Vampy
Update #1: I met with a WLS and learned that my insurance company requires a 12 month medically-managed diet period. So, I'm stuck waiting 'til next year unless I can get them to shorten it to 6 months or something. I also have definitely decided on the VSG and my future surgeon agreed that it was a good choice for me. I'm hoping that, if I have to do the full 12 months, it can be done before my 29th birthday which will be August 8th, 2019. I meet with my PCP 5/31/18 so we'll see what comes of that.
Update #2: Had the appointment with my PCP, got a letter of medical necessity that hopefully will help me cut out a little of the diet time. I don't mind doing it, as I want to diet beforehand anyway. But 12 months is too much for me. I would really like it if my Christmas present to myself this year could be my WLS. I called the WL center I'm working with and she said that usually insurance companies like to see 6 months of consecutive documented visits. So it's time to scour through my medical history to see if I have anything like that.
Update #3: Well, it seems like I am waiting. Unless they'll accept two years of meetings with a psychologist, lol! But that does give me some time to reconsider. I've been thinking about VSG, but because I have GERD, I've been advised that I should considered the alternatives. I also have decided that, surgery or not, I'm going to be 300lbs or less by the end of this year. Not only will it make surgery and recovery easier, I still want to be able to fit on the amusement park rides on my planned vacation in October!! Hopefully... no, scratch that. I'll definitely do it :)
Update #4: 35lbs lost between April and July! Woo hoo!!
Update #5: Had an Endoscopy. Normal results :) Nothing getting in my way for surgery so far!
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** tldr; I hurt myself a lot, ate for comfort, and now we're here pushing 400lbs. Got my emotions under control and now I'm working to be as healthy outside as I feel inside. **
I'm 27 and at my heaviest was 368, almost 369. I have been dieting on and off for years, I even managed to successfully lose 60lbs on my own... but of course gained it all back plus some more. I've been overweight for as long as I can remember, but three major factors led me to where I am today. This put me closer to 300lbs than 250.
1) Several unfortunate injuries; a broken foot (2005), same foot broken again (2006), and simultaneously broken ankles (yes, both at once. 2009). Each of which put me off my feet for at least a month, and that last one closer to 4 months. This easily piled on pounds every week, I played Tennis and walked regularly, so I was able to maintain a weight just barely over 300lbs. But that is in no way a good thing.
2) I worked at Dunkin Donuts (where I was managament and got free food) and shortly after that, Mcdonald's (where employee's recieved 1 meal per shift at a 50% discount). As someone who was in college and strapped for cash, both of those things were very appealing to my wallet.
3) In 2010 I moved out on my own and went CRAZY with food. I can recall drinking 3-5 sodas a DAY. Calorie counts probably over the 4k mark. I don't know if it a stress response (I moved on less than stellar terms) or if it was a 'young adult's way of proving their individuality--because now they could eat two packs of pop tarts and no one was going to tell them it was bad for them! And this was 'nail in the coffin' so to speak. Within a year/year and a half I was at 350+. I honestly only noticed because I couldn't use the WiiFit board anymore. It has a weight limit of 350lbs.
For a time, that motivated me to get more active and eat better. I did a diet called the "Taste of Home: Comfort Food Diet." I enjoyed that it planned for you to have at least one snack a day and the meals were still full of meat, cheese, and bread. Despite how it sounds, this was how I managed to lose 60lbs.
And then I had to quit my job, after working in unsafe conditions for almost 2 years. They reached a boiling point (almost litteraly, the temperature inside the building was so high it wouldn't register on the thermostat. My ambient thermometer read 287 at one point) and I locked up the building in the middle of a shift and left.
Cue major depression. I dealt with it a little in high school. But at that point I had friends, family, a stable job, and other things to keep me in line. At this point, I just started spiraling down and using food as a comfort, though I didn't realize it at the time. I couldn't find work for months.
My relationship with my best and, at the time, only friend was strained by mine and her lack of money and I wound up being asked to leave her property. I was renting a room from her but no job=no rent money, and my 'alternative payment' of doing housework so she didn't have to wasn't happening, due to my depression. And of course that made my depression so much worse.
Well, thanks to my therapist's suggestion, I'm on medication for the depression and I'm still going to therapy once a week. I feel happier than I ever have and motivated to look outside how I feel inside. I've been dieting on my own for a few weeks, ever since a surgeon (I had my appendix removed Jan. 29th, 2018, today is May 21st, 2018) suggested I meet with someone about WLS and I scheduled that appointment.
So far I've lost almost 20lbs, so long as the scale isn't lying to me, lol! I wanted to get my BMI under 60 as I heard your chance of complications is higher over 60. So here we are. As I'm writing this, my consultation with my (hopefully) surgeon is tomorrow. I'm thinking I'll want to try VSG, but I want to talk with the 'experts' first. We'll see how it goes. I will update this as I do and learn more!
About Me
Before & After
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