Rebecca Vincent
I am forwarning you - my story is long - bare with me. I just feel I had to say what was on my mind and it kinda is like my life's journey. I have always wanted to keep a journal - maybe this is a start. Don't get scared, it's not a book - I promise.HAHA!
I have a family history of overweight women on my mother's side of the family. My maternal grandmother was very overweight and had severe diabetes with a leg amputation before her death. My mother is very obese and has suffered for years with high blood pressure and has been diagnosed with diabetes the past few years, she suffers from hereditary arthritis badly and her obesity compounds the problem. My maternal grandfather died of a heart attack when I was in middle school. My paternal grandmother died when I was six years old from kidney failure due to severe diabetes. My paternal grandfather died of a stroke. My dad had a stroke when he was 54 years old and was severely paralyzed on one side, in wheel chair, diapers, for 10 years before passing away. The reason I am telling all this, is I have a family history of very severe medical conditions of which I want to lesson. I want to live as long as possible - my husband, children, and my mom are my life. My 18 month old granddaughter is my WORLD. I have sleep apnea -(have a CPAP machine, however don't use it) I have only recently had a slight elevation of blood pressure and have had elevation of blood sugar, but no diagnosis of diabetes. With my family history I have a high probability of having one of the above medical conditions. That is why I have taking steps to help end my obesity. I want to derail my possible medical problems and prolong my life.
I was chubby in middle school, however, the summer before going to high school I slimmed up, at 5'3" I weighed 110 - 115 lbs. through high school. Wore a size 5 pants and thought I was fat. I did start smoking at 15 and smoked pack a day of red box Malboros - I quit smoking when I became pregnant with my daughter. I have been smoke free for 25 years now, however, every now and then I do crave a smoke. I always wanted to wear a bikini in high school - all my friends did, however, I had a major and I mean major long and wide appendectomy scar - was always very self conscious of my body - thought I was fat and my scar was ugly. When I became pregnant with my daughter my weight gain began - however - not bad - gained 36 pounds - lost some of it, but not all of it. 3 years later became pregnant with twins - gained only 32 pounds with them. I weigh about 35 lbs. more now than when I was 8 months pregnant with them( I had twins at 8 months, was early). This is sad to weigh as much as I do and not being pregnant.
I am an emotional eater. I eat when I am sad, happy, etc. I love to cook - this is my passion - I love to try new recipes. I love to cook for my family - I feel this is how I can show them how much I love them. The bad part of this is that I eat, eat, and eat. I have always ate the leftovers on my children's plates. I have always cleaned my plate and went back for seconds. I hate to waste food - I see those starving children overseas on TV and am blessed to have the food I have and hate to throw anything away. I love to eat out - try new restaurants and try new dishes and always have an elaborate dessert. I am always hungry, eat all day, everthing, chips, candy - LOVE CHOCOLATE ANYTHING, ice cream. I TRULY AM WHAT I EAT.
In my 20's I took diet pills - adipex, tenuate, etc. - lost and gained weight over and over. Developed Supraventricular Tachicardia (SVT- irregular heart rythym, fast heart beat) in my 20's and believe it is due to diet pills. I tried Slim Fast - TERRIBLE. I had success several times with Weight Watchers - very good program -however, never met my goal weight and maintained - lost 20 lbs. felt good and started eatiing - "a little won't hurt". I don't like to exercise - overwhelms me - don't see progress. I tried CURVES - hated it - felt foolish while running in place during station changes.
March 2006 I had lap band surgery by Dr. Felix Spiegal in TX. Had problems from get go - and no help from him - day after surgery he went on a 2 week vacation to Hawaii. Had several mis-communications with Dr. Spiegel and his staff - (it appeared that the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing). Also, I had severe pain and swelling after lap band - Dr. Spiegel would not give me any pain meds to go home with and his staff did not believe me a week after surgery that I still looked 9 mopnths pregnant - kept telling me the pain was the carbon dioxide blowing me up and had to work its way out. Went to emergency room several times - band was in place each time - no prolapse or problem, however, did have high white count and fever. Drs. did not help me - they did not want to touch me or be part on this surgery I had. I thought the first 3 weeks I was actually going to die due to the pain I was having. Pain, fever, swollen belly eventually went down - with no help from Dr. Spiegel or his staff. I eventually lost 44 lbs. by December 2006, however, during this time I had severe reflux, immune problems, lung problems, continuous coughing, voice changed, regurgitation etc. I had band deflated in Dec. 2006 and immediately gained weight back. However during this time I was still having immune problems, coughing, fluid in lungs, etc. Went to Drs. in Houston, TX, Lake Charles, LA, Ocean Springs, Miss. - had all kinds of testing done - some pretty horrible testing in MIss. tubes put down my esophogus through my nose with NO sedation (I was spewing and draining and drooling like somthing out of the Exorcist movie - very painful testing done). My Gastro Dr. even made appointments for me in North Carolina for testing - however, I never went, as they were going to perform same tests as I had in Miss. I could not go through that again with no sedation. None of these Drs. could tell me why I was getting fluid in lungs and continuous cough. A Dr. in TX told me I had gastric asthma. My personal opinion is that my body actually rejected the lap band as a foreign body and caused my immune problems(horrible respiratory problems). During the past 2 years I have taken numerous steroid pills/shots, prescription allergy meds, every asthma inhaler med they make, 6 breathing treatments a day with a nebulizer with 3 medications in it. This January,2008 I feel I have made a come back. Feeling 100% better, breathing better, less coughing. Therefore, after 2 years of agonizing over what to do, I have decided to have lap band removed and have gastric bypass.
I have really good insurance - United Healthcare - it paid for my lap band 100%. I only had to have a letter to insurance company from Dr. Spiegel. I did not have to have psych, primary care letter, no nutrition counseling - nothing - insurance approved with no problems. This time for gastric bypass - same thing - no problems with insurance - no psych evaluation, no nutrition counseling, etc. They approved with letter from my Dr. in one week. I chose Dr. Keith Chung from Lake Charles, LA. He performed lap band surgery on my husband June 2006 and has done wonderful - no problems, unlike myself.
I initially chose lap band surgery because I thought it was less invasive - it was reversible. I could control how tight my band would be, etc. I was very scared of gastric bypass as this was major surgery. I had heard horror stories of people that had complications from gastric bypass. Now that I have finally made my decision I am very happy and EXCITED. Wished I would have chosen gastric bypass 2 years ago. I have several friends in DeQuincy who have had wonderful results and no complications from gastric bypass. I am praying and believing that this is going to be a positive experience and I am on my way to the losers bench.
My surgery for lap band removal and gastric bypass is scheduled for Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 7:15 am at Women & Children's Hospital in Lake Charles, Louisiana by Dr. Keith Chung.
