Gundersen’s bariatric surgery program, you can watch a free 12-minute online seminar at gundersenhealth.org/services/weight-loss-surgery/weight-loss-surgery-seminar, which will show you options and help decide if surgery is right for you. It’s a mandatory first step for anyone considering the procedure.
Additionally, those interested can take part in a live bariatric question-and-answer panel to talk with and ask questions of real Gundersen bariatric surgery patients. Learn more at gundersenhealth.org/events/life-after-bariatric-surgery-learn-from-those-whove-been-there.