Kristina G.’s Gastric Bypass Story

I am excited to share my weight loss story with you. I have struggled with my weight my whole life as many of you can relate with. As I had my kids, I put my needs and myself on the back burner. My self-care was obsolete. My weight was out of control. I tried every fad diet, intermittent fasting, hormone medication to weight loss medication. Nothing worked. I would lose 20-30 pounds, keep it off for a bit, but life would hit, and I’d gain it right back plus some.

In 2017, I reached my highest weight of 257 pounds. On a person five foot tall and 257 pounds, I couldn’t hide how big I was. That year, I started having some health issues, one being heart issues. My primary care physician referred me to a cardiologist who put me on some medication and told me I needed to lose weight. For the next several months, it was a different medication and continually being told I needed to lose weight because losing weight was going to fix everything. It didn’t matter what doctor I saw. Every time I needed to see a doctor, I would get told the same thing—to lose weight. I would respond with, “Tell me how.” But of course, they couldn’t tell me that.

It wasn’t long until I just stopped caring. I hated going to the doctors. I felt like it didn’t matter what was going on with me, the only thing they saw was me being obese. Later that year, I ended up needing several heart surgeries and a pacemaker placed. After that, surprisingly I was able to start losing weight. It wasn’t a lot of weight, but I was finally losing. Now with my heart functioning correctly, I was able to be more active and start doing things I hadn’t been able to do before. But with that, I also experienced injuries due to my chosen activities. With those injuries came restrictions on what I was able to do physically and ended up gaining everything back.

In 2022, our insurance finally approved bariatric surgery if you met the needed criteria. I had been watching our benefits for so long hoping that they would start covering weight-related procedures. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I was. The thought that weight loss surgery could be a possibility for me was so unbelievable. My weight was 242, almost back to my highest weight again. I was physically and emotionally not doing well.

I just wanted to be able to go hiking with my family and not have to stop them to wait for me, or play with my grandkids for more than 10 minutes. And the biggest one for me, take pictures with my family. For the last twenty years, I have avoided having my picture taken. I have missed out on so many opportunities to have pictures taken with my family. I was too embarrassed and ashamed of myself. My weight was robbing me of so much. I was avoiding family functions, going out with my husband, getting together with friends. I was literally hiding in my house. I knew I needed to do something.

I finally reached out to my insurance company to see what I needed to do to get approved. I worked with my health coach for about nine months, but for some reason I was still hesitant to go through with the surgery. I wasn’t in the right headspace. At the time my daughter was trying the weight loss shots so I decided I would wait on surgery, and try the shots. I did the shots for about two months, but the medication made me so sick. I could barely leave the bathroom. That was the final straw. I felt I had tried everything. I decided it was time to have the surgery.

In June 2023, I was approved for Gastric Bypass. I had my surgery on November 10th, 2023. Everyone thought I was crazy for having my surgery at that time of the year. I purposely chose to have my surgery right before the holidays. I didn’t want to use the holidays as an excuse to eat things I wasn’t going to eat after my surgery. I felt like if I could make it through the holidays not eating the snacks and goodies, I could make it through anything. I did it to prove to myself I was ready for my new life. My new norm.

I struggled a little bit when it was time to start introducing meat back into my diet. I was limited on what my stomach would tolerate for about the first 6 months, eating only yogurt, cottage cheese, and protein shakes. I knew it would get easier—I just needed to stick it out. I was getting my exercise in and doing very well. I was dropping pounds and inches like crazy. It was the most amazing feeling, but what is even more amazing, are the non-scale victories. I am wearing clothes I never thought I would fit in. I am more involved socially, going out with my family and friends. My physical abilities are beyond what I thought I would be able to do. I have never been a runner, but this summer I ran four 5k’s and finished each one with a better time than the last.

The best victory of all, I’m taking advantage of every picture opportunity I can. No more hiding for me.

I will hit my year mark here real soon. I am down 115 pounds and feeling great. People have asked me if I ever regret having the surgery. NO! I am so grateful that I chose to have Gastric Bypass. It was the best decision I have ever made. Most of all, I am grateful to have my life back. Now it’s up to me to keep it.

Surgeon: Dr. Douglas C. Greer
Surgery: Gastric Bypass
Surgery Date: 11/10/2023
TWL: 115

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