My name is Stephanie and I’m the founder, face, voice, and heart behind Bariatric Warrior Support. I am a multi-state Registered Nurse, and a fellow bariatric and chronically ill patient who knows the highs and lows of this journey firsthand.

After years of being on daily steroids and antibiotics to treat Gastroparesis, which caused a 60+ pound weight gain, the steroids stopped working. Bariatric surgery was offered to me as an option to cure my Gastroparesis and help get the steroid weight off. My heaviest weight was 283 pounds and my lowest was between 147 and 154 lbs. I was pre-diabetic with insulin resistance, PCOS, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and it was hard to walk long distances without stopping to catch my breath.

My weight-loss surgery “cliff notes” story began with Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) surgery on October 5th, 2021, and little did I know the next 3.5 years would be some of the hardest years of my life. It cured my Gastroparesis, but the VSG caused rare severe post-op complications of my sleeve sliding through a weak spot in my diaphragm, causing severe stricture, GERD, and hiatal hernia. I could not eat or drink anything without it coming up and aspirating multiple times. I lost 74 pounds in 1.5 months, which is so scary. I went through this alone as it was in the height of COVID.

This required multiple complex tests and procedures, having nothing by mouth for 10 months total in my journey, NG tubes and Dobhoff feeding tubes, 3 PICC lines, a Port-a-Cath, TPN, tube feed, a DVT blood clot, sleeve dilations, IV infusions/IV push meds, ending up with sepsis when my Port-a-Cath eroded through my chest and almost caused heart valve failure leading to potential heart failure, and revision surgeries that were medically necessary to survive and better my quality of life. During this time, I was diagnosed with Mast Cell, Reactive Hypoglycemia, POTS, EDS, SIBO, and so much more.

My first major revision was April 18th, 2022, but it unfortunately failed after just 4 months, and I was back to fighting for my life again. With the help of my mom, friends, Kellie/Mel/OSLP Benchies, Jamie/T.R.I.BE membership, Barination, Barighouls, and my fellow bariatric community, I had my 2nd major revision to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with 1.5 hours of adhesion removal, tissue necrosis removal, and appendectomy on December 7th, 2022. This revision helped significantly with my symptoms and allowed me to be able to eat and have some relief from my severe symptoms, but I still have and will always have physical, mechanical, and disease process complications.

With this 2nd revision came its own complications too, but I did not let that dull the light inside of me. I handled it all with grace and continue to. I will always show up not only for myself, but for my community despite my struggles. What happened to me was not my fault nor was it in my control. I have never regretted having weight-loss surgery and never will.

What is in my control is to never give up, keep going, and do everything I can to have the best quality of life despite the circumstances and chronic illness that I have been dealt. I will always support/recommend discussing with your care team if bariatric surgery could be an option for you. Bariatric surgery, GLP-1 medication, etc. are tools to help treat the disease of obesity. By talking about it, providing education/resources, advocating, and sharing our journeys, we are helping to end the stigma surrounding bariatric surgery and weight-loss medications. Bariatric surgery is safer than having your gallbladder removed.

Through every setback, I realized how vital it is to have someone in your corner.I had to advocate so hard for myself even with being a registered medical professional. I felt so alone and isolated because no one was sharing the complication side of bariatric surgery. I was even told that I should feel ashamed for sharing the “bad” parts and that weight-loss surgery was only “butterflies and rainbows.” I was told that my story didn’t matter, and I should feel ashamed for asking for help.

This is why I share the good, bad, and ugly with full transparency so that even just one person doesn’t feel alone. So that no one walks alone or suffers in silence. Your story matters: never let anyone tell you otherwise.

Never feel ashamed for asking for help. It is completely okay to ask for help. These experiences gave me not just personal insight, but also an even deeper passion for helping others navigate and advocate for themselves every step of the way on their bariatric or health care journey, whether they have complications or not.

With my compassion and expertise through Bariatric Warrior Support, I provide personalized one-on-one support and patient advocacy services—so you never have to face challenges or complications alone. My mission is to make sure every bariatric patient and those living with chronic illness receive the care, information, support, and encouragement they deserve, and that they never suffer in silence.

You are not alone here; I see you, I hear you, and Bariatric Warrior Support is your safe place to find understanding, honest support, advocacy, and the expertise of someone who truly cares and wants to help you navigate the ups and downs.

Through my journey, I not only found my community and so many amazing friends who I call my Bari family, but I found my Bari bestie Bex, and we have been each other’s rock through so many things. Together, we created the Bariatric Warrior Podcast, hosted meetups, took care of each other after surgeries/plastics, got tattoos, and so much more. I could not have done this journey and all it has encompassed without her.

So grateful to be a part of this space and to connect with the community here. Chronic illness is very isolating, and to have this community is everything so we don’t feel alone.

Thank you for listening to the cliff notes of my story.

G: @bariatricwarrior

@bariatricwarriorpodcast

www.bariatricwarriorsupport.com