goldisd
I've been overweight since I was a very young child. I was always the "fat kid" at school. I started starving myself in my early teens and exercising like crazy and got down to a "normal" weight during my junior year in high school. That lasted until my last year in college when my weight started going up again.
My weight continued to go up until 1987 when I was told about a weight loss study at one of our local hospitals called "Protein Sparing Modified Fast". Basically it was a stricter version of Dr. Atkins diet, but this was before Atkins was heard of. It was a great success, I lost over 90 lbs!
It was great being thin. I had a great new job and I met my future husband. Then I got pregnant and my son was born in 1989. I never lost my pregnancy weight and continued to gain (and gain and gain).
I have tried going back on the hospital diet, Nutrisystem, Atkins, low-fat diet, Michael Thurmond's 6 week body makeover, etc. They all work short term. I have bought and used (then forgotten about) all sorts of exercise equipment. Then something would happen and I would gain it all back, plus.
Sounds like 90% of all over weight stories out there. Over the years I have learned to eat better and I eat a healthier diet than ever in the past, but the weight is still there. At least my weight has stopped going up, it's been the same for about the last 5 years (+/- 15 lbs). It's a constant struggle to quiet the hunger.
Then I hit 45 and I finally came to the realization that I couldn't do it on my own and if I didn't do something more drastic I would die a young age from weight related issues. So, I started researching weight loss surgery. At first I thought about the Lap Band, but the thought of having a foreign object in my body didn't sound good and reading the forums from people that went that route I realized that wasn't for me. So as I was reading about gastric bypass I saw a side ad for the gastric sleeve and MY EYES WERE OPENED! That was the one for me!
I found a surgeon close to an hour away from where I live that was willing to do the surgery. He has done many bypass, lap band and DS surgeries, but never (at this hospital) had done just the sleeve (without continuing with the DS). I jumped through all the hoops and was ok'd for the procedure. Unfortunately insurance wasn't so cooperative.
I was originally turned down by my primary insurance. Then I was approved by my secondary insurance. Now I'm waiting for my date. I am very excited!!
