rstamper

Obesity & Me

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

I had started to gain weight rapidly approx 1-2 lbs weekly, I was depressed,on medication for an Irregular heart rate for several years, had develped asthma,was having 4-5 attacks daily,and had been diagnosed as insulin resistant and pre diabetic. I did not know what to do,met a lady that had had the surgery and started to talk to her about it. All of my Dr.s were saying that if I did not loose the weight it was going to kill me. The last Dr. to sign off for the surgery was the Endocrine Dr. and he had me on a syudy program for 4 mos. eating resricted calories and wailing a mile a day. At the end of the study I had lost 2 lbs so he said that basically my metabolism had stopped and that the surgery would be my only hope.

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

My life. Loss of self esteem,closeness with my spouse,lack of intamcy,every time I went to the Dr. they diagnose something else wrong.

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

Crossing my legs,walking, SEX, taking care of my hygeine better, shopping for clothes.

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

A friend had it done, I wasn't ready to die and I wanted my life back.

What was your stay in the hospital like? How long where you there? What things are most important to bring?

I woke up on a respirator, I had bleed out after surgery, I was scaird,they gave me 3 units of blood, I aspirated the 2nd day and then came home after 4 days only to be rushed to the nearest hospital with aspiration pnemonia. Was there for 7 days,I thought at the time that it was the worst mistake of my life.

Did you have any complications from the surgery? If so, how did you deal with them?

see above response

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

Slowly I started to get my strength back,as each week after the 3rd week came it got better each week. My color came back, I was walking around in my house every hour so that the pneumonia would clear up. I actually by the 6th week went back to work, it was truellly a miracle.

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

We have a monthly support group here in our area that I have been going to sinse the 1st month following my surgery. It has been vital to my understanding of my surgery and the support has been immeasurable to my success of the surgery.

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

I have 6 small incisions,healing wonderfully. Yes it is what I thought it would be after lapriscopic surgery

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have been pretty consistant with about an average of 5-8 lbs a month sinse the 4th month. At 13 months I am 3 lbs. below my goal and a BMI of 22.5

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Oh yes! I still find myself looking in the mirror and expecting to see the old me any day. I go up to someone that hasn't seen me for a while and the look on their face when they raliz it is me is amazing.
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Before & After
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before photo after photo

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