Suego26
Growing up I was a mostly normal size child. I didn't begin to see weight issues until I hit my late teens. I remember at the age of 14 wearing size junior 5 pants. When I got married at the age of 19 I weigh about 157 pounds, and thought I was chunky at 5' 3"
During the course of marriage I began to put on weight. Not too much at first, I was probably gaining an average of 10 pounds a year in the beginning. The marriage was not what I expected, my husband was verbally abusive and constantly putting me down. Even when I weighed around 180 he made me feel like I was a fat lazy cow. (I don't know why I stayed in as long as I did...I guess I had self-worth issues).
After being married 10 years I got pregnant and at that time I had gone over 200 pounds. During the pregnancy I weighed 225, but after I had my son I dropped down to 197. 13 months later I was pregnant again, and this time the scale really started going up. When I had my daughter I had gotten up to 240. Of course I dieted off and on throughout the marriage and after pregnancies, but I could never get back below 200.
After 13 years of a stressful marriage we divorced. My weight hovered around 230 to 240 lbs.
When I remarried 6 years later I was around 250 and the man I married is kind and patient so it was a big change from the first husband, but he and I both liked to eat. Our social world revolved around food. I began gaining again and swore I would never let myself see the 300 mark on the scale. I was around 275 when I decided this. I figured I had a 25 lbs leeway to make sure it never happened.
But, as all good intentions sometimes do, one day I stepped on the scale and I was there. My health had begun deterioating.
I had been on blood pressure meds for a few years, I began having anxiety attacks, and found out I had sleep apnea.
Walking hurt my knees, I breathed heavily, getting up and down was an effort, and finding clothes to fit my excessively large body was becoming daunting.
I knew about weight loss surgery, but I was afraid and had no confidence in the doctor in my area who performed it. I debated and thought about the surgery for five years when finally a new bariatric doctor came to my town with outstanding credentials.
I already knew my insurance would cover it since other co-workers had the surgery done by the doctor I was afraid of. So when Dr. Lord came I made an appointment.
At my initial consult I weighed in at 338.50 pounds. He took my pre-surgey photo and I looked like I could have been a lineback for a pro football team. I didn't realize how very huge I was. I had to do a 6-month supervised diet as part of my insurance requirements and Dr. Lord wanted me to lose 30 pounds.
Finally on March 13, 2007 I was scheduled for lap RNY. I was terrified the day of surgery. I knew it was going to change my insides, my life, and due to my size I feared complications and death. I almost got off the table and went home due to my fear. Thankfully one of the OR nurses told me I could go home if I chose to, but in 5 years my health would be worse. I decided to stay and have surgery.
I am so thankful I went through with it. The changes initially were hard, and I did mourn the loss of my best friend (food) for about 2 weeks after, but when the scale started moving down I was estatic with the results.
At this writing it's been 18 months since surgery, and I have lost 153 pounds. I am currently in a size 14 from a size 26/28. I am wearing size medium tops and my shoe size went from 9.5 wide to regular size 8's.
My energy level is higher than it's been in years, and I enjoy so many more things in my life. I waited until I was 49 years old to decide to have this surgery, and I sometimes wish I had done it sooner in life, but I wouldn't trade how good I feel for anything.
I would still like to lose another 26 pounds to get to my personal goal of 160, but losing is slower now, and it requires a little more work, but I will keep working on it. I know exercise is key, and believe me I don't like to exercise and I'm not always as faithful to it as I should be, but I do make myself do it as much as possible.
I'm glad I had the surgery, and I'm glad I have my life back.
