Before & After Gastric Bypass RNY with Kevin, losing 220lbs!
January 10, 2017Celebrating Kevin's Before & After Gastric Bypass RNY Journey!
I’ve been struggling with my weight since elementary school. I was the fat kid; the fat teenager and then became the fat adult. I tried Weight Watchers, Adkins, Slim Fast and several other diets. The weight would come off only to come back again.
For years, I considered myself “fat but healthy” but when I reached my 40’s my health issues began to occur. I developed high blood pressure, pre-diabetes and sleep apnea just to name a few. My weight issues also began to impact my job. I was always tired and started falling to sleep at work. When traveling, I had to request two plane seats. I could not enjoy myself in public because I was always self-conscious about fitting in chairs and being able to get up. My hips and joints would hurt so I could no longer walk long distances.
I had several “aha moments” telling me it was time to lose weight. I broke a chair while having lunch at my favorite restaurant. I could not fasten the roller coaster seat belt so I had to struggle out of the seat and shamefully exit the ride. There was an incident where I had to call the paramedics because I could not get off the floor after putting on my shoes. That is when I knew it was time to take action and do something about my weight.
On January 25, 2010, I attended Kaiser’s Weight Loss Options class. The class discussed various options for losing weight which included weight loss surgeries (WLS). Patients had to complete a 12-week course before being considered for any WLS procedures. Did I sign up for the class? No. I just wasn’t ready.
Then I had my life-changing aha moment. My vascular surgeon diagnosed me with lymphedema of the legs. Lymphedema is a condition in which the lymph nodes are damaged and fluid is retained causing mild to severe swelling of the affected limb(s). My legs kept swelling up very bad and my doctor first thought it was just fluid retention due to my high blood pressure. The swelling was actually due to lymphedema. The lymph nodes in my legs were probably damaged due to my excessive weight.
So, on June 18, 2010, I attended my first WLS class. I weighed in at 419 pounds. I completed the class in September 2010 and then met with my WLS doctor. I was considering the Gastric Sleeve but my doctor recommended the RNY Gastric Bypass procedure because I had so much weight to lose. I took his advice and went with RNY. The process took a few months but after 12 weeks of classes, various medical tests, and a psychiatric evaluation, my WLS journey was about to begin. On February 8, 2011, I had my gastric bypass surgery.
Before & After Gastric Bypass RNY
OH Username: Berduboy
Total Weight Loss: 220 pounds
Surgical Procedure: Gastric Bypass RNY
Surgery Date: 2/8/2011
Surgeon's Name: Dr. David Suh
I was not afraid of having surgery. I have a high pain tolerance and I felt confident with my surgeon and my decision. The surgery went well but I noticed that something was not right. I could not hold down any fluids and kept hiccupping. My surgeon ordered an ultrasound and he discovered a hernia. So the next day, I was back in surgery to have my hernia repaired.
As I was coming out from the anesthesia, I became a little agitated but my awesome nurse got me to relax and soon I was back in my room. That was my only complication. Once my hernia was repaired, the hiccups were gone, and I was able to hold down all fluids. I went home a few days after the hernia surgery and that is when the real challenges began.
During my first week out, I did not have any difficulty adhering to the strict soft diet that mostly consisted of low-fat yogurt, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, and tuna. I could only eat two ounces four times a day. I continued drinking my protein supplements and taking my vitamins.
All was well, and then I developed “buyer’s remorse”. I kept thinking; why did I do this to my body! I went online looking up WLS reversal to see if that was even possible. During my research, I realized that those feelings were normal and many people share the same experience. Once those feelings subsidized, I began to focus and embrace my decision. Within in a few weeks, the pounds began to come off.
As my weight dropped, my motivation and my will to succeed increased. In the next couple of months, I graduated to solid foods along with fruits and vegetables. But I wasn’t really hungry. Then all of a sudden my appetite returned and I began to crave everything. I continued to follow my surgeon’s instructions to avoid any complications. I did cheat a few times but my stomach would quickly tell me to slow down. I “dumped“ a few times, usually due to eating something with too much sugar, but I did not put myself in that situation too often.
I knew that I had to become more active so I began walking. A coworker told me about a private gym with a personal trainer so I joined and began going three times a week. In March 2012, I had my one-year medical evaluation. I weighed 221 pounds! I had lost 198 pounds in one year! My blood work all came back normal. I was no longer considered pre-diabetic and my blood pressure was normal.
I am five years out, 48 years old and feel fantastic. My lowest weight was 198 pounds and I’m currently staying within 209-214. My biggest struggle is bread, Mc Donald’s fries and making time to work out. I accepted a promotion last year and due to the new commute, my workout schedule had to be modified.
Regain is my biggest fear so I continue to reach out to my OH family for advice and support. My next goal is to have surgery to remove the excess skin. I plan on having a lower body lift and chest work done early 2017.
I am enjoying life every day and doing things I thought I would never be able to do. I am blessed that God has allowed me to have this second chance to live a healthier and longer life.
A Special Milestone/Non-Scale Victory
My special milestone was the day I weighed in at 198 pounds. I never thought I would be less than 200 pounds. That day, I finally was the skinny one!
I have several non-scales victories:
- My doctor also took me off of Warfarin (blood thinner) because a test showed that I no longer had an irregular heartbeat. For those of you that don’t already know, Warfarin is used to kill rats.
- I finally rode a rollercoaster again years after being told to get off the ride because the seat belt would not fasten.
- In 2011, I flew to Seattle to attend my first ObesityHelp National Conference and I did not have to buy two seats or use an extender.
- I can now eat in restaurant booths with no problem.
- I did a 2K walk for the March of Dimes.
- My most exciting non-scale victory was being given the opportunity to participate in a YouTube infomercial for New Whey liquid protein. I first met the New Whey representatives in October 2012, at the ObesityHelp Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. They later contacted me and asked me if I wanted to represent their product in an online video. I agreed to do the video so New Whey flew me out to Florida and the rest is history. Check out my video! https://youtu.be/IYOK79H9Nqc
How has ObesityHelp.com been part of your journey?
I officially joined ObesityHelp.com in June 2011, a few months after I had my surgery. The online forums give me an opportunity to reach out to other WLS patients and discuss certain issues and concerns. For example, a few months out I was worried about drinking liquids too fast. Other ObesityHelp.com members quickly reassured me that everything was normal.
When I saw the advertisement for the 2011 Seattle ObesityHelp Conference, I really became intrigued. Is there really a conference for people like me? I took a chance, used some reward points and headed to Seattle. I had an awesome time and became friends with some fabulous individuals. The support and love was overwhelming. The highlight of the trip was meeting Cari De La Cruz and Dr. Connie Stapleton. They are both awesome speakers delivering important messages. I purchased Dr. Stapleton’s book but left it in the rental car. I messaged Cari to tell her what happened. A few days later, I received a signed copy of the book from Dr. Stapleton! I am proud to be a member of this OH Community and I hope that sharing my story will inspire others along their journey.
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