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June Spotlight Patient

Helena Graves - June 2010 

Two years ago this month, I weighed over 300 pounds. I had extremely high blood pressure, and my blood sugars were over 400. At 52 years old, I can remember only twice in my life that I was not overweight.  The first time,   I was a senior in high school and amphetamines were available with a doctor's prescription.  The other time is when I enlisted in the United States Army.  When I got pregnant with my daughter, I let myself go and continued to gain weight. I remember my doctor telling me if i continued with the weight gain, he would have to weigh me on the meat scale. However, that did not stop my eating or lack of exercising.  Subsequently, my struggle with weight has been on-going.  Constant  yo-yo dieting, the endless weight loss programs or latest exercise fads; nothing worked and I was slowly killing myself with the additional health issues due to being extremely obese.
 
A good friend had gastric by-pass surgery at Georgetown Bariatrics and looked amazing. That is when I decided that I could not win the weight battle without help.  I met with Dr. Sonnanstine when he was working in Northern Kentucky.  I went into his program initially inquiring about the LAP-BAND surgery.  However, he suggested that I would be better candidate for the gastric by-pass. After being medically cleared, I received my
gastric-bypass on June 19th 2008.
 
Since then, I have lost approximately 130 pounds.  I went from a size 28 to a size 14 in clothes. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be able to shop in speciality stores like Victoria's Secret and New York & Company. I joined my local YMCA and discovered the world of studio cycling, also known as "spinning" which I do 5 times a week. My medical issues such as diabetes, high blood, sleep apnea.......gone.
 
The weight loss surgery was only a tool.  I still continue to watch what I eat and exercise daily.  I suggest if you find a exercise that you like, you are more likely to stick with with it and for me, studio cycling sent my weight loss into "overdrive" and now I like what see when I pass a mirror.
 
This year is my 35th high school class reunion, I am smaller now then I was in high school. 
 
Thank you Dr. Sonnanstine for not only saving my life, but assisting me with "bringing healthy and sexy back"  in 2010.