“They put the C-pap mask on my face… I felt a wave of anxiety and I began to cry.”
Updated: Sep 3, 2020
Let's Talk Tania
Age at surgery: 55
Date of surgery: 12/21/16
Starting weight: 180lbs.
Height: 5’1”
Procedure: gastric sleeve
Current weight: 115 lbs.
Co-morbidities: sleep apnea, high blood pressure
Clothing size: 16
While some women gain more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy, there are also women who continue to have weight issues post-pregnancy. Tania was one of these women. After having children around age 30, she struggled to lose the pregnancy weight she gained. When her son was born, she went through a divorce. Being a single parent was stressful. As a way to cope, Tania turned to food. She especially turned to cookies and cheese fries, which negated any efforts Tania made to lose weight.
Everyday activities people in a normal weight range take for granted were a struggle for Tania. For example, going to Disneyland with her grandson was a challenge because Tania would get tired so easily.
In addition to getting tired easily, she suffered from constant pain in her joints from being overweight. The moment when Tania knew something had to be done occurred when she was diagnosed with sleep apnea, a very common weight related disease. As a result of the sleep apnea, Tania was going to need a c-pap machine to sleep. At the doctor’s office, the clinicians put the face mask on Tania to demonstrate how the machine worked.
Immediately she felt a wave of anxiety and began to cry. The doctor explained if Tania lost 50 pounds, the sleep apnea would go away. This sent the wheels in motion. After seeing a Marie Osmond Nutri-System commercial, Tania told her doctor this is what she would try.
The doctor told her no, there is a faster way.
Tania’s doctor told her about weight loss surgery.
Tania was referred to Dr. Korman by her primary care physician and saw him in May 2016. In December of that year, Tania underwent the gastric sleeve procedure. The most surprising part of the experience was that after the surgery, Tania was able to get right up and walk to the restroom with no pain at all. She was even able to walk all the hallways easily.
Over two years later, Tania has maintained a weight loss of almost 70 pounds off of her 5’1” frame and slimmed down from a size 16 to a 4.
