Rebecca D.

Obesity & Me

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

I have been overweight all my life. I was put on my first diet at the age of five. I starved myself from the time I was about twelve until I was twenty and by most standards was still overweight. I have always had to try harder, do more and be nicer than anyone else because the majority of people I have come in contact with seem to think because you are overweight you are lazy, uneducated and weak mined, having no willpower. Even my own family who sees me everyday and knows that I have dieted all my life thinks I should be able to do more.

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

I can not do the things I want to do like play softball, tennis, and roller skate with my son. I know that I have been passed over for promotions at work because of how I look and not my job performance. I can not go out in public without being laughed at by children as well as adults. I feel bad a majority of the time. My back hurts if I walk more that a block.

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

Walking and being able to breath at the same time. Working out in my garden without hurting all over. Being able to mow my yard and not having to get someone else to do it. Not taking all the medications I use to have to take daily. Being able to sleep in the bed again instead of a chair. Going to Wal-mart and buying all my clothes instead of having to order them from a large woman catalog.

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

on the internet just looking around. I thought that this a my salvation, a second change at living the life I want to live.

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

Do not give up!!!!! Do what ever it takes to get this surgery approved. This is your life and if you do not fight for it no one else will do it for you.

What was your first visit with your surgeon like? How can people get the most out of this meeting?

Go prepared. Do your homework. Show him or her that you know all about the surgery and have researched this topic in great length. Take all the questions you may want to ask written down, take a list of all the diets, programs, groups you have been involved with anything to do with your diet history. Make sure you have your medical records sent to the doctor before you go to your first appointment. You have to be able to show that you have did all you can do on your own to lose weight and this is the last hope.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I am 36 years old and can not live the life I want to because of my weight. I want to grown old with my family and not die before I see my son grown. I am tired of feeling bad most of the time. I hurt all the time and this is depressing. I have a lot to offer this world and I will not live long enough if I do not do something very soon. Watch out world here I come!

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

research, talking to others and more research. I found out what is good for one may not be good for the other. The more you learn the better choices you will be able to make.

What aftercare support group/program do you have? How helpful/important is this?

Because my surgeon was over two hours away I was not able to be a part of his weekly support group meetings. I have found a support group that even though they all used another surgeon they have welcomed me. It has been very helpful to meet with others who have had this surgery and find answers and support from others in the same boat. I wish we could meet more than once a month! I also visit Obesityhelp.com a couple of times a day and check out the questions and answers and the message board that has helped me a great deal also.

What is your scar like? Is this what you expected?

I am ten months post op today. The bottom part of my scar has faded and you can just barely see it. The top is faded a great deal but it did not heal as nice as the bottom and it is more visiable. But on the most part it is faded and I am happy with the way that it looks.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I find that about once a month right before my period I am hungry all the time and have to watch myself or I will graze all day long. I can not seem to get what it is I need and eat everything around me. I have had to increase my exercise and walking to get the weight to come off at a more steady pace in the last couple of months. I am still losing about 3 pounds a week and I am ten months post op today. My food intake is about 1 cup at a time 4 times aday.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Sure most people who have not seen me in several months do not know who I am and I have to tell them. More people speak to me now than before and I think alot of it is because I am more open and talkative now that I am not trying to hide from the world.
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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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