Alexis H.
I don't think that my story is that much different from a lot of other women, but I hope that this will give people the opportunity to get to know me better. I have been heavy all of my life. If it is genetics, or just that I was never taught that it is OK to be selfish and take care of yourself. I was never really unhappy with myself until after I was in my first marriage. It was not a happy time in my life. In all fairness it was not good for him either, and it has taken me a very long time to be able to say that. I started putting on a lot of my weight during this time, due to depression and medication. Fast forward to my life after that marriage ended.......
I have found the true love of my life, and married him shortly after. He is so supportive, but with one set back after another in our lives more and more weight came on. I had a complete hysterectomy, which made gravity take over! I have suffered from sever headaches for about 10 years, and when I started to lose my vision it was time to go back to the doctor. I was told that I may have a brain tumor...
SCARED!! After an MRI and lumbar punctures they determined it was a pseudotumer. Thank GOD! for that, but then on to the treatment. The medication and the doctors visit took their toll. I put on more weight when I started retaining water. The doctors told me that I needed to lose the weight and that would help to get the fluid to come off of my head. But after 15 months the medication was not working, and I was not losing the weight on m own. I had never thought about WLS before, so when the doctors told me that he was recommending that I look into it I was flooded with questions. I had a choice to make, either surgery to lose the weight that I needed, or I could have a shunt but in my spine. I decided to look into WLS. I started with my insurance company first. They told me what doctors I could go to and how much they would cover if I went to them. I decided on the band, and did all of the steps in order to make it happen. I was surprised at how fast it all happened. It only took less than 3 months from the first seminar with the doctor in February to having the surgery on May 1st. And here I am today.....struggling but making it work.
