Before & After RNY – Steve & Suzy’s 233lbs Weight Loss!
July 19, 2016Steve and Suzy are sharing their Before & After RNY journeys losing a combined 233 pounds!
Celebrating Steve’s Journey Before & After RNY!
I started having trouble with my weight as a child, I was always a little heavy. I struggled but kept my weight under control until I was in my mid-twenties. I joined the United States Navy and continued to struggle with my weight. After I got out of the Navy, I started putting weight on a little bit every year.
By the time I was 35 years old, I was very heavy. I tried all sorts of diets and weight loss plans, however, it seemed that no matter how hard I tried, I kept putting on more weight than I would lose.
After years of failures and a growing list of medical problems, I decided to look into weight loss surgery. It was overwhelming at first so I discussed it with my wife, Suzy, who also had problems with her weight and health. The life changes and the thought of weight loss surgery was overwhelming. We decided it too scary and dangerous and wasn’t for us. We buried our heads in the sand and struggled on.
A few years later our lives were drastically changed! We were very fortunate! We were able to adopt our daughter, Haylee. She brought a great deal of joy and life into our lives! She also brought to the forefront how bad our weight and medical problems had become.
After a great deal of research and soul searching, Suzy and I readdressed the weight loss surgery options. Our primary care physician set up a referral to a bariatric surgeon. After meeting Dr. Benjamin Shadle, we went to one of his pre-surgery forums. He answered all of our questions and helped alleviate all of our concerns. We decided to move forward with the RNY Gastric Bypass WLS.
Steve's Before & After RNY WLS
Total Weight Lost: 120 pounds lost
Surgery Type: RNY Gastric Bypass
Surgery Date: 03/13/2014
Surgeon: Dr. Benjamin Shadle
My surgical experience was great! Dr. Shadle is an amazing man, and a great and caring surgeon. Dr. Shadle and his staff prepared me mentally for everything that I experienced. He discussed the entire process in-depth from the pre and post-surgery diet, mandatory weight loss appointments at the Hernried Clinic and the psychological evaluation needed to proceed with the surgery.
In addition, we discussed everything to expect before, during and after surgery. He explained the diet requirements, the time potentially needed for recovery, and the expectations for weight loss. Dr. Shadle also provides a forum before and after surgery for continued support, having meetings to stay connected for support with other pre-op patients as well as post-op patients. This was very reassuring and made me (us) very comfortable moving forward.
As far as my surgery itself, it went as smooth as could ever be hoped for. I was not nervous going into the operating room because I was confident in my surgeon and the WLS procedure I was having. I do not remember going to sleep, however, I remember waking up afterward and feeling very little pain and it was limited to the incision sites. The only real discomfort I experienced was an ache in my shoulders, like after a long day working in the yard. I never had to take any of the prescribed pain medications, as I was never in any real discomfort.
I had surgery on a Thursday, came home the next morning and went to work on my regular scheduled work day of Tuesday. I was moving a little slow to be careful but nobody at work could tell that I had just had surgery. My recovery went very well with no complications.
I had to learn what my body liked and disliked eating. Eating out was a new adventure. I discovered that a lot of my old favorites no longer had any appeal to me, and I developed new favorites (still love Sushi, though). I drank a lot of protein shakes to ensure that I got my protein in every day.
The weight started coming off very quickly and continued steadily for approximately six months. I continued to lose weight for another six months reaching my goal weight at about my one-year post-op. I have since put a little weight back on but it is mostly the majority of the muscle that I had lost during my initial weight loss. My weight has been stable for almost a year. I am very trim now at 168 pounds and feel great.
Steve's Special Milestones / Non-Scale Victory
- Since the surgery, I no longer have Hypertension, Gout, GERD, High Cholesterol, Sleep Apnea, or Acid Reflux. Prior to my surgery, I was pre-diabetic and now my blood sugar is completely normal. I am healthy and happy!
- Being able to run with my daughter and not being in pain
- Tying my shoes without sitting down
- Looking at my toes without a mirror
- Feeling good every day
Celebrating Suzy’s Journey Before & After RNY!
My weight loss struggles began as a young adult. I married at age 20 and began gaining weight as I started to have children.
Even though my weight gain during my pregnancies was low, I didn’t lose the extra pounds after each child and I gained weight while nursing too. During my third pregnancy, I was horrified when the scale reached 202 pounds just before the delivery of my son. After my children were born, I found myself in an unhappy marriage and I consoled myself with food.
I dieted constantly, utilizing programs such as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutri-System and a controlled medical diet using weight loss medication, Phentermine.
I could always lose weight but inevitably, I gained the weight back, plus some. When my marriage ended, I focused on raising my children and losing the extra pounds using Weight Watchers and leading a healthier life. I lost 60 pounds, and felt happy and attractive for the first time in years.
Several years later, I met a wonderful man and remarried. Between work and kids activities, our schedules were hectic and it was easier to snack, eat out and eat easily prepared packaged meals that it was to plan ahead and eat healthy meals. As a result, I packed on 100+ pounds over a 10 year period.
I yo-yo dieted many times with little success and always ended up heavier than when I started. Exercise was not a word I ever uttered because I simply never had the energy. I would dress in baggy clothes and try to camouflage my heavy body. I would hide in the back of the group during family pictures, my feet and body hurt constantly, I developed high blood pressure and I couldn’t breathe when I’d bend over to tie my shoes.
My husband, who was heavy too, first started looking into weight loss surgery in 2012. He was seriously interested in bariatric surgery but the thought of having surgery to lose weight was frightening to me. We were sidetracked from the thought of surgery in December of 2012 because we were given the opportunity to foster and adopt a little girl. As older parents, (I was 52 at the time we received Haylee and she was 5) it became apparent during Haylee’s first year with us that my husband and I both had to get serious about our weight loss. We didn’t have the energy to keep up with or play with Haylee and we had to make sure that we were going to live long enough to raise our wonderful, new daughter.
In October 2013, my husband and I started taking the necessary steps toward having bariatric surgery. The whole process seemed overwhelming at first but once we got started, it only ended up taking 3-4 months to accomplish all of the insurance requirements and to schedule surgery.
During the approval process, we attended a forum put on by our surgeon, Dr. Benjamin Shadle (Sacramento Bariatric & Metabolic Institute.) Dr. Shadle explained, in depth, each surgical option that was available to us. This allowed us to make an educated decision on which weight loss surgery best suited our needs. Both my husband and I chose to have the RNY Gastric Bypass. Dr. Shadle was so thorough in his explanation of the surgical procedure that when my surgery date had finally come, I was at peace. My previous fears and concerns were totally gone.
Suzy's Before & After RNY WLS
Total Weight Loss: 113.5 pounds
Surgery Type: RNY Gastric Bypass
Surgery Date: 03/27/2014
Surgeon: Dr. Benjamin Shadle
There was not a nervous bone in my body as I was being prepared for the operating room on March 27, 2014 (just two weeks after my husband’s gastric bypass surgery.)
Dr. Shadle successfully completed my gastric bypass and repaired my hiatal hernia. Though my surgery was flawless, I did feel some pain afterward and had trouble drinking enough fluids in the first two days following my surgery. I ended up having to take a medication to coat the inside of my stomach so that it would heal. My blood pressure issues ended with my surgery and I haven’t taken a blood pressure pill since the day of my surgery.
Learning to drink and eat after surgery was a process. Through trial and error, I learned what my body tolerated the best and I learned the quantities thatI could take in. I paid close attention to how I felt with each bite to ensure that I never overate. The importance of chewing my food well was stressed during my pre-op appointments but I really learned that lesson the hard way. It’s very easy to be social while eating and not pay attention to chewing food well. I have gotten food stuck a couple of times because I didn’t chew well enough and it’s extremely painful. Lesson learned!!!
Over the course of the next year, through hard work, healthy eating and diligent attention to our new lifestyle, the pounds melted away. My highest weight was 264.5 pounds and I reached my goal of 151 pounds (I’m 5’8” tall) a couple of weeks before my one-year surgical check-up. I’m very happy that I’ve lost 113.5 pounds!!!
Gastric Bypass has been an amazing and effective tool in my struggle to lose weight. Because I chose to make physical changes to my body in order to lose weight, I made the commitment to myself that I will honor my body by staying true to this new lifestyle. I don’t really miss the foods that I can’t eat anymore. I don’t deprive myself of a treat now and then but the portion size is now very small, just a bite or two for flavor and to satisfy me mentally.
It has now been two years since my surgery and life is WONDERFUL. I love having energy and being able to run, climb, roller skate and play with my daughter and husband. I feel great about myself and don’t even mind having my picture taken now!
Every post-surgery change in my body and life has been positive.
Suzy's Special Milestones / Non-Scale Victory
- My mother was always very weight and health conscious. I knew my weight issues bothered her, and it bothered me that it bothered her. During my weight loss struggles, my mom was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. I was able to reach my weight loss goal and maintain the weight loss for almost a year before my mother passed away. I will always be grateful that she was able to see me at a healthy weight and I loved seeing her eyes light up when I walked in the door. I will store her compliments in my memory banks forever!!!
- My husband, Steve, and I attend a bariatric support group each month that is hosted by our surgeon Dr. Benjamin Shadle and his wife, Alex. At these support groups, we receive valuable weight loss information and tips. We are also able to share our experiences and the knowledge that we have gained since our surgery with pre-op and newer post-op patients. We have been able to support each other throughout our weight loss journey and it’s nice to be able to support others as well.
- I feel like I have won the battle against obesity. I have a healthier outlook on life and physically my body couldn’t be better. Gone are the aches and pains. I no longer feel like I am carrying a ball and chain with every step I take.
- I can breathe when I bend over to tie my shoes!!!!
- I am active and moving all day, every day instead of sitting like a lump on a log like I used to do. Losing weight isn’t easy, even after having bariatric surgery but it has proven to be quite effective and has helped me in ways no other diet did.
Has ObesityHelp.com helped you on your WLS journey?
Unfortunately, my husband and I didn’t know about the ObesityHelp.com website when we started our surgical weight loss journey. We both feel that ongoing support and continuing education regarding our weight loss and weight maintenance is vital. ObesityHelp.com contains a vast and varied supply of information to help us and others continue to succeed. Thank you to ObesityHelp.com for being available to aid us in our journeys!
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