Kellysingleton

At 248 pounds and 41 years old, I was suffering from chronic acid reflux (taking 2 previcid and 1 reglan a day), hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. As most people, I was on the diet rollercoaster for most of my life. I look back at pictures from when I was a teenager and I was skinny, but didn't feel that way as all of my friends were smaller than I was. I was 5'7" in high school and wearing a size 10, but I was too big for the dance team uniforms and they had to order one in my size. All of my friends were sharing clothes (size 5 or 7) and I could not. I did not realize that I was thin, just taller than most. But that began the rollercoaster.  At 24, I went to see a dietician at the recommendation of my doctor since I had surpassed the 150lb mark. I lost 23 lbs and almost reached my goal weight and then BAM, I got pregnant. I topped out at 206lbs. After the baby was born, I lost 30 of the 70 I gained over 14 months and BAM, I got pregnant again. This time I only gained back the 30 pounds, but I did not loose much after the second baby. I went to Weight Watchers at the urging of another doctor. It was during their "Fat and Fiber Plan" and I was extremely successful. I lost 45 pounds and was feeling great until I had a severe gall bladder attack (Not enough fat in my diet). All the doctor had to say was.."it will take at least a year for your liver to take over what your gall bladder did, so don't expect to loose any weight!". That was my license to eat, so I did and topped out at 219 before my husband found the Atkins diet! This was absolutely the greatest diet for me, as I hate most carbs and love most protein foods. Again I was pretty successful and got down to a comfortable 182 or between a size 12 and 14. I was estatic to be able to shop "off the rack"! Then tragedy hit, my husband was in a major car accident at work and was deemed totally disabled. He was now a stay at home dad and he loved to cook! So we ate and didn't do any exercise as I was working all the time to make up for what we lacked from his unemployment. He made my plates for me, huge portions and I ate it all and then some. Depression hit hard, and so I ate some more. I started researching the gastric bypass, but did not want to have the invasive surgery, nor did I not want to not have a decent "Thanksgiving meal". I was tired of dieting and didn't really care anymore. I was feeling deprived of the foods I loved.In January of 2007, a friend of mine came to see me one day and she had lost 40 lbs in at least 2 months. I asked her how she did it. She introduced me to the lap band. She said she absolutely loved it. She too had been on the same rollercoaster I had. She explained that she really did not have to "diet" anymore and she could eat just about anything she wanted to in moderation. I went to the informational meetings and started the process. Since, I had been going to Curves and following their workout schedule, I qualified through my insurance as following a plan for a year and with all of my illnesses, the insurance company approved my surgery within a month.Immediately after my surgery, all my vitals returned to normal. I did not have to take the reflux medicine, or the cholesterol medicine and 3 months later, my blood pressure was normal. I no longer had to used the C-pap machine to sleep and eventually my husband declared that I no longer snore at all.My insurance changed, and no longer supported any gastric surgery or followup at all, so I had to start paying for my fills out of pocket, but by the time this happened, I had found my "sweet spot" and no longer required monthly visits, which turned out to be ok, because the center I was going to, closed and my doctor disappeared. I had to find a new doc.It has been since December 2007 since my surgery. I went from a size 22 and now I am buying size 8 jeans and medium tops. I have not bought any "new" clothes as now I shop at consignment stores and Good Will because I have to buy a season at a time and turn back the stuff that doesn't fit!  My husband now topping 300 lbs, wants to have the procedure. We have been told that the insurance company is considering covering the band again (not any bypass) because of the successes they are seeing.  Woo Hoo!