SharieL

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Obesity & Me

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

I was always fighting to lose weight. As a young child I was the middle child with an older sister and younger brother. My mother would give me a bag of chips to make me feel better. When I was happy I was eating when I was sad I was eating. By the Sixth grade I was weighing 168 pounds. And being 5'2 it really showed. The summer before Seventh grade my mother and I went to a weight loss doctor. We had the injections (have no idea what it was) and diet pills. That summer I went from 168 to 123. So my Jr High and all of High School I was a normal weight. I met my husband the year before I graduated High School. We were engaged and married in less than a year of meeting.

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

Lack of Self Confidence. Can't enjoy the little things, playing with my grand babies, getting out of breath easily. The first year of marriage I gained 50 pounds. Wanting a family as soon as possible. I expected to be pregnant every month and was disappointed each month. The weight kept coming on. After 2 years of trying I gave up went on a diet and lost 50 pounds. Finally I got pregnant and gained 65 pounds. After it was so hard to lose so I just kept on the weight. Then 3 years later I had my second son. I tried diet after diet couldn't lose that pregnancy weight. Five years after my son I got pregnant again, I was at my heaviest 243 pounds 9 months pregnant. The weight was always up and down between 180-210. When my daughter was 10 I decided to go back to the weight loss doctor and started taking the diet pills. After 3 months I had lost 70 pounds and was looking good. But I was so high on those diet pills. I was like a zombie. I was basically on Speed. I would work out in the yard from dawn to dusk. I injured my back really bad. I couldn't get out of the bed for 3 months. I had steroid injections and medications finally I was able to move again. But of course being in bed for 3 months and not taking the speed. I gained alot of the weight back. And after that It just kept going up. Late in the year of 2009 I became a grand mother 3 times. My son adopted and his wife had a baby and my oldest son had a baby. That first year I enjoyed my grand babies so much. But I would get so out of breath taking care of them. I would get out of breath just watching my husband play with them. At that time I was my heaviest 255 pounds. When I seen the scale for the first time it scared me. I had never been that big I was miserable. I started looking into weight loss surgery. I had two of my cousins that had the surgery a year prior. I talked with them. One said she was so sick the whole time after. The other got pregnant 6 months out from surgery. Even though they both lost all their weight, they both had different experiences. And different views about the surgery.

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 enjoy the fact that I can walk without having to sit down so often. Being able to breathe. It has now been 6 months since I had my surgery and I feel great. I can only Thank the Good Lord above I did not experience anything that my cousin's had to go through. And I have not once thrown up or had any complications besides eating a little too much at times I get bloated feeling and have to lay down or sit still for about 45 minutes. Then that yucky feeling goes away. I find myself standing blow drying my hair, standing folding clothes. Actually getting the laundry out of the dryer and hanging them right there. Not having to go sit down. Just the little things is amazing. Being able to wrap my towel completely around my body when getting out of the bath. I wouldn't change anything. Thanking God for all he has done for me and my family since the weight loss surgery. I'm healthier and enjoying not only the grand babies now but enjoying my husband as well.

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

I first found out from relatives. I was actually scared of the surgery up until I came out of the recovery room.

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

My insurance company was so good. I didn't have to go through as much as most insurance companies have you do. I have Tricare South.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My insurance only covered the lap band and the gastric bypass. The lap band wasn't for me because I tend to choke easily.

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 had that fear right up until I had the surgery. I thought I may die and called every family member before surgery basically to tell them bye incase I did die. Knowing what I know now it was nothing. My fears took over me and I should of never been that nervous about it.

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?

Everyone was supportive of the surgery they knew how much I wanted it. My Pastor was the only one that didn't want me to have it. Only because he loves me and didn't want me to go through any pain.

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

I was in the hospital over night. The hospital stay was very nice.

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

None

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

I was so nervous when I found out I had my date. I wanted to be prepared thinking after surgery I wouldn't be able to do anything. I cleaned the house did all the grocery shopping and made arrangements where I wouldn't have to do anything. It wasn't like that at all. After the surgery yes I was weak but I was still able to do things. Not everything but more than I thought.

Describe your first few weeks home from the hospital. What should people expect from this period?

The first week was weird, I felt like I should eat but was scared of eating. I drank my soups and ate my yogurts, Popsicles and soft foods and it was enough. I was really surprised how satisfied I was with a little food. Expect your mind to make you think you need to eat. The mind is a horrible thing. Listen to your stomach.

How far did you travel to have your surgery? (If far, how did this affect your aftercare?)

I was very lucky I only had to go maybe 45 minutes away for the surgery.

Please describe in detail what things you could and couldn't eat in the weeks and months following surgery. What foods have been off limits? Please explain how your dietary tolerance changed week-by-week, and then month-by-month since surgery.

Meat is and always was a love to me and not being able to eat meat the first couple months was the worse thing in the world. But I managed to get past that. The first few weeks of liquids was bad. I couldn't have steak until after 4 months. That was bad!!! I have a hard time eating sweets, I know I'm not suppose to have them but of course I tried after awhile and foods like doughnuts hurt me bad. Also drinking diet cokes was one thing that I was so addicted to before weight loss surgery and after I couldn't have it Doctor's order's. When I was able to try to drink it, Oh my I had a horrible pain in my stomach and I will never drink the stuff again.

What was your actvity level in the days and weeks after surgery?

My activity was the same before the surgery I was just alittle weak at times because I wasn't drinking enough water. But Other than that I was fine.

What vitamins and/or dietary supplements have you taken since your surgery?

I'm taking B vitamins, calcium and a multi vitamin. I just don't like having to get chewable vitamins they are nasty.

What side effects (nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbace, dumping, hair loss etc.) were worse for you? For how long after surgery did they persist? How did you cope with them?

Right now I am losing my hair, it has been falling out for the last few months. Thank God I have thick hair so its not noticeable. Other than that I have had no other side effects.

What was the worst part about the entire bariatric surgery process?

Not knowing what to expect was the worse and the first month I was actually missing food and thought that I would be eating like I was before soon. That never happened. I missed food so much but what I had to realize is that it wasn't food I was missing It was the habit of eating. I had such a bad habit of eating all the time that I missed that not the actual food.

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

None. But I do have my family.

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

I have small dark spots on my stomach. Nothing that I expected at all. I had six small incisions. They healed very fast.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I've reached stalls that has lasted three weeks. It was hard thinking I wouldn't lose any more weight but that just made me go and work out harder to get the weight coming off again.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES! I am still the fat shy girl that I have always been, just with a different shell...I don't feel that people stare when I walk into a restaurant. Now when I'm out of town with my husband and I walk down to the complimentary breakfast I don't feel people staring. People are more willing to help me in stores etc.
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