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Tanya* is a 52-year-old woman living in Lexington, Kentucky, who underwent a sleeve gastrectomy weight-loss surgery last year and says it changed her life. This is her story, as told to Melanie Rud, edited for length and clarity.
I never struggled with my weight, growing up. I ran track as a child and in college and had a naturally athletic body. Then life happened. I had the first of my three children when I was 30 and was busy being a mother, being a wife, and focusing on my career. I gained more and more weight and tried everything from fad diets to weight-loss medication to starving myself. I could control everything else in my life, but I couldn’t get my weight under control. Finally, I set a goal to lose 50 pounds before my 50th birthday, in June 2018. I started working with a personal trainer, I joined Weight Watchers, and I did it. I lost the weight. But once again, it came back. This wasn’t just a matter of vanity; my health was also suffering: my doctor warned me that my cholesterol was high and I needed to start taking care of myself. I was depressed and hit rock bottom in the spring of 2019. My weight was out of control—and I knew I had to do something to take back my life.
A good friend of mine had had a sleeve gastrectomy in 2017 at the MexiCali Bariatric Surgery Center. I had gone with her and experienced the whole process firsthand, and I saw how much weight she lost afterward. Several of her friends and family members then had the same surgery, and I saw their results too. I started researching the procedure and asking f them questions. For the next couple of years, it was something I considered as I struggled with my weight. I found out that my insurance wouldn’t cover the cost of a sleeve gastrectomy, so I began to save up for it. And when I hit rock bottom, I knew it was time. My husband and family were completely supportive.
I went to MexiCali Bariatric Surgery, where my friend had gone, and Dr. Rodolfo Wilhemy performed my sleeve gastrectomy surgery on June 12, 2019. Because I had done so much research and seen so many others go through the experience, I wasn’t nervous at all. I had also joined a lot of support groups on social media, which I found extremely helpful. I wasn’t nervous, I was looking forward to the next part of my life.
My sleeve gastrectomy recovery and results
The recovery was challenging for a few days, but knowing exactly what to expect helped me get through it. It was painful and I had some issues with gas and burping, but I had seen all my friends deal with the same things. It’s all just a part of the process, and it won’t last long, I kept telling myself. My doctor said it would take around six to eight weeks to fully heal, and that’s about how long it took for me. I couldn’t do any heavy lifting but was told that I should make sure to keep walking; the nurses even had me up and walking the day of the surgery. The hardest part for me was actually not overexerting myself. The day after I got home, four days after the surgery, I had my track pants on and I was ready to go. I’d go out for a walk and realize I had pushed myself too hard and would have to have someone come and pick me up. I also couldn’t eat regular solid food for about six weeks. I was on a liquid diet for two weeks, then moved onto purees for another two weeks, then soft foods for another two weeks.
I weighed 218 pounds on the day of my surgery, and I now weigh 150 pounds. Because I wasn’t starting off at 300 or 400 pounds, the weight loss has been more subtle, and it has taken me quite awhile to see it. It was frustrating because I was expecting the weight to fall off much faster, just like it had for so many of my friends. Or I’d start to see a little bit of a difference on the scale and when I looked in the mirror, but none of my friends or family would say anything. It made me question whether I had done the right thing. I finally realized just how much my body had changed months later, while shopping for new winter clothes. I used to be a size 18, so I first tried on a size 12. It was too big. I kept trying smaller and smaller sizes until I got to a size 8. Then it dawned on me that I could even fit into a size 6. That really boosted my confidence.
My sleeve gastrectomy changed my life, and I wish I had done it sooner. When people talk about weight loss, they get hung up on “natural” vs. “non-natural” methods, like surgery. I used to think the same thing. But it doesn’t matter how you get there. Surgery is one tool you can use, but I still don’t have it easy. I have to exercise regularly and think carefully about what and how I eat in order to maintain my results. It’s a total lifestyle change, with all kinds of new rules. You can’t eat or drink at the same time, so you have to learn how to split those up. There’s an initial guideline of 1,000 calories per day, but you have to figure out exactly how much food your stomach can handle and what kinds of foods work with your body. Even now, it surprises me how hard it is. But I can be active and move my body and getting those endorphins going helps me feel happier. And that was my goal, to be healthy both physically and mentally.
*Name has been changed to protect privacy
