Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.
I was genetically exposed to being over weight and I have been overweight all my life. I came from deep southern roots where we ate everything off the pig from the rooter to the tooter, we ate rich foods, fatty foods, and high calorie foods. This caused me to acclimate myself to eat bad and not focus on my weight. Even though I was overweight, my mother NEVER allowed me to use my weight as an issue not to live my life to the fullest. I was always dressed nice and had a pretty face but I had so much weight on me that it would sometimes draw attention from my positive points. I have always had a high self esteem but I felt jealousy and envy when I would see the thinner girls wear items that I dreamt of wearing. I remember wanting to be a cheerleader and I even tried out but I was just too heavy. Even to this day I long to wear my stiletto shoes and shorts skirts but I was afraid that my weight would make me unbalanced and my clothes less flattering. I often settled on other things that helped me not to focus on maintaining my weight, like buying pretty clothes for plus size women and wearing wedges instead of heels.. My weight issues carried over into my adult life and I believe that it has played apart of my divorce and 4 miscarriages. I have tried to gain some control and I have been on diets from Phen-Phen, to Weight Watchers/Jenny Craig to plain starvation. While some of those regimens worked, the weight would always return. My health started to fail in 2009, and I was diagnosed with hypertension, borderline diabetes, cholesterol, had my gall bladder removed, and my feet swelled immensely. My doctor recommended diet and exercise and I would start strong and finish wrong. I was hurt and simply decided to give up. My doctor finally recommended the bariatric surgery. I completed my research and finally decided that the lap band would be my best option. So in September 2012, I had finally had enough. If I wanted to be here for my family, I had to do something, I had to take control and so I called True Results. In less that 30 days I went in for my psych evaluation, consultation and 20 days later I was approve for the lap band. For years I was ashamed of my weight and myself and now I can do something about it. For those who are considering the pathway to bariatric surgery, you may say that you can't afford it, but I say you can't afford not to. I am looking forward to meeting the new me. Surgery date: 12/26/2012
What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?
The worse thing about being overweight is having to by expensive specialty clothes. Not being able to do activities with my family. Not being able to get pregnant and keep my pregnancy and all the medicine's I have to take is unbearable.
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 haven't had surgery before but I do miss going out and doing fun things. When you have to struggle with weight you don't get to do a lot of things that you could if you were smaller.
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