Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

Unfortunately I suffer major depression and a few other mental disorders now. I have attempted suicide once and almost got the loaded pistol out of our bedroom last Tuesday and did myself in.. I have a very additive personally and no longer drink alcohol (nine years) which I'm proud of myself for. I NOW can"t take a lot of medications because of the personality disorders. I DO feel better today mentally and emotionally than I have in the past eight and a half years. I am on new medications that seem to be working great mentally but it has several side effect including sleep deprivation and a high weight gain effect. Up to seventy pounds. I weigh 118 and not gone through what I have gone through in the past ten years of medical and mental problem to gain up to 70 pounds back. I argued with the Dr. yesterday for over 45 mins. to take me off the medication and put me on one that is just effect, which are available. He won't. Don't get me wrong. I weighed 108 this time six weeks ago and have gained ten pounds back. I had been trying though. Now at 118, my maintance weight is between 118 and 122. I feel best at this weight mentally and physically. The Dr. told me if I was worried about the weight, eat only 1200 to 1600 calories a day. ANOTHERS DIET? I sure thought I was past all that.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

The worst things for me about when I was over weight was my self esteem. I had had no self esteem all my life except for early childhood. I was always over weight and made fun of. In eighth grade I weighed 168 and was made fun of until I got my surgery. I lost the weight in the summer between grade school and high school. When I got in high school I was still teased because of my weight at 143. I had gone through nine years of sexual childhood with my dad which also was a major effect on my weight and self worth and self esteem.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

Since I had my surgery, for the first five years I enjoyed almost everything. Getting to go fishing and hunting. Spending time with my kids and grandkids. But I have when down the last since then. This new medicine that I've been on for the past week and a half has helped tremendlously mentally but like I said I've gained 10 pounds. I have never been a good cleaner of any of my houses but we live in a 2400 sq. foot house that is spotless now. A downfall, I'm only getting 1/12 to 2 1/2 hours of sleep a day. No naps during the day now, but laid in bed for an hour and twenty minutes the other night and was up the rest of the night.