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

I have to say that I didn't have a problem with weight until my 20's. I got married at 19, and had my first child (son, Derrick) at 21. It seems that after that it just creep up. My second child (daughter, Katlyn) at age 23. After doing all the MOM things for the kids, football, baseball, cheerleading, PTA, I just lost me and who I was. at age 25 I fell at work and dislocated my knuckles on my left hand. After surgeries 3 to be exact. We decided that I would stay home and raise the kids. Which I am very privilaged that I was able to do this. But during that time, I kept putting on weight and didn't think twice. At age 25, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and my hands started deforming. 3 yrs later, I was told I had Fibromyalgia, and it seems like it has been one thing after another. At my biggest weight 302 in March 2008, I decided it was time to get off my butt. My kids were grown, son in college, daughter was a junior in high school, they didn't need mom to be up their butts..So I talked to my doc about Gastric bypass, I had to do a 1 yr weight loss program for the insurance to do the surgery. So I joined YMCA. after 7 months, I had lost 57 lbs, just using the pool and treadmill. Then I started having pain in my back in the tailbone area. The pain got so bad, I couldn't workout. After finishing the yr program, I weighed 252..I went thru the other hoops I had to for the ins. to get the bypass, it was scheduled and I was excited. But 2 weeks before surgery we found out I had a Chorndoma tumor in my S4 in my back. so 1 week before bypass, I was having my S3,4,5, and tailbone removed. I still had the gastric bypass.. Long story short, I got infected, and ended up in hosp for 28 days and on iv antibotics for 8 weeks at home. I was too sick to eat anything for 3 months and lost a lot of weight. so I didn't get the protein like I should have. At my LOWEST WEIGHT I was 147.. But have to say, I didn't look good, it was awful. I looked sickly and just bones. I didn't like it one bit. And my new insurance (forgot hubby got laid off 2 days after my bypass, and was laid off for 2 yrs). So as I started to put on a few lbs, I didn't think anything of it. I looked healthy and felt great. Then in march of 2011, I had a bout with Vertigo, and this has knocked me right off the treadmill, I am not allowed to be on any exercise equipment that has moving parts. And since I get sick from the spinning, and it can be triggered at any time, I don't drive now, and not even allowed to walk by myself. So this has put me on THE COUCH..!! And I have now gained back 50 lbs. And I am so disappointed with myself. it makes me sick..!! But I have also noticed that when I watch my sugar intake, I end up having a hypoglycemic attack. So I have to force myself to eat. So if I eat too much sugar, I pass out for 2 hrs, if not enough, I get dizzy, nauseaued, can't stand or walk, and head spins. So damned if I do damned if I don't. !! I just read today that this may not be me and what I eat. I eat more then when I first had surgery, obviously I think everyone does. But I eat more veggies and fruit then anything else. so my calorie intake isn't that bad. around 1500 a day..I just read that maybe when I eat, the food is not being stopped, and is emptying right thru. I have to wonder if this is because I had to have the opening of the stomach, reopened 4 times within 6 months of surgery.. So now it is streatched out so that nothing is staying in the stomach, so I am always hungry. I am not watching EVERY thing I eat, but I don't cheat with any candy, cookies, cakes, they make me just so sick even thinking about them.My biggest splerge is veggies, I could be a vegaterian very easily. And did anyone else notice if the pain of arthritis became worse as you lost weight.??? I am becoming very depressed, and don't know what to do.. So that is my story.. Hope you enjoyed reading.

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

being looked down on by people, like there is some vial thing wrong with you..

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

Clothes shopping. I am a HUGH resale shop person. I can spend hours there, finding clothes that I feel nice in..