Hi. My name is Kristen. I'm 36 years old and I almost died. I'm sharing this information because you know someone like me. Hopefully, my story can save another life.
I found out on February 3rd that my liver was almost dead. I was very close to being put on a liver transplant list. I had no idea that I had a liver disease. I only drink about two alcoholic drinks per year (New Years and my birthday). I don't have an infectious disease like hepatitis. I don't take excessive amounts of Tylenol or other forms of acetaminophen. I've never had jaundice. I've never had any liver symptoms at all.
After turning 30, I developed high blood pressure, high triglycerides, mild sleep apnea, extreme fatigue, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and for the last
6 years (since I’ve been married) I have been infertile. One year ago, I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. My quality of life was terrible. All of these problems were caused from being overweight and I knew that they could all be alleviated by significant weight loss. I've tried every diet out there and I've failed at all of them. I thought about weight loss surgery, but I considered it to be too "radical" or "risky". I've heard of so many people dying from complications, and if their surgery was successful, they most likely put the weight right back on after a few years. I talked it over with my husband and he suggested that I research Lap-Band. He even suggested that he get the surgery too, so that we could go through this together. My husband was 140 pounds overweight and also a Type II Diabetic.
To make a long process short, after the referral from my family doctor, two informational/support group meetings, a psychologist, nutritionist, and exercise physiologist, I finally got an appointment with the surgeon. He told me I was the "poster child" for Lap-Band. With my current weight and health problems, I wasn't expected to live past age 62. I was 88 pounds overweight and right on the line of crossing over from "severely obese" into "morbidly obese". I was scared to have the surgery, but I knew that it would be even more “risky and radical” to continue my lifestyle the way it was. We scheduled the surgeries for my husband and me on February 3rd. Our surgeon agreed that through teamwork and mutual support, my husband and I would be very likely to be successful with our weight loss.
On February 3rd, my husband was rolled into the OR while I was in pre-op waiting to hear about him. Our surgeon came out and said everything went fine and it was my turn. They rolled me back and as they slid me from the gurney to the operating table, I almost screamed, "NO! This is craziness! I'll just try harder on my own!" In hindsight I’m so glad I didn't chicken out, because no one was prepared for what the surgeon found.
While I was in recovery, our surgeon went up to my husband's hospital room to talk to my family. "Kristen REALLY needed that surgery" were the first words out of his mouth. He found a condition called NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis).
It is a condition where my fat cells attacked my liver. Instead of forming under the skin like most fat cells do, they formed inside my liver. They choked out the oxygen and blood flow until my liver was enlarged and hard as a rock. My family was upset about the news but thankful that I had the surgery. The treatment is weight loss.
After being wheeled up to my hospital room, my husband walked over to my bedside with tears in his eyes and said, “Thank God you had that surgery”. When I found out about the disease, I thought it had been caught early and not too much damage was done. But, my surgeon told me that my liver was in very bad shape. Obviously, this had been going on for a while and I just didn't know. My liver function tests on my lab work always came back fine.
The good news is that I am 4 months out from surgery. I have lost 34 pounds and I am off all medications for diabetes, cholesterol, and PCOS. My ankles, knees, and hips don't hurt any longer. I sleep better and have more energy. With weight loss, my doctor expects me to have a normal healthy liver. He said that he will perform a liver biopsy on me in one year to prove that my liver will be healthy at that time. I believe it is truly a miracle that my liver was saved!
When I decided to have Lap-Band surgery, I tried to keep it a secret. I only told my mom, dad, sister, and brother. I felt that it was a personal decision and wasn't anyone else's business. Now, I’ve decided to make my story public in hopes that it may save someone else's life. I know I will succeed with my weight loss journey because, this time, I am fighting for my life!
You know someone who is overweight or obese. This is my story; instead of keeping it a secret, please share it.
