Before & After VSG with Christina, losing 122 pounds!
July 30, 2019Why I Decided to Have WLS
I was not an overweight child; however, I got pregnant at 16. My pre-pregnancy weight was 140 pounds, and when I went in to have my daughter, I weighed 210 pounds. I lost most of that weight and got back down to 160 pounds. I got pregnant again with my son at 20, and when I went in to deliver him, I weighed 220 pounds. I couldn't lose the excess weight I’d gained after giving birth to him.
From the age of 20 and on, I struggled with my weight and never got back under 200 pounds. I met my current husband in 2011 and weighed about 250 pounds. As it does with marriage, the topic of growing your family came up, and we decided we wanted to have a baby. We would have started right away, but there was one thing stopping us, my IUD.
When I went in to have my IUD removed the doctor advised me that I should not have a baby because of my size. I was 295 pounds. Reluctantly, he removed my IUD, and I got pregnant pretty fast in 2013. I had my daughter in November 2013, and when I went in to deliver her, I weighed 335 pounds. That was all she wrote. I couldn't lose weight to save my life. I got up to my highest weight of 347 pounds in July of 2015.
I felt I was no longer living, I was only existing.
I loved my husband and my kids, but I was completely miserable. I couldn't keep up with my 2-year-old, I was exhausted, I didn't want to go anywhere or hang out with any of my friends. My husband would get frustrated because he wanted to do things, and I didn't or couldn’t. I hated how I looked, and I hated how I felt. Even going into a restaurant, I couldn't fit comfortably into a booth, and people don't treat you the same when you're obese. I was morbidly obese, and something needed to change.
Before & After VSG with Christina
Total Weight Lost: 122 pounds
Surgery Type: Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
Surgery Date: 12/28/17
Surgeon: Dr. James Augusta
My Surgery and Post-Op Life
I had thought about weight loss surgery before, but I knew everyone would say that it is the easy way out. I tried dieting and exercising, and fad diet pills, and nothing seemed work. I talked to my husband about surgery, and he was not a fan.
I went to a seminar at Kettering/Dayton Bariatrics in August 2017, and my husband came with me. He saw how important it was to me to get my weight under control. I met with Dr. Augusta at the end of August 2017, and I had to do a 6-month supervised diet per my insurance.
Dr. Augusta put me at ease and is an incredible doctor. My surgery ended up getting scheduled earlier to December 28, 2017. I was so excited and so very nervous. Thankfully, I had zero complications with my surgery. I stayed in the hospital one night and was home on Friday and only missed ten days of work. My struggles came post-surgery. Recovery was hard for me because when you're used to your body being fueled by 2500-3000 calories per day (or more) and now your barely eating soup broth, it kicks your butt. I was weak, I was tired, and I thought I was starving to death.
I was a fast loser, and I think I was down about 30 pounds in my first month. I stuck to my doctor’s plan, and it worked. Now, my cravings (fat brain) are still hard to overcome, and I continuously have to differentiate if what I am feeling is “actual hunger” or if it is “just my head.” Most of the time, it really is my head. That is the one thing that has been hard to overcome.
I am 15 months out and can eat about 8 ounces of food at a time, but I still think in my head I need more. I do not eat more because I do my best with measuring portion sizes, but it is hard not to want to try.
One downfall that has come from this surgery is my relationship with my husband, we are very close and very much in love, but after I gained confidence, he became very insecure. I had never dealt with this before with him, and it was hard for both of us. We are currently in marriage counseling and working through these insecurities, and I believe we will conquer this.
Special Milestone / Non-Scale victory
The decision to have VSG was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I only wish I would have done it sooner. I started in a size 26 pants, and I am now fit comfortably in a size 12. I can sit and cross my legs (who is this person!?), and I can walk all day and not become winded. I am more confident and more outgoing. I am now dragging my husband out to do things, and it is fantastic. My husband was also overweight, and he has lost 40 pounds on his own.
It is hard work and not a magic fix, and you will have struggles mentally and emotionally; however, it is so worth it. I have always wanted to ride a motorcycle, and in July of 2018, my husband and I bought motorcycles, and I love it. I would have never done that a few years ago. I got my life back, I can keep up with my (now) 5-year old, and I am currently an advocate for weight loss surgery. I love my new life, and I am so excited to see what the future will hold!
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