Amy Tranin reclaims her life with weight loss surgery

Amy Tranin says that not too long ago, her body felt like a ticking time bomb that could explode at any second, but thanks to medical interventions by Dr. J. Stephen Scott, a board-certified bariatric surgeon with HCA Midwest Health, the 65-year-old retired cancer geneticist is living a life filled with exercise, gardening, community volunteering and travel. 

“Before I lost weight, I literally woke up every morning and wondered if that would be the day I would drop dead,” says Amy, who logs between 20 and 100 miles a week on her road bike. “I thought I was going to have a cardiac event or some other serious health problem. My life has improved in ways I could have never imagined. The most significant change is in my overall health. I am now in excellent physical condition, and I can do physical activities that I never would have even attempted before.” 

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Like many people who struggle with weight issues, over the years Amy had watched the numbers on her bathroom scale increase steadily until they reached a point where she would force herself to diet and exercise those digits back down to an acceptable level only to lose focus and see her weight skyrocket again in just a few months, each time adding a few more pounds for good measure.  

Her maximum weight was 277 pounds, and she found herself stuck in a frustrating yet familiar yo-yo cycle of weight management that plagues many of those dealing with obesity. Her weight issues were complicated by an eating disorder that eventually led her to moderately successful lap band surgery performed by a different surgeon in 2007. She lost only about 40 pounds and continued to trying to tough it out on her own with mixed results. 

“I had lost over 100 pounds on my own three different times already, which as you can imagine took a long time and lots of hard work,” says Amy, who lives in Leawood, Kansas, with her husband of 37 years. “The loss would take over a year but regaining the weight plus another 20 pounds each time usually only took about four months. It was all very defeating, discouraging and embarrassing.” 

Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that doctors use as an indicator for adults. For example, a BMI between 18.5 to 24.9 is considered ideal and any number above 30 is in the obese category. Eventually, Amy’s BMI peaked at more than 50, and that’s when she knew it was time to do something drastic. She initially turned to Dr. Scott’s colleague, Bariatric Surgeon Dr. Nicole Fearing, for help with her lap band, which had not delivered as expected. She has high praise for Dr. Fearing whose diligence and support started her on the road to a BMI of 21. 

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Dr. Fearing’s plan was to remove the lap band and then in a few months perform a duodenal switch, a robotic-assisted procedure changes the normal process of digestion by making the stomach much smaller. However, because of Amy’s general health and BMI, Dr. Fearing was not comfortable completing both removing the lap band and duodenal switch in one surgery. She planned to remove the lap band and then wait a few months before performing the switch. They decided to consult with Dr. Scott for a second opinion. Dr. Scott was confident he could do both at the same time, so they scheduled the surgery for December 2017. 

“At my first consultation, Dr. Scott was leaving the exam room after explaining all my options, and I asked him if it would still be better for me to try to lose the weight on my own instead of having gastric bypass surgery,” she says. “He turned around and came back, sat down and very candidly told me I would never be able to lose the weight and keep it off on my own. He explained that my body's biology was working against me to keep me at my obese weight. That’s when I knew I had to have the surgery.” 

Before the surgery, Amy’s BMI was at 50.11 and has since settled at around 21.98 and she weighs between 110 and 115 pounds. Both the surgery and recovery have been uneventful, although she did have a hernia repaired in the area where the lap band was removed. In addition, since the switch surgery she has undergone three plastic surgeries to remove excess skin, which she says was considerably more painful than Dr. Scott’s switch procedure or the hernia repair. 

“Weight loss surgery is not a quick fix or an easy way out of a lifelong problem,” Amy cautions. “It’s just one tool of many that can be used, so be sure to look at all tools you have available to you to lose weight and then consider the risks and benefits of each. Make sure you have the resources and support system available to you so that you will be successful.” 

The duodenal switch surgery may have given Amy her life back, but she admits the path to better health hasn’t been without its hiccups along the way. Around the time COVID-19 was winding down, Dr. Scott noticed that she was putting some weight back on, but because the gain was gradual and didn’t affect her activity and energy levels she hadn’t noticed the changes. Oddly enough, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. After consulting with her weight loss team, she has lost an additional 40 pounds and is pleased to report that she weighs less than after the surgery. 

“I don’t have to live with the negative stigma of being obese,” she says. “I no longer worry about having difficulty moving through a crowd because of my size. I no longer feel like people are negatively judging me because of my size. I am no longer embarrassed to shop for new clothes or need to ask for a seatbelt extension on an airplane.”  

Today, her active life includes a host of activities that she could only dream about before her bariatric surgery. She lifts weights at least three times a week with a trainer and performs cardiovascular exercises another three or four times a week. Running, walking, stationary biking, road biking, elliptical, Stairmaster, treadmill or rower, whatever she feels like doing, that’s where you’ll find Amy. Weight loss surgery has not only given Amy her life back, it has made it better. 

In addition to her exercise regimen, Amy also keeps busy tending her vegetable and herb garden and has planted a native flower garden in her yard, which she plans to expand. She also loves to travel, especially to destinations where she can hike, bike and enjoy the outdoors.   

Lately, she has begun volunteering in her community helping to clean up parks, remove invasive species from rivers areas and maintain hiking trails.  

“This is your journey and your story, so don't compare yourself to me or anyone else,” Amy adds. “My experience may not be your experience. The wonderful part is that Dr. Scott and his team are amazing partners on your journey, and they will do everything they can to help you to be successful – however you define success.”   

Are you ready to make a change? 

If you've tried to lose weight in the past but haven't been able to keep the weight off and you meet certain requirements, you may be a candidate for weight loss surgery. The journey to controlling your weight and well-being can be daunting, but at HCA Midwest Health, you don’t have to face this challenge alone. Our network of compassionate bariatric surgeons are here to guide you step-by-step on your journey toward reclaiming your health. Find a physician or take a weight loss quiz.