Before & After RNY Gastric Bypass with Mysty
August 23, 2016Celebrating Mysty’s Before & After RNY Gastric Bypass Journey!
One of the main reasons that my first marriage ended was because I had gained weight. I had been "chubby" my whole life had lost weight before I got married, then gained a significant amount from the pregnancy with my son. There were some significant losses and trauma in my life after that, as well as a lot of personal struggle, that contributed to the obesity.
My now fiance and I got together almost four years ago. Because of the way my first marriage ended, I did not want to lose weight until I was in love with someone that accepted and loved me no matter what my body looked like, and I found that someone.
During the last few years, I spent a significant amount of time working on my emotional health. I was happy again, so it was time to work on my physical health. During the pre-op testing that I had to go through for weight loss surgery, I was diagnosed with Diabetes, and that was the moment that there was no turning back for me. I made the decision to have weight loss surgery, specifically the RNY Gastric Bypass.
Before & After RNY Gastric Bypass
OH Username: Mysty888
Weight Loss Total: 137 pounds
Surgery Type: RNY Gastric Bypass
Date of Surgery: 01/22/2015
Surgeon's Name: Dr. Julie Ellner
Surgery was not easy. I did not have any major complications, but there was a lot of pain, and recovery took a little longer than expected.
I am a very results-oriented, mathematical person. I weighed every morning and tracked every bite I ate. I made sure I got in all my protein and water. I admit, I struggled a little bit with the vitamins. Some months were very easy, and other times it seemed like the weight just did not want to come off. I started a new job that was much more active, and the weight just seemed to melt off after that.
The weight loss was not very noticeable on me until I had lost a significant amount. It seemed like I was still fat, until all of a sudden, I was skinny. I did not know that it was possible for my body to be as small as it is. I was hoping to be a size 12, and I am now a small 4.
I lost a lot of hair and that was particularly difficult for me. Its coming back in and I look forward to gaining length back. I have a decent amount of excess skin, which I will probably decide to have removed later, but that will wait.
My body shape has changed, my face looks completely different, and people do not recognize me. I feel good in my body, and I feel healthy.
The most important part of my journey, by far, was the change I inspired in my son. My son was 17 when I had surgery, and a senior in high school. He had been overweight his whole childhood, because the poor choices I had made with nutrition affected more than just myself.
It was three weeks after I had surgery, that my son started his weight loss journey. I had previously worked at Jenny Craig, so I knew how to help him.
I set him up with an age appropriate plan, which was high protein, 30% of calories from carbs, and 1800-2000 calories per day (appropriate for his age and size). He used protein shakes, ate lean meats and vegetables, and worked out everyday. He did not have surgery, but lost 85 pounds on his own!
The changes I saw in my son was by far the most precious NSV I could have ever asked for. It feels good to be healthy myself, but to know that my son has added many healthy years to his future has been the most rewarding by far.
I had a lot of support from my immediate family, and I would have never succeeded without them. Weight loss is by far one of the hardest things to accomplish, especially for those of us with an overwhelming amount of weight to lose. The inner drive, and support of those around us, is essential to staying focused in the long run.
Surgery was a tool. An extremely valuable tool, but also just a tool. I did not fully understand this until after surgery. It is very easy to mess up, and very easy to go back to old ways. The changes required in order to be successful are significant, and permanent. Giving up soda, carbs, cake, etc, was not easy, but it was necessary, and I am so grateful to myself for being able to do that. Surgery gave me the tool necessary to do that, and obesityhelp.com gave me the added support, and wealth of knowledge to help along the way.
In the beginning, the journey seemed insurmountable, and in the end, it seemed like it went by in a blink of an eye. It was difficult, exhausting, emotional, and I wanted to give up many times, but the pride I have in myself for completing it, is worth more than anything else in the world. The pride in the eyes of my fiance, my son, and my step-son is indescribable. The changes I have seen in my son, as he enters adulthood, is what I am most proud of by far.
A Special Milestone/Non-Scale Victory
In October, about 10 months after I had surgery, my boyfriend and I went on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera. I packed five bikinis. Five. Bikinis. I don't think I had ever worn a bikini in my adult life. I proudly wore each and every one of those at the pool on the boat and in each port on the beach.
At first, I was slightly self-conscious, but after the first day, I looked forward to feeling normal and not worrying about what anyone else thought when I removed the cover-up. I enjoyed myself, ate appropriately and came home the same weight I had left. I also came home with a ring and a fiance!
How has ObesityHelp.com been a part of your journey?
The support of the Obesityhelp.com community was essential in my journey. When those around me did not know what I was going through, those online did.
All of my questions were answered, and I watched others who had surgery around the same time as I did lose along with me. I did not always agree with the advice that was given or the way that it was given, but I did take what I needed, and offered my perspective as well. I got recipe ideas, motivation when I was lacking it, or help when I was just frustrated.
My Healthtracker was one of my favorite tools. I couldn't wait to log my weight everyday so that I could see the graph go down, thinking it would never get to that goal line, and then it did. The ticker in my signature also kept me motivated as I anxiously waited to see that number of pounds to go keep getting smaller, and the amount lost grow.
Share Your Before & After Success!
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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.
