whateverittakes
My weightloss story starts about 15 years ago when my neurologist put me on Depakote. Depakote is not a good long term drug by any means but it is fantastic at controling MY generalized seizures (haven't had one in 5 years). Depakote can cause liver damage, pancrease damage, weight gain, headaches, tremors, depressions, hair loss, & double vision. Anyway, I gradually gained weight with little success at taking it off and keeping it off. By 2000, I was up over 200 lbs and had 5 different clothing sizes in my closet. Everyday I would promise myself that I would eventually get into those size 10 pants. Well, it didn't happen and the Salvation Army got that wardrobe.
In 2002, I was weighing in around 230ish and suffering some major back pain and went to my PCP (not my current PCP) he put me on narcotics, told me to lose 20 lbs, and patted me on the head. It took 5 months to talk this IDIOT into sending me for an MRI and finding out what was wrong. He had me on narcotics for 5 months, I was in so much pain from my back I couldn't sleep, couldn't walk and didn't want to talk to anyone! Not to my surprise my L5 disk had ruptured and that idiot PCP was asked to leave the Practice.
Anyway, after surgery my back doctor said "you have to lose weight it is too much pressure on your back". Well, I started out on a great road, I did a high fiber diet and freeweights. Then I pulled my tendons and muscles in my shoulder doing 30 lb curls...it took me close to a year to recover. While sitting the bench I gained back the 30 lbs I lost plus another 34 bringing me to 264 lbs. I guess you may say go back to the gym...but my body hurts to move, I can barely remember my name some days, chronically exhausted, I have headaches, swelling, bronchitis, insomnia, I have no sex drive, acid reflux issues, and sleep apnea.
Finally, last year I started seriously researching bariatric surgery when I was having trouble breathing, moving arounding and constantly swelling. My doctor took me through a battery of test thinking it was my heart causing the swelling. One test after the other came up negative until I got to the Sleep Apnea. After a sleep study I found I had severe Sleep Apnea and his recommendation was lose the weight. After numerous trips back and forth to the sleep disorder clinic, I raised the question to the doctor about a recommendation if I were to consider WLS. Immediately, he leaped up and grabbed a card, he said Dr. Curry is very good you must go see him.
Next, I brought this idea up to my PCP and he was not warming up to it! But I told him I was tired, I couldn't think straight and I can't breathe. I have read every internet site available and I just attended an open house for Dr. Curry (I brought his paperwork to his office). So he finally said let me look it over and ask around about him and if he is on the up & up then I will agree. He said, "I just want you to choose someone who specializes in this field, not just does it on the side." The rest is history!
