JCarbona
As far as I recall during the 56 years on this earth I’ve battled with my weight and food addiction. I am known for my resounding statement that “I would take desert over a meal any given day!”.
I started my weight loss journey in the summer of 1979 as I entered my junior year of high school. I ran every morning just 1 mile and reduced calories. Lost 50 lbs which returned plus 10 as soon as I graduated 2 years later and began working while attending college.
Then I took my weight loss journey to the Atkins diet. This lasted 6 months. While I dropped significant weight, my PCP advised I stop due to the large volume of fatty cysts that were forming on my organs as a result of the mass amount of proteins. I gained back the 30lbs I lost almost immediately post seizing the Atkins regimen.
So now I fast forward to my 50s. I experienced a pulmonary embolism and after a long treatment of blood thinners and numerous lab work-ups, my hematologist advised I needed to loose weight or continue to have life threatening medical issues the result of my morbid obesity BMI status. She advised the Dr Pierre Dukan Diet as she stated you are never hungry, eat all you like to fill your hunger but lose trendous weight as it’s high protein and includes veggies and many sugar free sweets options. So I did. I lost 70 lbs and stayed on the diet 2-1/2 years. I grew extremely tired and angry with having to give up everything I enjoyed eating especially at family holiday events. Within 6 months of ending this journey, I gained 2/3 of my weight back.
So now I told to myself, I will try Weight Watchers. I subscribed and was on this program for a few months and rather than lose weight, I gained.
Since weight watchers, I’ve tried medicine therapy. Saxenda was working to curb my appetite but unfortunately my insurance refused to cover its cost despite my doctors intervention to support all of the reasons I should be on it. It’s $1500 / mo out of pocket without insurance even after the drug discount program I was on this via samples for some 2.5 months.
I was on Contrave which cost $99 out of pocket, insurance refused coverage and after two months on this medicine that made me nauseas daily, it too failed to alter my appetite.
My cardiologist advised against drugs due to the side affects and suggested bariatric surgery for the (lap-band) (which is no longer done in my area) or the bypass surgery. My PA suggests veticle sleeve gastrectomy.
My BMI is close to 40
I have sleep apnea (60 apnea’s per hour) using CPAP machine.
I had a PE due to my weight
I am a prostate cancer survivor almost three years now post my 45 radiation treatments (likely weight related)
I have constant lower back and other skeletal muscular issues due to weight. My sciatica I’m told is directly related to my weight.
