Cindy gets off blood pressure medication on carnivore diet

Struggle with Weight Loss and Health Issues

My name is Cynthia (Cindy). I’m 63 years old (almost 64) and am about 5’4”. I got married in 2004. My husband is Type 1 Diabetic-diagnosed when he was 2, and he also has Cervical Dystonia, diagnosed in 2016.

I had been morbidly obese most of my adult life, had high blood pressure since I was a teenager, and tried diet after diet, losing and gaining over and over. In 2006 I was at just under 300 lbs. After meeting and marrying my husband, things were great, but my weight was on the rise yet again.

The Journey to Gastric Bypass Surgery

In 2006, I started researching Gastric Bypass surgery, went to all the meetings, and had all the testing done. After serious thought and discussions with my husband, I decided to go for it. There is heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure in my family history, and I was told through this weight loss, I would benefit greatly from the weight loss.

So, in May 2007, I had the surgery on a Monday, went home on Friday, and went right back to work. I was told to have NO protein the first week post-op. Then, start with 100% whey protein drinks.

I followed this faithfully, then could start eating, but I had to puree my food if I intended to do so. Then after about the 3rd week, I could eat food. I was told to switch to whole-grain, wheat, or dark bread, brown rice, whole-grain pasta, and sweet potatoes instead of white bread, white rice, etc.

By May 2008, I had lost about 85 lbs, felt great, and was told I no longer needed my blood pressure meds.

Due to how I was eating, and I admit I added some sweets back into the picture, my weight started on the rise. At some point, I also found out I had osteopenia.

Complications with Knee Replacement and Infections

Fast-forward to 2012, both of my knees were killing me. My back was hurting. I was told I had arthritis in both knees as well as my back. Cortisone shots worked for a while, then time for another. I had my right knee replaced in 2014 after having lost about 25 lbs. so my surgeon would agree to do my surgery. 

That went great, no problems at all. Weight again on the rise, still sticking with what I was told after the gastric bypass on what to eat.

Still battling with my left knee, in October 2017, again after having to lose some more weight, I went for my left knee replacement. That one didn’t go so smoothly. There was a spot that wasn’t healing. My surgeon grew very concerned and brought me back into surgery and did an I&D, and sent samples to be tested for infections.

Nothing showed, and again there was a spot that would not heal. After immobilizing my leg and a lot of soul searching and discussion with my surgeon, I went in for another surgery, this time an I&D and Poly Swap.

This time instructed the lab to extend the amount of time to watch for infection of the samples given. I wound up with two infections, one a staph infection. I don’t recall the name of the other. I had to go on IV antibiotics for 6-7 weeks, then another 6-7 months on oral antibiotics.

Diagnosis of Lymphedema

Finally, on the mend, things were starting to go great, but then a lot of swelling in my legs, feet, and toes started occurring continuously. I was sent for a bilateral deep vein ultrasound of both legs and got the diagnosis of Primary and Secondary Lymphedema. This was later in the year 2018 and scared me ridiculously.

Starting the Ketogenic Diet and Improvements in Health

At the beginning of 2020, my sister had been researching diets and found Keto. After a lot of persuasion and persistence, I owe her a lot!! I started on the Ketogenic way of eating on September 27, 2020, weighing in at 269.9, and never looked back. I had a great doctor at the time in NH, where I was living.

After about a week into the diet, I had to go in for a check-up and requested he do an A1C check, among all the other bloodwork I have as a post-gastric bypass patient. It came back at 5.8, which worried me even though my doctor wasn’t too concerned since he knew I had just started Keto and had already dropped about 20 lbs. since my previous visit to him.

In January, I bought a home test kit and checked my A1C, which went to 5.0. Right now, I am at 179, off my blood pressure meds, have no more back pain, was just seen by a rheumatologist due to having osteoporosis (diagnosed in Sept. 2021), and was told my spine is good. 

I have also recently seen a cardiologist for some episodes I have randomly with rapid heart palpitations (200bpm) and am presently on a 30-day heart monitor (until May 4). He told me after getting an abnormal EKG of Left Ventricle Hypertrophy that was due to many years of high blood pressure.

Since starting Keto, I feel soooo much better, and through a lot of experimenting, I feel being more Ketovore works for me, if not Carnivore. Occasionally I will have a small salad, or a little broccoli, or another Keto-approved vegetable, but I love meats, eggs, and of course, bacon. I have found that to be where I need to be more often.

Thank you for taking the time for me!

Cynthia