C. Skidmore
I started my current journey of weight loss about 6 years ago. For the most part I was always one of the big people that could do a lot and had no health issues other than being obese that kept me from doing anything. I remember laughing at doctors and other people that swore I had high blood pressure or diabetes etc. I never had anything until the one day it all caught up with me. I was at work one day about 5 years ago and got light headed and almost passed out. I went to the emergency room because I really felt bad and found out my blood sugar was well over 600. So, I was admitted in the hospital and told I had diabetes. This was followed by boils on my legs caused from high blood sugars that required surgery. About a month later I was diagnosed with High blood pressure. As I tried to get in better shape and lose weight I continued to develop other health issues. Sleep Apnea, GERD, Adema, slight neuropathy, and was just tired a lot. Later that year I had back surgery on my Lumbar section of my back from ruptured disks from the weight. After being successful with Redux and Phen Fen I was given a blow when they were pulled from the market. I just began getting bigger and bigger. In 2005 I finally decided based on advice from my doctor that I should think about having WLS. I began my journey with Dr. Neil Hutcher in Richmond, VA. Due to insurance and financial issues I was not successful. 2006 I moved on to Dr. James Maher also in Richmond, but I gave up after he wanted me to lose 100 lbs before he would do the surgery. Late 2007 I moved back to Ohio and began my search again. I praise God, because now he has opened the door for me to have the surgery and finally get back control of my life. I have decided to have a Duodenal Switch with Dr. Rita Anderson in Kettering Ohio. It took me a lot of thinking and reading to come to this decision. I had a lot of worries concerning WLS mainly due to my mother having the lap band as a test patient with Dr. Harvey Sugerman that went wrong and then a revision to a RNY with Dr. Eric DeMaria that has not been very successful either. I do believe that the advances made since my mothers surgeries will be the key to a more successful tool to help me lose and maintain my weight for life.
