Finding Herself Again: Heather’s Weight-Loss Journey

For Heather Taylor, extra weight was something she carried for as long as she could remember. She started her weight-loss journey weighing more than 300 pounds, but the physical weight was only part of the story.  

Heather, a 26-year BJC employee who lives in south St. Louis County, has dedicated her career to helping others. As a transplant coordinator, she helps match donors with patients at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children's Hospital who need bone marrow transplants.

Despite being healthy medically, her weight affected every part of her life, including how she saw herself.  

“I isolated myself a lot,” she says. “I put things on hold—dating, experiences, goals—because I was overweight. Mentally, that was the hardest part.”

She also had a powerful motivator close to home: her niece and nephew.  

“I wanted to be around for them, experience things together, run and chase them, and really be present,” she says.  

Choosing surgery and choosing herself

Heather had tried every weight-loss program imaginable. Nothing worked long term. Then one day, 10 years ago, something changed.

Seeing a coworker succeed with weight-loss surgery sparked something in Heather, a belief that she could do this, too.

“I felt like my life was passing me by,” she says. “I wanted the chance to get married, maybe have kids. I realized if I was going to keep letting weight control my life, nothing was going to change.”

With expert guidance from WashU Medicine physician J. Chris Eagon, MD, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Heather determined gastric bypass surgery was the best option for her.  

Gastric bypass surgery makes the stomach much smaller, about the size of an egg. This small pouch is then connected directly to the small intestine.  

After surgery, food goes into this smaller stomach pouch and then moves straight into the small intestine, skipping most of the stomach and the first part of the intestine. Because of this, patients feel fuller sooner and eat less.  

“I knew I needed more restriction and this option provided that,” Heather says. “And I was amazingly happy that I did it.”  

Healing took time, and Heather had to learn how to properly nourish her body, both physically and mentally.

“I went from struggling not to eat to being afraid to eat,” she says. “I didn’t want to gain the weight back. I had to learn to trust myself again. Throughout her journey, Heather leaned heavily on her family, her biggest source of support and encouragement.  

A new perspective and a new confidence

Heather eventually reached her lowest weight of 150 pounds—half her starting weight—but mentally, the transformation took longer.  

“Even when I was half the person I used to be, I still saw myself as overweight,” she says. “The physical changes came first, but believing them took time.”

Slowly, her confidence grew. She ran her first 5K. She traveled. And for the first time, flying felt different.  

“I remember getting on a plane and not needing a seatbelt extender,” she says. “It sounds small, but it was huge for me. It showed me how much had changed.”  

She began dating, going out more, and stepping outside a comfort zone she hadn’t realized she’d built for herself.  

“It made me healthier mentally and physically,” Heather says. “It opened up a whole new world.”  

When weight regain happens

About 10 years later, Heather experienced weight regain, something many bariatric patients face. Life changed. She entered a long-term relationship, became more comfortable with old habits, and gradually slipped back into familiar patterns.  

“I stopped tracking what I was eating,” she says. “Before I knew it, I was struggling to lose the weight again.”

Wanting to take control of her health, Heather knew she couldn’t do it alone. Again, she chose WashU Medicine physicians for their deep expertise and commitment to safe, high-quality bariatric care. This time, Heather visited Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital.  

The WashU Medicine bariatric program is nationally accredited through the American College of Surgeons Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, which means the team follows the highest national standards for safety and quality and is one of only a few bariatric programs in the region to offer advanced minimally invasive and endoscopic weight-loss treatment options.

Patients also benefit from surgeons who are leaders in minimally invasive and endoscopic treatment options, along with a coordinated team, including weight management specialists, nurses, dietitians, psychologists, and exercise experts, who work together to provide lifelong support and follow-up.  

Heather met with WashU Medicine nurse practitioner Rachel Maday, APRN, FNP-C, at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital. Rachel works closely with physicians to offer nonsurgical treatment options that help patients lose weight in a healthy way and maintain long-term success. She also supports patients through every step of care—from pre-procedure education and prescriptions to symptom management and follow-up visits.

“She was one of my biggest support systems along with my family,” Heather says. “Rachel really understood what I was going through. She took the time to listen, answered all my questions, and helped me figure out what I needed—not just physically or surgically, but emotionally, too. She made me feel supported and confident every step of the way.”

A second tool for long-term success

Because Heather had already undergone major abdominal surgery, she moved forward with an endoscopic revision, performed by WashU Medicine physician Vladimir Kushnir, MD, at Barnes-Jewish West County. At the time, she weighed 230 pounds.  

Endoscopic revision is a minimally invasive procedure that helps patients who have regained weight after gastric bypass. Instead of surgery, physicians use an endoscope—a thin, flexible tube passed through the mouth—so there are no incisions.  

During the procedure, the stomach pouch is adjusted to more closely match the size created during the original surgery. This helps patients feel full sooner and eat less.

Endoscopic revision can support renewed weight loss and long-term weight management without the need for additional surgery or weight-loss medication.  

Heather’s recovery was smooth, following a structured plan that started with clear liquids then soft foods, and gradually progressed to regular foods, all guided by Rachel and the bariatrics team.  

Heather also receives help and guidance through monthly bariatric support group meetings, where she learns from others who understand the emotional challenges of long-term weight management.  

Living fully and looking ahead

Today, Heather weighs 170 pounds and is focused on building strength, improving fitness, and losing a few more pounds. Her priority is staying active and maintaining a positive mindset.   

One of her proudest moments came during a recent trip to Acadia National Park, where she completed the Precipice Trail—known for its steep climbs, narrow ledges, and iron rungs—and is one of the most thrilling hikes in the park. The trail rises over 1,000 feet in just under a mile, offering stunning views.  

“I could never have completed that trail when I was 300 pounds,” she says. “I did it with my sister and the feeling I had when I got to the top was amazing. I was proud of myself. I can’t wait to have more experiences like that again.”

For Heather, those moments are about more than physical ability, they’re reminders of how much her daily life has changed.

“You don’t always realize how much your weight affects you until it’s gone,” Heather says. “It was the little things—vacations, daily movement, being in pictures, getting on an airplane.”

She smiles now thinking about it.  

“I can get in an airplane seat. I’m not touching anybody,” she says. “It’s funny the things that hit you that make you happy now and why that seatbelt was such a big deal for me.”

Those changes have shifted how she shows up for the people she loves.  

“When I see pictures of myself with my niece and nephew, I look happy because now I want to be in the photos.”

Heather’s advice for those thinking about bariatric care

Heather is clear about one thing: Bariatric surgery is not a shortcut.

“Never let anyone tell you that you cheated,” she says. “There is nothing wrong with having surgery or using medication. Bariatric surgery is a tool—and it’s not an easy fix. You still have to do the work to reach your goals.”  

For Heather, the decision to pursue a bariatric procedure was deeply personal.  

“You have to do what’s right for you,” Heather says. “If surgery works for you, then it is the right choice. Don’t let anyone take that away from you.”

Looking back, she sees the journey as a turning point, not just physically, but in how she lives life.  

“This journey gave me the tools to take my life back—the life I was letting pass me by,” Heather says. “The only regret I have is not doing it sooner.”

To schedule a consultation or learn more about your weight loss options and our providers visit our Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital Weight-Loss Program