GillianWhitney

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Obesity & Me

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

I have been overweight my entire life. In the past 15 years I would say it has gotten worse. I have nto had much success with diets. Mainly because I had no support and I felt deprived in some manner. I have dealt with the cruelty of others that point fingers and call names to the point of needing therapy. I have always disregarded bariatric surgery because I wanted to do it on my own. Except I couldn't. In the past two years I have gained 80 pounds, I was diagnosed as diabetice, having high blood pressue, and sleep apnea. My doctor told me it was time to do something and the time was right now. So, here I go, surgery is July 15th, 2013.

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

The worst about being overweight is the mental abuse I receive from other people who look down on me because I am overweight. I was actually told I was pretty in the face but I was fat so I was undateable. I have been with friends at a club or bar and been completely ignored. You don't have to like what I look like, but I am a human with feelings.

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 have not yet had my surgery. That date is July 15, 2013.

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

My mother had bariatric surgery way back in its beginning phase. She actually had some problems with it so I have typically been relunctant to have the surgery myself. I felt like it was the bottom of the barrell effort.

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

i had several things I had to do before the insurance would even conisder approving me. First of all I had to have one or more of several health conditions such as diabetes,etc. Then I had to be on a 6 month physician monitored diet. I had to have a slew of blood panels done. I had to attend a seminar about the surgery. All paper work had to be turned in to the doctor I had chosen and they turned it into my insurance.
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