DarcyMad

member photo member photo member photo member photo member photo member photo member photo member photo member photo member photo

Obesity & Me

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

I'm still pre-surgery and I think I'm the most scared about emotional eating after surgery. I'm a huge emotional eater or I eat out of boredom. I'm so worried about failing! This is my last hope to regain a healthy life. I'm desperate for surgery to work but feel completely helpless to the emotional eating. I am seeing a therapist.

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

I'm sluggish, dizzy, can hardly keep up with my child. Now that I'm 42, my blood pressure is working its way up, my bloodsugars are high (110-120) in the morning, my cholesterol and triglycerides suck. I can look at my grandparents (deceased from heart issues due to diabetes) and my mom (kidney failure due to diabetes) and see exactly where I'm headed if I don't do something soon.

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

Wow, what a change has occurred since surgery! I'm about 14 months out from my DS and doing beautifully. I've surpassed my weight loss goal by about 7 lbs now. I had shot for 140 lbs from the 251 I was on the day of surgery. I'm now at 133 lbs! I couldn't be more thrilled with how things have gone, my surgeon, my relationship with food, etc. This surgery has forced me to eat more normally, more slowly, make better food choices, I'm so much less stressed and, therefore, rarely eat for emotional reasons. My activity level has increased and I'm now outrunning my child! We race around the yard, ice skate, rollerskate, swim, go for walks and even go to the gym. I do make sure I get in a sufficient amount of protein each day and take my vitamins. Its necessary for survival. Oddly enough, its not too much of a struggle! I don't feel like I'm 'on a diet' because I love what I eat! In the end, the tradeoff was so worth it. Pretty much a no-brainer! This will be a lifelong journey, no doubt. But I'm in it for the long haul and look forward to each and every day with anticipation rather than dread. I no longer have Type II diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sleep apnea. Its all gone! The best advice I could give to someone looking into WLS is to do your homework! Especially if you are considering the DS. Be prepared to travel for surgery. Obtain a VETTED, experienced surgeon. You do not want to trust this surgery to just anyone. Explore dsfacts.com to get good, factual information on the duodenal switch. Educate yourself. Its worth it to you in the end and that's what this journey is all about. YOU!

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

I was initially excited but the side effects of some of them are so undesirable. It scared me for many years. Now I've heard of the benefits of the DS and I'm ready to deal with the side effects just to have the benefits of the weighloss and good health.

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

Work with your surgeon's office! They can give you a clearcut list of insurance requirements and you just have to be patient and work down that list. If they don't cover the surgery, ask your employer to consider adding it as an option. I was fortunate in that my company really pushes for employee health so they cover all the WLS!

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

It was just the two of us and I asked a lot of questions! Luckily, he offered a lot of time on that first visit. Gather your questions, write them down and ask them! Even the brutal ones like your surgeon's success rate, etc. Ask about his credentials and the medical groups he belongs to. I think you get a lot of insight into his dedication to bariatric surgery this way.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My son. He's 5. I had him when I was a bit older and I'm a single parent so I HAVE to be there for him. At the rate I'm going now, if I don't have the surgery, I probably won't be. Also, my insurance covering the surgery had a LOT to do with me finally getting on the ball and scheduling an appointment with the surgeon.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

You know...I'm about 45 days out from surgery and I am still not sure. I have the choice of lap band, bypass or DS. DS seems like the most appropriate choice given my family history. The more I research DS, the more I like the benefits of the surgery. I heard it here, "Think twice, cut once!" DO YOUR RESEARCH!

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?

Yikes. Maybe dying? I hope I've done enough research to get the right guy for the job so I doubt I'll die. I do worry about complications but what do I have to lose?! I'll die if I DON'T try anything so I have to try! I'd rather deal with minor inconveniences than worry about when the "big one" was going to hit!

How did your family and friends react to your decision? Would you have communicated anything differently if you could now? How supportive were they after your surgery?

My mom is completely supportive because she didn't take care of her diabetes and had to have a kidney transplant. My sister thinks I'm taking the easy way out. If she only knew! This will not be easy but I wouldn't have changed a thing about telling my family. They are my support.

How did your employer/supervisor react to your decision? What did you tell him/her? How long were you out of work?

I was very upfront with my boss. He completely understood since he'd just lost 45 lbs himself. I see him struggle every day to maintain or lose and I can empathize...I've been there! I think he will be supportive of the surgery and I've explained the possible time off. Once I told him about the surgery, he was very interested to learn more. I think he'll be interested to see how I fare post-op.

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

The seminar I attended was online. I was very glad I attended! It answered a lot of questions I had and disspelled some of the myths about WLS. It also sparked more questions that I saved for the surgeon himself. A great way to get started!
show more answers

Before & After
Roll over to see after photo

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.

Share Now
×