ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum - View Single Post

Dawnelle · 12-30-2008, 01:02 PM

I wanted to post my journey. This began 12 years ago when I realized OMG I was now 220 pounds. Now like others I did not gain it overnight this was a lifetime, I was never a skinny kid I fought with my weight all my life and was tased all my life. Being fat and a red head you can only imagine...... But now I was 30 years old and realized I had a serious problem. I tried all of the commercial weight loss programs, buying their foods, going to their programs......... Nothing no loss but some gain. I researched GBP and read medical journals on the subject, researched surgeons in AZ where I lived....... 10 years ago I was at 245 pounds and decided yes this is what I want to do, nothing else was helping I needed to before it was too late. I went to see a known doctor in Scottsdale AZ who treated me like I had the plague, they stated I was lieing to myself and that I had issues.... Because I was too hapy with my life and my family..... so needless to say I went back to my PCP who had known me for years and he could not believe she would be so harmful, we decided that we would try some more weight loss programs, low to no carb medications etc.......... no luck 3 years later I went to a new surgeon before I could see him I had to attend 6 meetings " The ABC's to Gastric Bypass" very informative........ completed me seminars and saw the surgeon nice guy...... he agreed I was a great candidate for the surgery....... they submitted the paperwork to my insurance, of course back then it was almost impossible to get the approval, wee worked on it for 3 years. Finally I gave up I felt if it was meant to be it would have been approved..... So again I tried more diets.......

My wonderful husband and I decided that we were moving to Hawaii, and we did 2 yars ago. I was able to get a job at a terrific hospital here and found the most spectacular surgeon....... She agreed that I was a great candidate and at that time I weighed 280 pounds, was insulin resistant, high blood pressure, super high triglycerides, high cholesterol, 2 low back surgeries, needing a knee replacement and so many aches and pain that I was taking 12 IB every day........ we got approval within 24 hours, I did all my tests and had surgery scheduled on July 27, 2007, however 5 days before I fell down stairs and shattered my ankle and fibula had major surgery. Since I now had steel plates and pins and screws in my leg holding it together I had to wait a year to ensure infection would not set in and that my body would not reject my new hardware......... We rescheduled surgery to August however I could not get time off from work......... AGAIN we rescheduled the surgery........December 19, 2008

I was so very careful the week before and tried my hardest to stay healthy.......... YES the day came I was not anxious, worries or nervous.. it was like any other day. However I did have the comfort of knowing that my team was hand picked by the surgeon I work for and he only uses the best, so I was at complete ease............