How This Former Weightlifter Lost 80 Pounds After GLP-1s Stopped Working
After trying diets and GLP-1 medications without lasting weight loss, former competitive weightlifter Dana Bichler (pictured above) lost more than 80 pounds following a minimally invasive procedure. Photo: Dana Bichler Former competitive weightlifter Dana Bichler lost more than 80 pounds after undergoing endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), a minimally invasive weight loss procedure. After…
Former competitive weightlifter Dana Bichler has lost more than 80 pounds after undergoing a minimally invasive endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) procedure. After struggling with weight regain despite dieting and trying GLP-1 medications, Bichler pursued ESG due to concerns about his obesity-related fatty liver disease. The procedure, performed at the University of Minnesota, involves suturing the stomach to create a smaller, narrower sleeve, limiting food intake without removing any portion of the stomach.
Bichler weighed around 260 pounds pre-procedure and now weighs 178 pounds. While ESG may be a good alternative to GLP-1 medications for those who don't achieve desired weight loss goals or have concerns about long-term medication use, it is not a replacement for obesity treatment, according to Boston Scientific's chief medical officer, Dr. Brian Dunkin.
After ESG, Bichler experienced depression and had to adjust to a new way of eating, but he now exercises four to five times a week and feels better than he has in 30 years.
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