bicngillette
Well, here I am. I was referred here by the surgeon who will in the future be making a drastic life change in me.
I am 36 and married to an awesome hubby and we have a 13 year old son together. I have been overweight since about puberty. But the weight has gotten extremely drastic in the last year. Besides the weight I deal with a number of serious health issues that has had me disabled for a few years. I have degenerative disc disease in my lower spine, which causes me to have to use a walker to get around as well as a wheel chair/scooter when needed. I also was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in Sept. 07 and have been learning a ton about that. With these two conditions I am in severe chronic pain 24/7. There is never a time that I am pain free. My life has been put on a serious hold since being diagnosed with the DDD in 6/05. On top of this, I was diagnosed with Graves Disease in 1/07 and had radio active iodine treatment to kill off my thyroid in 5/07. Ever since that process, I have become seriously hypothyroid and have gained over 100 lbs. within a very short time. We are working hard to get my TSH levels leveled and satisfactory, but it has been a struggle to figure out the right dosing of meds for me. To this day, just a tad over a year later, my levels still are not stable.
Because of the DDD and fibro, exercising is out of the question. I have done some aquatherapy, which I enjoyed, but doesn't actually get you losing weight. It moreso helps to keep some of the muscle tone that I have lost tons of. And having these conditons and now the thyroid issues, things are extremely out of hand with my weight. A month ago, I started swelling in my legs, ankles, feet and hands badly and went to the doctor to find out I am now on the verge of congestive heart failure as well as on the verge of having diabetes, which is stemming from the weight I have. With all the fluid in my body right now, I am at my highest ever, at 375. If I could get rid of this fluid, I would probably weigh less, closer to 300. But that has been a struggle as well.
My primary physician has referred me to a surgeon in Bismarck, ND for bariatric surgery after I asked him what he thought about me having it done. He wants me to have it done ASAP, mainly so that the congestive heart failure does not completely set in. I have my first informational meeting Tuesday, May 27th. I am scared to death and excited as heck all in the same emotion. I am scared of the side effects, the outcome, etc. from having the surgery since my body is not in a very good state right now. I am also worried that because of my conditions, I am not able to exercise like they want you to after the surgery, because of serious immobility. I am also scared that because my body is in such bad shape, that there will be many complications during the surgery and all I wonder, is it really worth it? On the other hand, I am very excited. I look so forward to being thinner and healthier. I would be able to do so much more with the conditions I already have to become more mobile, etc.
That pretty much sums me up. I need some serious help with the weight and I am hoping this is the path to take. Luckily I have an awesome hubby and kid that have been at my beck and call through everything I have gone through in the last few years. If it weren't for them, I surely would not be here today I am sure. I look forward to getting to meet some of you and sharing my story as I go.
About Me
Before & After
rollover to see after photo
