LOS ANGELES, April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As seen in a fascinating video on how to find the best doctor for weight loss surgery, the decision to undergo such a procedure can take a very long time. In the video, a patient named Kelly tells a touching, though familiar, story for those considering a lap band or sleeve gastrectomy that involves the years of struggle to lose and maintain weight. Interestingly, a personal recommendation helped Kelly decide to both obtain a surgery and find Michael Feiz, MD, FACS, expert in all types of bariatric medicine from lap band to sleeve gastrectomy and beyond.

Even Kelly's family wondered what had taken her so long to consider weight loss surgery. When speaking with her twin, she was asked, "What took you so long? I've been telling you about this forever, to do something extra because you're working so hard and nothing is working."

A dislike of doctors and procrastination on Kelly's part definitely contributed to her delayed action. This was until her supervisor at work discussed her personal experience with the gastric sleeve. "[She] actually is doing the same thing and she recommended me. She told me there was this great doctor she found, so I did a bunch of research on him and decided to go with him." That specific bariatric surgeon is, of course, Dr. Michael Feiz.

It's no surprise that a personal recommendation can have so much influence. It allows a prospective patient to get a personal account of their journey, as well as offer somebody to comfortably discuss the pros and cons of weight loss surgery. In Kelly's case, it allowed her to learn about Dr. Feiz beforehand and feel secure that she was in the best possible hands.

After chatting with her supervisor, her own research, and during a free consultation, she learned that Dr. Feiz began his career as a bariatric specialist, whereas many others in the field came to it later. She was also impressed to learn of his affiliation with Cedars-Sinai and the fact that he made her feel at ease, even giving Kelly his personal phone number. Today, Kelly is happy with her belated decision. "I know I'm going to kick myself," she says. "Why didn't I do this before? Why did I wait so long to do this?"

Recommendations have been a powerful motivator; in fact, Dr. Feiz has treated numerous family members of other patients. In one family, two sons opted for the gastric sleeve after seeing the success it brought to their parents. In another case, a loving couple decided to change their lives together, both opting for the gastric sleeve. Recently, on the Doctors television show, Dr. Feiz even performed a lap band to sleeve conversion on a mother and then gastric sleeves on her two grown daughters, all in the same day.

In addition to the support and counseling that Dr. Feiz and Associates provides, weight loss surgery with two or more family members helps inspire better fitness and nutritional choices. Most importantly, it can make patients feel like they have a close ally in their weight loss journey.

If you'd like to read personal testimonials about Dr. Feiz and Associates or schedule a free consultation with a specialist, give their office a call at 800-868-5946 or visit www.drfeiz.com today.

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SOURCE Dr. Feiz and Associates