Before & After DS with Kim’s 165 Pound Weight Loss!
June 21, 2016Celebrating Kim's Journey Before & After DS (Duodenal Switch)
My weight has always been an issue. I remember as a child, though not obese, never being as thin as most of the other kids. I was always self-conscious about my body.
My real struggle with obesity came after the birth of my daughter. I did not lose much of my weight after her birth and continued to gain more each year. I tried every diet out there. I had some success, losing 60 pounds a couple of times, only to gain it all back plus more.
When I was in my 30’s, I found out that I had hypothyroidism. Even after starting on a thyroid regimen, my weight still wouldn’t come off. My blood pressure was getting too high, my body hurt all of the time, and I was miserable. I couldn’t believe it, but I weighed just over 300 pounds. I saw myself in a photo one day and couldn’t believe it was me and it broke my heart.
Before & After DS
OH Username: KimmyDS
Weight Loss Total: 165 pounds
Surgery Type: Duodenal Switch
Date of Surgery: 8/12/13
Your Surgeon's Name: Dr. David Greenbaum
Several years before my surgery, my brother-in-law had the Duodenal Switch. My sister then decided to have the same surgery and they both had great success. Watching the weight loss transformation of my brother-in-law and sister has been very inspiring. After seeking a lot of information and with the encouragement of my sister, I made the decision to pursue bariatric surgery. I knew the risks but felt that the rewards of my health being restored and feeling better far surpassed the risks.
As I researched bariatric surgeons, I wasn't able to find a local surgeon that performed the DS because many surgeons will not perform the DS procedure. I traveled from South Carolina to New Jersey to have surgery with my sister’s surgeon, Dr. David Greenbaum. Dr. Greenbaum, his staff, and the Virtua hospital staff were great, and they took good care of me. I never experienced any complications, and everything has gone very well since having my surgery.
As WLS post-ops will tell you, weight loss surgery is a tool and it is not magic. You still have to work at it, do your part, eat right and make good choices to continue to be successful. I have worked to maintain my weight loss, and I am almost 3 years post-op. My only regret is that I didn’t do this years ago!
Special Milestones
One of the best benefits of having weight loss surgery is being healthier and feeling better. I have yet to run any marathons but maybe that’s still yet to come. It is amazing how much obesity affects your life. I feel so much better - physically and emotionally.
The smaller milestones mean so much to me. Just a few are:
- Being able to cross my legs
- Shopping at the department store without having to go to the Women's section
- Getting on a ride at a theme park without having to worry if the bar is going to be able to come down
- Not being embarrassed to be in a photograph
How has ObesityHelp.com been a part of your journey?
ObesityHelp has been a great help to me and others through all stages of weight loss. It helps us gain knowledge, continue to learn and help us along the way. It is an encouragement to share with other bariatric patients as we share our journeys together. I hope that my journey serves as an inspiration to other members just as I was inspired by other members' successes.
Share Your Before & After Success!
Do you have Before & Afters, special milestones and non-scale victories from your journey that you’d like to share? The OH team wants to hear from you! Visit our Before & After Submission page for details.
