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

Hello my name is Odetta my behavioral battle was always wanting to eat, not feeling satisfied, I would eat over anything emotional good or bad. I became very depressed. my diabeties was getting out of control. I was constant tired, no exercise, sitting and doing nothing, I felt I was alone with this fat body all day long all there was to do was eat and sleep. Later I found out I had sleep apena and I was fitted for a mask that helped me feel some rested, yet I was still eating quite often. I did get to sleep finaly after battling with the sleep apnea for some time. I still was slow and not willing to exercise for the pain was so great in all my joints and limbs. I tried water exercise that was the key of release of pain while in the water I felt no pain and could move gracefuly,emotionaly I was building my self up to get to the YMCA and didn't continue to go. I paid for over a year membership and yet never went back to the YMCA. I finaly closed the membership down. Again I felt like a loser for everything I have tried in loosing weight I just could not do it by myself. I needed help God where and What was I going to do? I've tried everything I thought. Including several different diets that I failed at. The Depression was so severe I went to counsling I checked out the weight loss surgrey for several times over the last 15 years, Wanted to do this, yet my insurance just wouldn't pay for it. Very discourged again another failure. I was doomed I was taking 300 units of insulin a day, high blood pressure medicine, I had sleep apnea, total I was taking about 15 pills in the am and 6 pills in the evening. Wow I was dying inside and didn't know how to get out.I knew I believed in God, I had faith and hope and that is what kept me alive.

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

The depression was the worst for me.Seeing my body and barley even able to walk or move was painful becoming dependent on others to do things for me was becoming a habit. I could not tie my shoes, bend over to put my socks and shoes on. I held on to a cart to walk in the stores, and I wanted a walker to help me walk around with out pain. I was becoming to have problems emotionaly, physicaly, mentaly, and spiritualy. I Was again doomed with a life style I was not happy with.

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

This is my first time sharing, I had surgrey 8th of October 2011. My heavest weight was 289lbs. today I weigh 215. I enjoy walking without using a cart, my insulin now is 35 units in the am and 35 units in the pm.from 300 units.Wooo Hooo, my meds have changed. I'm taking vitamins, I'm not loosing like I was and I have been some what depressed for I have picked up my appetite. I love getting my make-up on and feeling good with smaller clothes. I have a great support team at home. Again this is the first time I have gotton on here since 2011 this is a major thing to get out of my comfort zone and reach out on the computer with trust and confidence that I am on the right track. Even if I feel somewhat like there is a small set back I can reconize it and start my program over by reaching out and sharing my story. I still have this fear of being fat and not liking the looks of my body. The biggest problem for me is reconizing it, sharing with the faith and hope that I'm not doomed like I once felt. I do have something to live for.