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

I had never had a real problem with weight until about 12 years ago. I was a little overweight, but nothing I was really worried about. Suddenly 12 years ago I started gaining at an uncontrollable rate. My doctors were running tests trying to figure out what was wrong. Finally 100 lbs and one year later it was deterimined my female organs were a mess which was throwing my hormones all out of whack. I was given a complete hysterectomy which threw me into menopause so here I am. I started a program at work where I went to the gym 3 days a week for 8 months. Lost 15 lbs. I tried the South Beach diet. Thats hard to do when you are on a macaroni and cheese budget. I walked 3 days a week 3 miles each time. Lost some weight but then was diagnosed with MS which weakend by left side so it took a while to be able to do that anymore. I cant even remember everything I tried to no avail.

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

The worst thing about being overweight was the medical problems that putting so much weight on in such little time did to my body. I now had sky high blood pressure which caused an enlarged heart and a leaky heart valve, I have bad knees which are now almost bone to bone arthritis, I have to take cholestrol meds because my cholestrol and triglycerides are so high. Im too young for all of this.

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 am only 4 weeks out from surgery. So far I have lost 25 lbs. That makes me happy and I am waiting for better things to come.