Amber Ditched Weight Loss Meds for a Long-Term Solution to Maintain a Healthy Weight

8/20/2025

Amber, at 42 years old, 306 pounds and 5’7” tall, is one of many people who could no longer access prescription weight-loss medication after it became unavailable for people without diabetes.

“After I gained and lost 90 pounds three separate times, I asked for surgery,” she says. “It was awful, trying to work at that weight. My mom had surgery with Dr. Burpee about 25 years ago, and she’s 76 and doing great. She can out-walk anybody.”

Amber didn’t want to keep bouncing dramatically from one weight to another, and she wanted to avoid obesity-related disease – so she committed to sticking with the surgical weight loss program at Northwest Bariatric and Foregut Surgery. She appreciated the way Dr. Burpee and the team helped her work through all the steps, including insurance and evaluations.

“It’s been an amazing journey,” she says. “I didn’t have any side effects, and was good to go and get on with my life. It was a breeze.”

These days, Amber is enjoying traveling adventures whenever and wherever she can.

“Travel is much easier – I don’t have to worry about fitting places anymore,” she says. “I feel so much better now.”

To learn more about surgical weight loss at Northwest Healthcare, or to request an appointment, please visit https://www.healthiertucson.com/bariatric-weight-loss.

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