From 263 Pounds to 128 Pounds (Lots of Pictures)

kamakazeekim
kamakazeekim Posts: 1,183 Member
edited November 17 in Success Stories
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I thought I would share my success story up to this point. While I was young I was very athletic and had a muscular build. I always felt much bigger than other people. I started gaining weight like crazy when I was about 19 years old. At 20 years old I got married and become pregnant with our daughter. I was on bed rest for most of the pregnancy and my weight continued to balloon. After she was born I was working out 6 days a week and literally living on steamed broccoli...I continued to gain more and more weight.

In 2011, we got pregnant again with our son. This too was a really hard pregnancy and I spend most of it confined to my bed. After he was born I wanted to get serious about my health. I was running 5 Ks, weightlifting, eating about 900 calories a day but my weight continued to rise until I hit 263 pounds. I had a hard time nursing because I was scared of suffocating the baby! I went to doctor after doctor but no one could give me any answers. I saw several dietitians and personal trainers. Nothing helped. I tried all the over counter shakes and weight loss products. I was desperate. My husband is a wrestling coach who is a big advocate of wrestlers losing weight in a healthy way...even he didn't know how to help me.

In 2013 I made the decision to have weight loss surgery. The problem was they wanted me to lose 40 pounds before I could have the surgery. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't do it and I became extremely depressed and anxious. I finally saw an endocrinologist who diagnosed me with PCOS and put me on medication. The weight started flying off! I was warned that after a while the medication would no longer work so I made the decision to go a head with the surgery. In May 2014 I had a gastric sleeve. The surgery initially didn't work and no one knew why. My endocrinologist upped the dose of my medication and that did the trick. I am one year out from my surgery and I now weigh 128 pounds which is the lowest I've weighed since about 7th grade. I exercise 6 to 7 days a week and I eat between 900 and 1200 calories most days. I would like to lose another 10 pounds but I am starting to focus more on weightlifting and building my muscles back.
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Replies

  • cmsu64113
    cmsu64113 Posts: 474 Member
    Amazing job!
  • kleighsamboer33
    kleighsamboer33 Posts: 39 Member
    Wow! You look amazing! I started at 277 and am down 26 pounds so far. My goal is to get down to around 125. It helps knowing that others have done it.
  • kamakazeekim
    kamakazeekim Posts: 1,183 Member
    Thanks you guys! It's been tough but totally worth it! I was at the point where I had panic attacks when I had to leave the house but now I feel confident and good about myself!
  • jharris1378
    jharris1378 Posts: 88 Member
    Great job. You look amazing
  • MrsCies6207
    MrsCies6207 Posts: 3 Member
    Wow!! Amazing job! I have been diagnosed with PCOS as well. Would you mind sharing the Ned they put you on that helped? Thanks!
  • kamakazeekim
    kamakazeekim Posts: 1,183 Member
    I'm on the max dose of metformin and a birth control pill. The combination of the two has been a miracle!
  • MrsCies6207
    MrsCies6207 Posts: 3 Member
    I asked my OB about metformin and she said that unless I'm trying to get pregnant, she feels it isn't necessary I was disappointed! This has inspired me to get a 2nd opinion :)
  • kamakazeekim
    kamakazeekim Posts: 1,183 Member
    Metformin is way more than just an aid to getting pregnant! Many women with PCOS struggle with undiagnosed insulin resistance which has a huge impact on weight! It does other stuff too...it does help you ovulate and some other stuff as well.
  • sarahl038
    sarahl038 Posts: 6 Member
    Wow you look amazing,well done to you.
  • jorinya
    jorinya Posts: 933 Member
    Congratulations. You look wonderful after your two kids. I have four. You look amazing! Well done!!!
  • natkaye
    natkaye Posts: 10 Member
    How long were you on the metformin before it started to work? and what dosage?. Also I might ask my endocrinologist if its ok to take whilst on a marina, because I was taking the 250mg for about 2 months and it did nothing except make me feel extremely sick every morning, so I stopped it but thinking about starting up again
  • kamakazeekim
    kamakazeekim Posts: 1,183 Member
    I had a really hard time with side effects when I first started the metformin so I was on a low dose and it didn't work at all. My endocrinologist told me that most women with PCOS need the max dose for it to be effective. She told me to power through the side effects and that my body would eventually adjust. It finally has and I feel terrific! Once I started the max dose I saw results within 2 months.
  • ZaraxXx88
    ZaraxXx88 Posts: 918 Member
    You look amazing! You've done so well you must be so proud! You truly are an inspiration to the rest of us. So proud of you! xxx
  • TXRedDirt
    TXRedDirt Posts: 45 Member
    WOW!! Congrats and nice work.
  • erojoy
    erojoy Posts: 554 Member
    Nice job! Sorry that you had to struggle so much with just finding what worked for you. I hope that you find true happiness.
  • kamakazeekim
    kamakazeekim Posts: 1,183 Member
    Thank you so much!
  • GenElizabeth
    GenElizabeth Posts: 291 Member
    Beautiful, awesome job!! :smiley:
  • ReinasWrath
    ReinasWrath Posts: 1,173 Member
    You look so amazing! Congrats, all your hardwork really paid off!!
  • spookyface
    spookyface Posts: 420 Member
    Great Great job!
  • noclady1995
    noclady1995 Posts: 452 Member
    Wow...you look great! You're a prime example of someone who doesn't make excuses, despite medical conditions that could seriously hinder all your efforts. And you kept on top of everything. I really admire you and your journey.
  • purplemystra
    purplemystra Posts: 159 Member
    Thanks for sharing your story. PCOS is something doctors need to pay more attention to. I have PCOS too. I'm so glad you found a doctor who was able to help you. Congrats on your success and accomplishing your goal. :smile:
  • ddnavy
    ddnavy Posts: 7 Member
    Fantastic... I love seeing the pictures. I helps keep me going. Thank you. Congrats!!
  • TeresaMarie2015
    TeresaMarie2015 Posts: 61 Member
    Yeah - looks good on you. Great inspiration for my journey.
  • Jilliankosto
    Jilliankosto Posts: 216 Member
    Nice work!
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
    Congratulations! :)
  • lewispwest
    lewispwest Posts: 498 Member
    Incredible!
  • ginny92802
    ginny92802 Posts: 66 Member
    Thanks for posting. I saw an endocrinologist last week and I am going back next week to go over results of my blood work. I'm really hoping I get the missing link like you did. It's so discouraging to work so hard for so little results and stick with it. I had already been diagnosed with PCOS but no doctor ever did anything about it except send me to a nutritionist who didn't really give me any information I could use that I didn't already know. I felt like I must somehow deserve to be fat if I tried so hard and never could lose more than 20 lbs, and that was with real effort. Congrats on your success!!
  • kamakazeekim
    kamakazeekim Posts: 1,183 Member
    ginny92802 wrote: »
    Thanks for posting. I saw an endocrinologist last week and I am going back next week to go over results of my blood work. I'm really hoping I get the missing link like you did. It's so discouraging to work so hard for so little results and stick with it. I had already been diagnosed with PCOS but no doctor ever did anything about it except send me to a nutritionist who didn't really give me any information I could use that I didn't already know. I felt like I must somehow deserve to be fat if I tried so hard and never could lose more than 20 lbs, and that was with real effort. Congrats on your success!!

    I had the same experience where I was sent to several nutritionists and none of them would believe me when they looked at my food and exercise logs! It was beyond maddening!!! I would usually sit in my car and cry after those appointments :( keep advocating for yourself!
  • LuckyMe2017
    LuckyMe2017 Posts: 454 Member
    Good job!
  • raraCoco
    raraCoco Posts: 27 Member
    Amazing story, and it also sounds extremely frustrating for you! I also have PCOS and for the longest time I weighed 210 pounds. I started eating low calories but could not lose weight at first. I went on an elimination diet and lost 20 pounds (mostly water weight) within the first 2 weeks. My naturopath helped me realize my body could not tolerate gluten, soy, beef and dairy. I stopped eating the gluten and soy but just could not give up the dairy and beef. Weighing 193 pounds for the longest time, even though I was extremely active and low calorie, I finally went off the beef and dairy and I lost 7 pounds! Perhaps you have a food sensitivity you don't know about!
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