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

Hi everyone, As a child and young adult i was never really obese, slightly over weight averaging about 140-150lbs at 5'2 but in 2000 i was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and panic disorder. After two years of medication trials and errors my weight topped off at 240 give or take a few pounds. I stopped taking my meds fullishly and lost some weight getting down to around 175 where i spent a few years. My bipolar got bad again and i had to start meds again. back to 235. I researched wls and was ready to go however i lost my insurance and my ability to get the surgery. My meds have been stable and my doctor was wonderful with not putting me on anything that caused weight gain. Ive found a coctail that works for me and as far as the bipolar goes im as stable and mentally healthy as can be expected for a rapid cycler. I had counted calories and watched everything i ate and did until i got down to 150 lbs. yay me right? well i got frustrated that the scale was moving sooooo slow so i started fasting, bad bad bad idea!!!! i lost weight all right and i lost it quick. I was down to 137 in approximately two weeks but when i started eating again i was starving. my metabolism took a hit and i was quickly at 160. that was a waste!!! then i decided i would try to quit smoking. In a months time i was up to 180 and smoking again. ive attempted to quit several times since and have steadily put the weight back on. I'm up to 200 + or - a few pounds and have been basically holding steady since. BUT STILL SMOKING GRRRRR. A few months ago i looked into bariatric surgery again. I've gone to the initial seminar and two meetings with the dietician, third one is on the 8th. I have medicare due to my bipolar as well as state assistance insurance so my only requirements for surgery is a bmi of 35 or higher with a comorbity... i have several... asthma, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and possible prediabetic. I am not required to do the six months of meetings with the dietician but right now the hospital im going to isn't medicare approved... sooooo im attending the meetings until that all goes through. I'm hoping and praying that they are approved soon because i feel like im up against the clock. like a ticking time bomb. I can't take it any more. I'm opting for bypass surgery simply because my only real weaknesses are sugar, and continuous hunger. I just hope things move along quicker and i'm thankful for this site. I also use myfitnesspal to log in my calories and exercise but there isnt much wls support there.

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

I CANT BREATHE!!!!!! I'm always out of breath and always always hurting!!!! I can't find cloths that fit me, I can't exercise, I live in stretchy pants and tank tops and i dread winter because i have NOTHING that fits me.

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

am still in the pre op stage of surgery update....found surgeon in my state top do ds surgery