Has your body ever let you down? Join us for an inspiring story of overcoming challenges and finding strength in the BariNation community. Today, April is sharing some deeply personal information about her health journey, one that's been marked by both incredible progress and unexpected challenges.  She’ll be opening up about her struggles of not being able to carry a child full-term before bariatric surgery, the recent developments with her hormonal medications and menopause diagnosis, and the frustrating news that insurance has stopped covering anti-obesity medicines.  Despite these setbacks, she will also discuss her decision to move forward, leaning into self-advocacy and highlighting the importance of supporting communities like BariNation.  Listen to learn how connecting with others has provided invaluable support to her during this challenging time.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [1:29] April shares her backstory on trying to carry a child full-term before bariatric surgery
• [4:42] Recent developments in hormonal medications and menopause
• [9:25] April’s insurance has failed her and is no longer covering anti obesity medication 
• [10:33] The decision to move forward and lean into self-advocacy

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• April's story highlights the critical need to be your own advocate in healthcare.  She experienced years of misdiagnosis and dismissal of her concerns, ultimately leading to a delayed and more complex diagnosis of menopause. Her persistence in seeking answers, even when faced with setbacks, was crucial.
• April's experience demonstrates how weight, bariatric surgery, and hormonal changes can interact in complex and sometimes confusing ways.  Her symptoms were masked by the effects of weight loss, emphasizing the need for healthcare providers to consider the whole picture and for patients to be aware of potential long-term effects.
• April emphasizes the vital role of support communities like BariNation in navigating challenging health journeys.  Connecting with others who have similar experiences provides emotional support, validation, and a sense of belonging, which is especially important when dealing with chronic conditions and difficult life transitions.

RESOURCES:

• BariNation Website 
• Join the BariNation Membership community meetups to support you on your journey with obesity treatment. https://barination.com/pages/join-our-community
• Want to see bonus content? Head over to Patreon to get more and support the podcast for as low as $5 per month! 
• We need your help to keep the BariNation Podcast in production. Your one-time or recurring donations help us ensure this free support remains open to everyone. Click Drive To Thrive - Donation to learn more and give. THANK YOU for your support!

ABOUT:

If the BariNation podcast helps power your bariatric journey, become a monthly podcast supporter and help us produce the show! Visit www.barinationpodcast.com and help us support people treating the disease of obesity with humor, humility, and honesty.

Jason Smith: [00:00:00] Hi, welcome to BariNation, where we support the bariatric community with humor, humility, and honesty.

Natalie Tierney: Our goal is you leave us today feeling hopeful, inspired, bariatric life.

So let me give you a little backstory. Uh, Before bariatric surgery, my husband and I were not preventing, uh, pregnancy and we had [00:01:15] tried many times and was never able to carry a child's term. And I was told that my excess weight was to blame for that. [00:01:30] Even though I had low hormone levels, they weren't freakishly low, uh, but I was just told that excess weight was what was causing that.

My parents are those type of people. Maybe you're that type of person. I think my husband is that type of person. I'm not. I don't have this deep calling to be a parent. Um, but if we would have [00:02:15] gotten there, I would have gotten there. And I did think we were there. Many times, especially one time. So after bariatric surgery, lost a ton of weight and, uh, [00:02:30] we conceived several times.

Everything was going great. Uh, we told our family, told our friends [00:03:00] this appeared to happen. And then at 20 weeks, I miscarried. And, uh, it was devastating as I know, if you have female body parts, uh, you've probably [00:03:15] been through something similar. So I know I'm not alone in this and at that appointment and the follow up appointment, they ran my hormones again and they said, you know, it's low, but, um, Rapid [00:03:30] weight loss really messes with your hormones and things will be fine.

My skin. Started to look really weird. Um, it was almost like it detached from the fascia. I don't know how else to explain that. It just looked weird. Uh, my nails got huge ridges in them. [00:04:15] Totally. Weird. Eyesight, vision, just everything. Everything felt not good. Um, really started to experience night sweats and I just knew, okay, this must be the beginning of perimenopause.

So made an appointment with my local women's health center, went in, [00:05:00] had my blood drawn and the next day I got Eight MyChart notifications and eight prescription notifications. Before I could even talk to my doctor, I read my lab results [00:05:15] and I had no detectable levels of hormones.

by the effects of bariatric surgery and rapid weight loss. So as my body was going through menopause, I was also going through rapid weight loss and I wasn't [00:06:00] able to discern one from the other. She even went too far as far as to say that I probably should have been on hormone replacement therapy when I was starting my bariatric journey and that it would have aided perhaps in a lot [00:06:15] of things along the way.

I've never really felt like a woman. And for my entire life, my weight has negatively impacted

And because I am so close [00:07:30] with people in this community, because I have Barry Nation to tap into, the support groups, the experts there, I've been able to kind of work through a lot of these things that I'm feeling. It's still extremely challenging, [00:07:45] and it is deeply painful. I did not think I would be 43 years old post menopausal and on six different hormonal medications and two other medications.

So, since I've lost access, I have regained 20 pounds. My inflammation markers through blood work are through the roof. Uh, everything is puffy, uh, I think I'm, might have, uh, [00:08:45] my sleep apnea creeping back in. Uh, and I am extremely frustrated at that. And I don't actually have any further bariatric care, no revision, no anti obesity, nothing.

So I am trying. To embrace the stoic philosophy of Amor Fati, lover of fate, this is my fate. [00:09:45] How can I move through this in a kind and positive way for myself? How can I hold space for the rage and anger and sadness while simultaneously moving forward with my life? How can I work [00:10:00] with my care team now to understand what's happening and onboard the best treatment for me?

If you are not a part of something like that. I encourage you to join. [00:10:45] This journey is not designed to be done alone. It can't be done alone. Without the support of that community, I do know where I would be. Right back where I was before surgery. [00:11:00] I'm not there now. And I won't be. Ever. This regain is scary.

Getting [00:11:45] those test results and getting our head out of the sand facing whatever's going to come our way Square,

That wraps up another empowering episode of the berry nation podcast If you enjoyed [00:12:15] today's episode keep the conversation going by joining the berry nation membership community where you can attend live support events access On demand resources and find a caring community.

Natalie Tierney: Join us at barrynation. mn.

Jason Smith: And just remember at the end of the day, you've got this, we've got you, and we'll see you next time. Bye [00:12:45] everybody.