Christie H.’s Gastric Bypass Story

From June 12, 2018 to June 12, 2019—just one year—I lost over 100 pounds after having Gastric Bypass surgery with Dr. Steven Simper of Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians (RMAP). Writing that sentence seems a little unreal to me for a number of reasons. One, because I never thought I’d get to a place where I needed to lose 100 pounds. Two, because steady, consistent weight loss has been such a rare thing in my life. And three, because after just one year, a mere 365 days, I’m a different person physically!

 

 

I haven’t always struggled with my weight. During my childhood, teen years, and early young adult years, I was fit and active. But that all changed with my first pregnancy. I ate like I was eating for two or even maybe three, and not much of the weight came off after my son was born. But, boy, did I try! I ate right, I exercised daily. The weight hardly budged. Children numbers two and three came along, and the saga continued. Gain weight with pregnancy. Work and work and work to lose it. Lose a little. Get pregnant again. Repeat.

Although I only had three children, that didn’t keep my weight from creeping up and up and up. It also didn’t help that other aspects of my health started to crash in my 30’s. My knees hurt. I was tired ALL the time. It seemed like the more I exercised, the more pain and fatigue I dealt with. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia at that point, but it wasn’t a condition doctors knew much about at the time. I basically pretended I didn’t have it and kept trying and trying and trying to lose weight.

In my 30’s I managed to keep my weight under 200 pounds. Not so much in my 40’s, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. A diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) helped to explain my struggle to lose weight, as it is both a fertility and metabolic condition. Unfortunately, the diagnosis didn’t actually lead to weight loss. (Sigh.) I tried diet after diet. I exercised and stayed active. Again, I had small and temporary losses and followed by regain and then some. There were times I wanted to make a t-shirt that said, “I eat right and exercise to look like this.” But who would believe me?

In the two years preceding my surgery, my fibromyalgia flared, and my health worsened. But, ironically, it was the health of loved ones that helped me reach the pivotal moment where I decided to have weight loss surgery. I lost a close friend to cancer, and I watched a family member become almost immobilized with health problems. I looked at my family members and thought, “I share a lot of genetic conditions similar to yours. And I don’t want to be where you are when I’m 70. And I’m heavier now than you were at my age. Something has to change!”

I’m so grateful for the care and treatment I’ve received from RMAP. Surgery went as expected, and although that first week post-surgery was difficult (as predicted), everything else in this first year has gone great! No complications! I give credit for my success to the highly effective post-surgery system and support that RMAP has in place, and for my own preparation—I was VERY ready to try something different and mentally ready for a big change. Thanks, RMAP, for giving me the ability to get back my health!

–Christie H.
Surgeon: Dr. Steven Simper
Surgery Date: June 12, 2018
HW: 272 lbs. (265 officially)
CW: 155 lbs.
TWL: 110

 

Read more patient stories here.
Interested in learning more about weight loss surgery? Learn more information here.

If you would like to share your weight loss surgery story with others and on Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians (RMAP) other social media outlets, contact Jessica at Jessica@rmapinc.com.

 

www.RMAP.com
Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians
801-268-3800
1160 East 3900 South, Suite 4100
SLC, UT 84124