angelina11302

I am 33 years old have been overweight most of my life. I have a few photos that show I didn't always have a weight problem, but that quickly changed after age 8 or 9 years old when I started taking steriods for asthma prevention. Even w/the prescription steriods & inhalers, I still ended up at the doctors office 3 - 4 times a month & put on prednisone for weeks at a time. I developed a love/hate relationship with prednisone. I loved that no matter how sick I was, prednisone fixed me. I could sleep again, I didn't need to be stuck on the receiving end of a nebulizer hour after hour, no more calling in sick, etc. That was the love part, the hate part came after the hunger set in. A common side effect of predisone is hunger...I fell victim to that side effect more often than not but as I got older, and years passed I know I started using that side effect as an excuse for my over-eating. I just didn't want to admit that until a couple of years ago. I was tipping the scales at almost 300 pounds after having my second son & attempted to lose the weight with diet & exercise alone but the asthma would prevent me from exercise; couldn't even walk on the treadmill w/out wheezing & coughing. I was so embarrassed. I joined weight loss groups but ended up dropping out because I was unable to keep up. I was so miserable & new I had to get a handle on my weight & a handle on my asthma. Luckily, after another round of prednisone, my primary care doctor suggested the weight loss surgery. I, along with a million other people, felt that was the 'easy' way out & was concerned how folks would look at me if I went ahead with it. After talking with my family I made the decision & I am so glad that I did. I had the gastric bypass on July 25th, 2012 & lost 114 pounds, 8 pant sizes, 1 shoe size & MY ASTHMA! I haven't had any asthma medication since the day of surgery & there has been no sign it's going to come back. Although I have had success until now, I know that things can change. I have started to gain a pound here & there & it freaks me out; I'm looking forward to meeting folks w/similar stories & any suggestions/support available. :)