cheryl110098

  • BMI 49.1

Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

I've known about BS almost all my life, from the age of 17 when my mother had it. I was a chunky kid, and when I got married and started having children my weight ballooned out of control. I have been on one diet or another all my life. I always felt like such a looser because I would lose 100 pounds and gain 130 back, lose 60 gain 80 back, you get the idea. Then I decided to have BS, well that was in 1997. I found a doctor but my insurance company would not grant me approval 3 times the ball dropped. in 2002 just as my husband was about to apply for a loan, my whole world dropped out from under me My beloved husband of 20 1/2 years at the age of 40 passed away. That was the end of my fight to lose weight, UNTILL now. I'll get more into that later. I have now found insurance that will pay for the surgery and a wonderful doctor and hospital. We hope to have the surgery in June 2014. This not gaining weight part is a little hard. This month has been harder for some reason. I can't wait to chat with the doctor to get some Ideas from him.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

I think the worst thing for me is seeing the look on peoples faces when they look at me. I also have had 6 back surgeries and all this weight is hell on my bones. I hurt all the time.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

Didn't have surgery yet.

How did you first find out about bariatric surgery and what were your initial impressions of it?

I found out about BS when I was 17, My mother had it, I didn't thing much about it then.

Describe your experience with getting insurance approval for surgery. What advice, if any, do you have for other people in this stage?

OMGoodness, it's been a nightmare.

What was your first visit with your surgeon like? How can people get the most out of this meeting?

My first meeting was wonderful, the doctor is great. Ask a lot of questions.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was having one back surgery after another and the weight was killing my chances for a good recovery.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I researched ALL of them and decided the right one for me.

What fears did you have about having complications or even dying from from the surgery, and what would you tell other people having the same fears now?

I don't have any fears of having the surgery or of dying.

How did your family and friends react to your decision? Would you have communicated anything differently if you could now? How supportive were they after your surgery?

They are all very supportive.

How did your employer/supervisor react to your decision? What did you tell him/her? How long were you out of work?

n/a

What was it like attending your first information seminar on weight loss surgery? Were you glad you attended? if so, why?

I did my seminar online so I could wright down the question I needed answers for from the doctor without people around me.
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