lucia08

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Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

before bariatric surgery basicaly i would eat and drink what ever snack around. my favorite through highschool and college consisted of a soda, chips and a pack of m&m's alone or with family or friends. my battle began pre-menstrual i was a chubby kid with an absent father i had emotional issues and i had no cooking skills growing up. our family ate easily prepared processed food with a side of salad to somewhat balance it out. the weight packed on and off fluctuating throughout the years.and .at one point i had lost weight taking diet pills in 2004. i felt powerful strong and beautiful at my new160lb frame from a hefty 250lbs without surgery i had done it on my own. Then i met my husband. when i was 22 i was happy we settled in and we had a lovely family. i had blossomed to my highest weight after my second daughter in 2005 of 298lbs at 24 years old. i was exhausted of being heavy and it was hard to mother two infants at my weight. so i excercised and dieted i committed to life style change and consulted a bariatric surgeon. on october 27th,2008 i weighed in at 257lbs pre-surgery.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

being overweight was mostly uncomfortable. i had body pains and exhaustion all the time. it was difficult and expensive to buy clothes. felt embarressed for my size most the time around others in public places.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

i love to walk, work, shop, eat out, dance, socialize go to the beach ect....i ride bikes, excercise, play with my kids, run, jog, jump rope with out it hurting myself. i am a new person now that i weigh 125lbs 4 years after gastric bypass. although there are scars from surgery i consider them my war wounds. access to full advantage and use of my body is amazing i would recommend this surgery if fully committed to a life change.

How did you first find out about bariatric surgery and what were your initial impressions of it?

i found out that at my current job it was an option for me to have bariatric surgery and that there were young and older patients getting the surgery done. so i figured it was ok for me to consider even though i never really thought that "I" was morbidly obese. the fact that i have a title of obesity attatched to my medical file makes me feel like im sick and ive come to terms with the fact that i am obese and that without addressing issue now it could get beyond my control.

Describe your experience with getting insurance approval for surgery. What advice, if any, do you have for other people in this stage?

getting insurance approval for surgery was intese because it somewhat confirmed my commitment to the weightloss goal eventhough i was in a weightloss program the surgery date was final. dont have much advice for those in this stage besides stay committed and true to yourself.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I MADE A DECISION AND STUCK TO IT. ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH I RESEARCHED AND ASKED EVERY QUESTION. THE OUTCOME IS WHAT I FEARED I ALWAYS FEARED THE WORST AND THE WORST OR AT LEAST A "COMPLICATION" IS WHAT I GOT.BUT MY OUTCOME HAS BEEN WONDERFUL. I DONT REGRET MY DECISION TO HAVE SURGERY.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

THE AMOUNT OF WT AND THE AMT OF TIME THAT I WANTED TO LOSE IT IN DETERMINED MY WT LOSS SURGERY DECISION.

What fears did you have about having complications or even dying from from the surgery, and what would you tell other people having the same fears now?

I FEARED THE WORST. DYING OF COURSE WAS MY BIGGEST FEAR. NOT LIVING TO SEE MY TWO BABY GIRLS GROW UP. BUT BESIDES MY INTERNAL BLEEDING AND SECOND OPEN SURGERY MY SCARS ARE THE LEAST OF MY WORRIES I SURRIVED. AND I AM DOING GREAT.
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Before & After
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before photo after photo

ARE YOU READY TO PAY IT FORWARD & SHARE YOUR JOURNEY? Your journey will help highlight the many ways weight loss surgery improves lives and makes a difference in our families, communities and world. EACH JOURNEY COUNTS as a voice towards greater awareness.

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