Bryan Stearns ,
RN A weight-loss journey success story
Story by Lisa Rowell
The struggle to lose weight can seem insurmountable . For Bryan Stearns , RN , working as the night house supervisor at LCRH , and being familiar with many surgical weight loss procedures , making the decision to have surgery himself has been transformational .
Stearns says his weight had fluctuated over the years and it started progressively scaling up to the point where he knew he needed to something about it . Between shift work , high stress , and continuing his education , healthy habits were hard to come by .
After trying different diets , medications , and exercise programs , Stearns said it became harder and harder to get the weight off the older he got .
As a youth Stearns said he had always been bigger . Prior to choosing bariatric surgery , Stearns said he had hypertension and was prediabetic .
“ I ’ d get short of breath when I ’ d exercise ,” he said .
Since his surgery , which he had last September by Dr . Joseph Eid of the Cumberland Bariatric Institute , Stearns says his health issues have resolved . He boasts a 107 / 74 blood pressure and has lost an astounding 127 pounds . Prior to surgery , Stearns says his blood pressure was more in the range of 170-180 / 90- 100 .
“ I ’ m off all medications ,” Stearns says . “ I went from a 4x shirt down to a large . Size 40 pants fit tight and now I ’ m in a 34 and will probably have to go to a 32 ,” Stearns said .
“ I knew eventually it was going to take its toll and I needed to make changes ,” Stearns says of his weight . “ It was the worst shape I had ever been in my life and I knew I had to make changes .”
After doing thorough research , and going through prescreening to see if he was a good candidate for weight loss surgery , Stearns chose the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy , a procedure
Weight loss photos courtesy of Rebecca Graham with Tonya Lynn Studios .
JUNE 2024 SEKY - Southeast Kentucky Life • 31