Barbara L.
I was always the heaviest of the seven children in my family. I was heavy in in 8th grade and embarressed by it greatly. Since then I have tried many diets, yoyoing up and down forever. I am now 55, so this has been going on for 42 years. That's just too long. I also have many health troubles. In 1986 I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Over a period of a few years I lost 80 pounds with diabetes drugs and watching my food intake, cutting out all regular colas, etc. I was still too heavy for my height, but I got better. Then I also got high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides and cholesterol. In 2005 after having trouble catching my breath for 8 months, I had to have stents put in my coronary arteries. I also got a C-Pap machine then for severe Sleep Apnea. I also finally discovered why my female cycles were never normal - Poly-Cystic Ovaries. I only ever had one child and always wondered why, althoiugh I was very irregular. That is moot now, that I think I have gone into menopause.
In May 2004 I started using insulin to control my diabetes and with that I also got very depressed from all my health woes, so they added an anti-depressant to my array of prescription drugs. I am generally a happy and optimistic person, but with the insulin (and some other drugs I took for diabetes) the weight I had lost 20 years ago came back and more. Almost 100 punds now and I was really too heavy then, although I would love to see that weight on the scale again! At a BMI of 50.8 I am severely obese. It is mostly in my stomach - I look very pregnant. My back hurts if i stand too long. I seem to have little abdomenal muscle control. I have been going to a gym for exercise, using the treadmill three times a week like I did during cardiac rehab after the stents. My back hurts, but I try to do at least that much. I have never been real physically active except when I was a poor college student with a bicycle for transportation - and that was over 30 years ago.
The charts say a BMI of 18.5 - 24.9 is normal. That would be 150 pounds. I haven't seen that since I was maybe 11 years old. When I graduated from college (and was my most physically fit) I weighed 185. I think I was about 175 when I graduated from high school 6 years earlier. During High School I was at various times, anywhere from 165 to 195. I felt really good at 215, the lowest I have been in the last 22 years. That would a BMI of 34.7. Obese. I have to do something now.
My insurance company sent me a statement showing the amount of money they paid out for my Prescriptions last year. It was almost $25, 000. Almost $25, 000. I can't believe it is so much, but yes, I take a lot of meds. So, I need to do something. I need to do it now.
Side note: My 27 year old daughter had RnY surgery 3 years ago. She is doing very well, but I don't know that I can do what she has done. Plus me dealing with excess skin... I still have a large stomach overlap from my C-Section 28 years ago already.
