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Obesity & Me

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

I was a chubby kid, but never really what you would call fat until I hit 16--in looking back, I realize how insecure I was and how I dealt with this issue and others by eating--I feel I am a foodaholic. My mom took me to a doctor who gave me some diet pills and a diet to follow. My heart, nor my stomach, was in it. I continued to gain, diet and lose, then gain again through college. When I met my hubby I did lose weight and was down to 160 at the time of our wedding. The emotional eating and binge eating continued and by the time I had my second child, I was definitely obese and very unhappy with how I looked, but food was my crutch.

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

Having people make assumptions about who I was without bothering to get to know me. We are such a superficial society. I felt like a non-entity. I am intelligent, fun, hard working--but after awhile, I felt like a nobody. If you are thin or average, I think you have so much more advantages, just from the initial meeting of others.

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

I have noticed that physically I can walk so much longer-walking 60-75 minutes each morning. When I started out it was 10 minutes, 3 x a day and I thought that was something. I am looking forward to trying more new things as I continue to lose--parasailing (I won't be over the weight limit), snuba (last year they wouldn't let me because I took blood pressure medication) maybe even snorkel--the sky (or the ocean) seems the limit.

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

I saw an add in a local newspaper-I discounted it as too expreme. Then I met a gal at my Curves class and overheard her telling about the surgery she had. I couldn't believe it - she had lost 1/2 of herself and looked so wonderful. I gradually got up the nerve to ask her questions. She steered me to this website and encouraged me to do research. She even took me to a support meeting.

What was your stay in the hospital like? How long where you there? What things are most important to bring?

Stay was great. I was there 3 nights and 4 days. I really have nothing but good to say about the hospital and its staff. I think I brought along too much "stuff" but reading material was a must for me.

Did you have any complications from the surgery? If so, how did you deal with them?

Fortunately, I did not.

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

I felt really at peace with the whole process which was unusual for me. My ins. co gave the okay only a couple weeks after I submitted the request. The hospital called me and surgery was set in just a month. I am a spiritual person. I prayed over this decision, turning the outcome over to God and I would accept whatever happened. I felt that after all other methods had had failed, at age 54 God was guiding me in this direction--every thing went so smoothly. There was one glitch, when I had my ekg, it showed an abnormality, a possible blockage, so I needed an echo ekg. My surgery was set for Friday, I had the test on a Tuesday--there was an unexpected opening, and all was well. My surgery was cancelled for Friday because they didn't expect me to get in so soon, but an opening occured for the following Tuesday. I was very fortunate.

What aftercare support group/program do you have? How helpful/important is this?

I have been to a hospital connected support group a couple of times. However, I get most of my support from my membership in Alanon which has completely changed the way I think about myself and those around me and also through OA (over-eaters anonymous) reading material. I also use this website about once a week. I think all of this has been very helpful and important to me.

What is your scar like? Is this what you expected?

I am so pleased with my scar (never believed I would be saying that). Doc Berkowitz really did a great job. It is very fine and narrow, much smaller than my appendicitis and gall bladder scars--they are awful. It is still a bit red but since I don't plan on wearing a 2 piece (I did just buy a speedo tank suit, no more granny bubble tops for me, that come up around my neck while I swim)it is of no real consequence to me.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

)nly 6 months post op so too new in the game-I am sure it will happen

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Iam starting to get compliments from friends and family and people noticing I have lost weight. But I am still about 75 pounds over weight so I haven't really seen any changes in people who don't know me-first impression type reactions--I am still a fatso in their eyes.
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