Originally from the United Kingdom, Kathryn immigrated to the United States with her parents as a child. From a young age, she became acutely aware of her weight.
“I was in first grade when I was called fat for the first time, and it became a part of my identity,” says Kathryn, now 38. “Unfortunately, the world treats you differently when you are bigger.”
In high school, Kathryn tried WeightWatchers® and lost 60 pounds; however, she soon gained it all back. This began an endless cycle of gaining weight, losing weight, and trying new diets in between – SlimFast®, MediFast®, and basic calorie counting, to name a few.
Succeeding in Life, But the Struggle with Weight Continues
Fortunately, Kathryn never allowed her weight to stop her from pursuing education and career success.
She went to college in Scotland, where she met her husband, earned a graduate degree, and then landed several professional positions in marketing/communications, admissions for higher education, and recruitment. But throughout it all, weight loss remained a consistent struggle in her life.
“I was on a roller coaster, and it was exhausting. I needed help from an outside source,” says Kathryn. “Ten years ago, I decided to have gastric sleeve surgery. The recovery was long, but I was very happy with the results.”
Living in Boston at the time, Kathryn lost 100 pounds after her surgery, but she encountered both health and fertility challenges that derailed that success.
“It was a lot to experience in a short period,” explains Kathryn. “On top of that, we moved across the country before the COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdown put us straight into survival mode – which included too much eating and drinking.”
With all of these factors combined, Kathryn’s weight continued to increase, and she found herself back up to 300 pounds. Fortunately, she refused to give up on herself and started therapy to focus on her self-confidence and self-worth.
“Even at 300 pounds, I decided to love myself just as I was,” says Kathryn. “Self-acceptance is an important part of my journey. Through therapy, I learned to accept my body and feel successful, happy, and fulfilled, no matter my size. The larger me created a beautiful life of which I am really proud, and I wanted to love, respect, and admire that version of me. My weight loss journey is a ‘now and then narrative,’ not a ‘before and after story.’”
Kathryn’s Weight Leads to Physical Pain
Although Kathryn was emotionally strong, by 2022, her weight was creating painful physical symptoms. Terrible foot pain made it difficult to walk and even get out of bed, and she struggled to keep up with her kids. Then, her scale moved beyond 300 pounds.
“When I reached 310 pounds in late 2022, I got scared,” says Kathryn. “I felt out of control because I didn’t know how to stop gaining. I knew that I had to do something drastic to lose weight. My health and my life depended on it.”
Discovering True You Weight Loss
Upon her move south, Kathryn sought help from a local weight management practice and they discussed a wide range of options with her. She learned she was not a candidate for another gastric sleeve, but she was eligible for a duodenal switch, an extremely complicated and invasive weight loss surgery that combines a sleeve gastrectomy with an intestinal bypass.
However, Kathryn knew this was not the right option for her.
“I didn’t want to have my intestines moved around or undergo another big surgery,” says Kathryn. “Other requirements also felt unrealistic, such as taking up to eight vitamins daily for the rest of my life to avoid side effects like hair loss and blindness.”
Her doctors then told her about the endoscopic gastric sleeve revision, a non-invasive procedure to tighten her existing sleeve. They recommended Dr. Christopher McGowan, a world-renowned leader in endobariatrics, and his clinic, True You Weight Loss. It seemed like a viable option, especially when she heard about the shorter recovery time, the non-invasive nature of the procedure, and True You’s close proximity to her home.
“At first, I was skeptical, so I did my research on Dr. McGowan and watched his videos and testimonials online,” says Kathryn. “My husband and I also had a consultation with him, and we were immediately impressed. His credentials are top-notch – he truly is on the leading edge of non-invasive weight loss procedures. Plus, he understands and explores obesity as a disease, and he wants to help people in their battle against it.”
Choosing Gastric Sleeve Revision
Kathryn weighed her options for over a year. She wanted to fully explore all possible treatments before committing to another procedure.
“I felt like I failed after my gastric sleeve, and I did not want to go through that again,” says Kathryn.
“I had a lot of shame around that. But my weight was continuing to hold me back from enjoying life to the fullest, so ultimately, I decided to move forward with the sleeve revision. It was a decision that really changed my life.”
With an equal mix of relief and excitement, Kathryn arrived at True You in Cary, N.C., on March 5, 2023, for her revision. In comparison to her gastric sleeve surgery, the process felt much less scary. It took Kathryn about three days to recover, but within a week, she was feeling back to good form.
Medications, Sleeve Revision & True You Create Kathryn’s “Miracle” Cure
Within 14 months of her procedure, Kathryn lost 145 pounds. To complement the physical restriction she had from the sleeve revision, Kathryn also began taking tirzepatide, a weight loss medication that helped balance her hormones and address the mental portion of her battle. This combination turned out to be a miracle solution for her.
She describes her rapid weight loss. “Honestly, this journey was the easiest weight loss I’ve ever experienced – the pounds just fell off, and I feel like I barely had to think about it. There has been no mental torture, no obsessing over the scale – sometimes I need to remind myself to eat. It’s been completely liberating.”
“The medications helped me cancel out all of that food noise and completely shift my mindset. I now see food as fuel, rather than constantly obsessing about my next meal or snack,” says Kathryn. “My biggest challenge these days is ensuring I get enough calories and protein. With the help of my sleeve revision, I rarely feel hungry anymore.”
Kathryn also credits much of her weight loss success to True You’s nutrition counseling program. Her nutritionist feels like a friend and gives her valuable advice, and she can lean in or out for as much support as she needs. Additionally, the entire True You team has been a huge source of support for Kathryn, especially Dr. McGowan, who was readily available throughout her recovery. He even gave her his cell phone number, which was reassuring. Not only that, Kathryn has been extremely impressed with the online communities True You Weight Loss has created for education, sharing, and ongoing support for patients.
“Dr. McGowan and the True You team are passionate about growing their weight loss community and changing the perception of obesity,” says Kathryn. “Obesity is a disease, and True You addresses it that way. They also help patients understand that using a weight loss procedure is not a cop-out; it’s about using a proven tool to help you reach your goals.”
Getting Stronger in Year Two
After a year of focusing on weight loss, Kathryn is now excited about the upcoming year – an opportunity to get stronger, build more muscle, and enjoy life to the fullest. She plans to do a lot of swimming as well as weight training at Orangetheory Fitness®. Kathryn is also excited about traveling and being more active outdoors with her family.
Things like taking walks and riding bikes are finally possible – and enjoyable for her.
“It’s as if nothing and everything has changed,” says Kathryn. “I had peace and love for the previous version of myself, and I still have this same life that I love. But now my world has opened up. Nothing is holding me back anymore, and I am finally able to live life to the fullest. I am so grateful for this second chance at weight loss, and I don’t take it for granted. For the first time, I truly believe that the weight will stay off. This combination of my sleeve revision and weight loss medications feels like a cure, not a temporary solution.”
An Important Reminder to Others
Kathryn emphasizes that it is important to start any weight loss journey by loving yourself just the way you are.
“Give kindness and grace to all versions of yourself, especially the version you are before losing weight,” says Kathryn. “After my own experience, I know that I am still me; I just get to enjoy the world in a different, more fulfilling way, and I’m excited about that.”
Top Non-Scale Victories
