Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.
I have always been over weight; however, no more than 20 to 30lbs. I began to really notice I was larger than ever one else in high school and that’s where my weight loss Journey began. I took an active stand to watch what I ate and worked out. College is where I became very active, I ran stairs, Work out videos and walking 3 to 5 miles was a past time for me and I watch what I ate. I was doing this not to be healthy, but to not be the "fat" friend. Things really change when I became pregnant. At first I started off good I walked and I tried to eat right. When I was 5 months pregnant I was put on bed rest because my blood pressure was too high. Long story short I gain a lot of weight while pregnant with my first son. After I had him I still ate as if I was still with child. I had postpartum depression and I use food to comfort me. If I had an issue I ate, if I had a disagreement with someone I ate. Food became my best friend and my worst enemy all at the same time. I developed a very unhealthy way to treat my depression, stress, and pain. Food filled all of those things. I developed type 2 diabetes soon after my 1st son was born because of all the weight I gain in a short period of time. At the start of my pregnancy I was around 190 (about 40 lbs over weight) after I was 260 by the end of that year I was 290. It seems for every pound that I lost I gain 5 in return I could not get the weight off and I was still “self” treating with food. Four years later pregnant with my 2nd son I weighed in a 310lbs, I did good with him I lost 10 lbs while carrying him. Now here I am 5 years after my 2nd son is born and 9 years after my 1st son was born weighing in at 332 at the height of 5 feet 6 and taking two types of medications to keep my diabetes under control with an A1C of 7 (for those who are not aware, having an A1c of 7 is very bad). I have thought about having WLS for some time now but what really make me take if serious is when my A1C came back so high. I have been able to keep my sugar under control for so long it was like a blow into reality a wakeup call that I needed. To face that fact that I was losing, I was losing the battle of my weight. It was time for a change!
What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?
The worst thing about being overweight to me is the looks people give me. The perception that just because I’m fat that I’m lazy and that all I do is eat. I hate walking into a room and knowing that I am the biggest person there. Not really getting to run and play with my kids outside. Having self confidence that you are just as pretty or if not prettier than those half your size. The fact that before you go somewhere you have to think about if there is a lot of walking or if there is stairs, what type of seating will there be. The impact it has on your sex life, I.e. drive, limitation of different positions.
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 had the surgey as of yet.
Gwallace81
