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My success story so far...263 to 128 pounds
kamakazeekim
Posts: 1,183 Member
I originally posted this on the success form but it was suggested to me that a lot of people on the weight loss surgery forum would love to see this so I'm reposting it here with a few additions:
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 (Metformin and birth control.) 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.
At one point I was having panic attacks when I thought about leave the house because I felt so bad about myself. The doctors and nutritionists didn't believe me when I told them what I ate and how much I worked out. I would almost always cry after my appointments.
Today, I just bought my first ever bikini!
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 (Metformin and birth control.) 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.
At one point I was having panic attacks when I thought about leave the house because I felt so bad about myself. The doctors and nutritionists didn't believe me when I told them what I ate and how much I worked out. I would almost always cry after my appointments.
Today, I just bought my first ever bikini!
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Replies
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So glad you came and posted on here
I know so many people will get inspiration from reading this, congrats!0 -
Fantastic job. Good for you.0
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Welcome! I have a sleeve too and am 6.5 years out. I love hearing people's success stories!0
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Awesome. You go, girl!!
Always remember how hard you have fought to get here and continue with that same determination. Maintenance is so much harder than losing!!0 -
I just got done doing a month of liquids and about to do a month of pureed foods and you are saying maintenance is going to be harder than that? I am officially disheartened.0
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Just because it's harder for her, doesn't mean it will be harder for you. We're all different.
Personally I find maintenance to be pretty easy but I was working on my relationship with food for three years before I decided to have surgery and I'm pretty sure that helped.
OTOH, a month of liquids and a month of pureed isn't typical. Did you have complications?0 -
Awesome results! Congratulations!0
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Thanks for sharing! Congrats to you and keep up the good work! You look amazing and beautiful!0
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Thanks for posting, you didn't give up and were determined to take control of your health. You look great, congratulations on the success.0
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Wow what a wonderful transformation. Am so glad the Dr finally figured out what was wrong and upped your meds. Wear that suit proudly this summer, you earned it.0
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Congratulations on the hard work, pre and post surgery. I am 3 months out from a laporascopic Roux En Y bypass. The weight is coming off quickly but I'm finding it hard to get motivated for exercise. My appetite is almost non-existant so I have to force myself to get in 60 Gms of Protein a day. But I know I'll get stronger if I work at it, so I just have to do the best I can. 57 pounds off,and 30 to go. It's doable. You look fantastic!0
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Love your story. Glad you are feeling so good and healthy.0
This discussion has been closed.