Jackson

Hi Wanda, I am new to the site too, and immediately identified with your post because my wife has a profile similar to your brief description from two years ago. You give me hope. K's 40 years old; 300lbs+; has an assortment of medical issues; and struggles daily with joint pain and self-esteem issues. When we got married 4 years ago, I had no idea how much K suffered with aches and pains, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, etc... We recently completed a 12-week weight loss/nutrition/exercise program at our local hospital, and we found the nutrition information and changes beneficial to both of us (I have high cholesterol and heart disease runs in the family). K lost a little weight, but it was very difficult for her to exercise because of the accompanying joint and back pain. Wondering if you (or anyone else reading this) experienced problems with exercising once you reached your maximum weight (I know that's kind of personal). K's weight is preventing her from exercising, which to me, is an indication that we are really in a scary place. Sometimes I think K feels that lap band surgery is a cop-out, but I am beginning to really wonder if it is the "right" intervention for now (get some weight off, relieve those joints and back) and then we can refocus on healthy lifestyle issues around diet and exercise. Am I making sense? Anyone else out there want to comment? I guess I am feeling really tired (frustrated? angry?) of people treating my wife like she needs to lose 20lbs before we go to the beach this summer. The "excessive" weight is, in a way, standing in the way of her "losing" or managing her weight. While gastric bypass scares the #@!* out of me, I think lapband surgery might provide us with a "leg up" to actually make some progress. Sorry if I am ranting... but I think my wife and I are struggling to come to terms with the fact that surgery may be our last (and best!) option. How did you or others finally get to this place of making such a decision?:phanvan - J