Bullies called me ‘ham’ so I lost 200 lbs & got a $40k ‘mommy makeover’ before kids – now people say I’m ‘too thin’
AFTER being bullied for her weight, one woman spent $40,000 on a mommy makeover — even though she's not yet a mom.
Despite embarking on a fitness journey ahead of her procedures, she is now told by some that she is "too thin."
Jamie, who prefers to keep her surname private, spoke exclusively to The U.S. Sun about her weight loss journey.
"I yo-yoed my whole life, always having a hard time balancing," she revealed.
"I was 308 pounds at my heaviest, almost 200 pounds more than I am now."
Jamie had been bullied growing up due to her weight.
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"I had someone write 'Bye ham' in my sixth-grade yearbook, and I still remember it almost 30 years later," she said.
"I was told to dance to Kanye’s workout plan song during a sorority pledging event, at a school I ultimately transferred out of.
"These things stay with you, no matter how much you improve yourself."
In 2013, the now 36-year-old underwent lap band surgery, which she had to have reversed seven years later due to complications.
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This time marked the beginning of her time taking Ozempic, a drug used to regulate blood sugar in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
According to UC Davis Health, the weekly injection has not been approved for weight loss but is still prescribed by some doctors for that purpose.
"I was put on Ozempic once having [the lap band] removed to prevent gaining the weight back," Jamie explained.
Last year, the FDA released a warning that the injection "could be linked to ileus, a condition where the intestines temporarily stop functioning."
Still, in the past few years, there's been a huge increase in people taking Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonist medications to aid in weight loss.
Despite the unknown long-term effects of the drug, Jamie said she was "absolutely not" concerned.
"I am monitored under the care of an experienced physician and receive routine labs and sonograms," she explained.
"The risks of remaining obese pose a much greater threat to me than this medication does."
What is Ozempic?
Semaglutide is a medication prescribed under brand names including Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy.
It was initially used as a treatment for type 2 diabetes but researchers discovered it can also be effective for weight management in adults who are obese or overweight.
It is a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonist, which according to the Mayo Clinic can mimic a hormone already found in the body.
GLP-1 medications stimulate the body to create more insulin when a person's blood sugar rises, thus lowering their blood sugar levels.
That helps people with type 2 diabetes, who struggle to regulate their blood sugar, but it has also been seen to curb hunger,
Ozempic has not been approved by the FDA for weight loss.
However, Wegovy has been approved for chronic weight management in adults who are overweight or obese.
Jamie explained that her health pre-weight loss had hindered daily aspects of her life.
"I used to not be able to walk a block without stopping.
"I had to Google which subway stops had elevators because I couldn’t do a big flight of stairs without feeling like I was running a mile," she said.
After embarking on her health journey, she dropped to around 125 pounds.
"I got to a point where I was doing 300 to 400 workouts a year, [which was] a little overkill, and felt like I still couldn’t make the outside match the inside," she said.
"I felt like I had maxed out on my nutrition and workouts and there was nothing more I could do without surgical intervention."
Jamie, who now weighs 116 pounds, spent $40,000 on her various procedures.
"I just felt like the skin was always in the way no matter what," she said.
"I was thin but had pounds and pounds of loose skin.
"I am an avid exerciser, spin classes, Pilates, and boot camp workouts, the skin was always in the way and I couldn’t properly engage my core for a plank."
To address her excess skin, Jamie had circumferential tuck, which involves skin removal 360 degrees around the body.
She said one of her favorite aspects of her slimmed-down figure is being able to wear whatever she wants.
Side Effects Linked to Ozempic
According to the FDA, the most common adverse reactions reported in patients treated with Ozempic are:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
The public health body most recently added kidney failure to this list.
"After spending a life having to hide behind high-waisted pants and loose tops, now being able to wear low-rise pants, crop tops, and any swimwear I want makes me so happy," Jamie said.
"I look forward to taking my daily workout selfie, I always say it’s good to do that to keep tracking your progress."
However, not everyone in Jamie's life shares the same outlook on her transformation.
"People were happy initially, but now it has become, 'Oh you're too thin, don’t you work out enough? Why two classes in a day? When are you going to stop Ozempic?'" she said.
Jamie is not deterred and explained that her journey has never been about vanity.
"I’m looking forward to a brachioplasty in March with Dr. Anna at Neinstein Plastic Surgery to remove the remaining excess skin on my arms," she shared.
Dr. Ryan Neinstein, from Neinstein Plastic Surgery, also spoke to The U.S. Sun about the procedure, which is often referred to as a "mommy makeover."
"The procedures are essentially identical; the variation in the procedures arises not from weight loss due to medications such as Ozempic, Monjuaro, and other semaglutides," he explained.
"I am dedicated to offering a personalized approach, addressing key issues that women commonly face with their bodies, such as loose skin and stubborn fat."
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And while some may see it as unconventional to get a "mommy makeover" before having kids, Jamie isn't afraid of "undoing" the work by becoming a mother.
"It will never be as bad as it was, I will never regret this procedure," she said.
