Patient Spotlight: Stacy
LIFE-CHANGING CARE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Hopeless. Defeated. Desperate. Ashamed. Afraid for my health. This was how I was feeling when I found my way to Dr. Michael Albert after my cardiologist had suggested I consider bariatric surgery. At the time, Dr. Albert, a brilliant young internist and board-certified obesity medicine specialist, was establishing the medical weight management program at Cedars-Sinai's renowned bariatric surgery center in Los Angeles, prior to co-founding Accomplish Health. Up until then, my understanding of obesity specialists was limited to the surgeons featured on shows like "My 600 Lb. Life." The existence of specialized, board-certified obesity medicine physicians (not surgeons) was a revelation to me and even to my cardiologist.
Dr. Albert changed my perception of obesity. He taught me that obesity is a complex chronic disease and that it wasn’t my fault. He helped me realize that my struggles with weight weren’t a personal failing but rather a consequence of my genetics and biology. His words freed me from the feelings of shame and hopelessness that had burdened me for decades. For the first time in a long while, with Dr. Albert’s compassionate care and expert guidance, I began to feel hopeful.
Working with Dr. Albert feels like having a supportive health collaborator and a brilliant best friend who genuinely cares about my well-being. I no longer feel lost or alone in navigating my health challenges. I’m incredibly grateful for Dr. Albert’s exceptional expertise and his deep passion for the science of medicine and his dedication to advocating for and helping individuals like myself. I'm also extremely thankful for his fierce determination to fight for my treatment (and win!), even in the face of obstacles imposed by insurance companies.
Dr. Albert's personalized treatment plan for me incorporates therapeutic nutritional guidance, lifestyle and behavioral therapy, and pharmacotherapy, including the use of GLP-1 medication. To my astonishment, the medication turned off a constant hunger switch in my brain that I had never even realized existed. I cried when sharing this breakthrough with my mom and three sisters, some of whom also struggle with obesity. It was a profound moment of realization that constant thoughts of food were not the norm, and for the first time, my body was no longer working against me as I pursued weight loss.
Thanks to the exceptional care provided by Dr. Albert and my incredible care team at Accomplish Health, I've accomplished a life-changing weight loss of 108 pounds without the need for surgery. Dr. Albert and Accomplish Health have completely transformed my world, enabling me to regain my health and reclaim my life. Today, I’m feeling hopeful, empowered, supported, strong, and healthy, and I’m excited about embracing life.
From my heart, I enthusiastically recommend Accomplish Health’s comprehensive and life-changing care to anyone struggling with obesity or other weight-related or cardiometabolic conditions. It is my sincere wish that everyone struggling with their weight can experience the profound gifts of hope and healing that Dr. Albert and Accomplish Health have given me. Each of us deserves access to compassionate and effective medical care that empowers us to live our best lives.
*Testimonial shared with permission and was written entirely by the patient without alteration
