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My name is Wendy and I found Bariatric Pal about 3 years ago after a devastating blow from my insurance company. After I graduated college in May '08, I found myself at 267 lbs (5'6"). I'll never forget because it was a balance scale that maxed out a 250 lbs. The doctor had to get a box, dust it off, and add little weights to balance the scale. It was mortifying and I decided I must lose the weight, which I did. For 2 years, I maintained a weightloss of 58 lbs at around 209 lbs.

When I married my husband a year later, I started gaining weight again. When I got up to 230 lbs, I reached out to my health insurance company who told me I was too thin. I cried at the prospect of eating myself into a 267 lbs body again and looked for alternatives. I found Bariatric Pal among my search, but I decided I would try diet, exercise and phentermine.

I made it down to 187 lbs with phentermine, diet and exercise, and maintained a weight of 195 lbs off the meds for several months until I moved to Japan (June 2012). My entire routine would change and I lost my support network and workout groups. In Jan 2014, I was at 229 lbs, so close to that point where I cried when I found out I was not eligible for bariatric surgery. I had been doing bariatric research again as I was aware of my new weight gain. I wanted the lap band first and with enough research, decided it was not best for me but the plication would work. After another month of research, I decided to part with a majority of my stomach through the gastric sleeve.

As I mentioned earlier, I live in Japan. Bariatric procedures are uncommon here and if there are weightloss support groups, I have not been successful at finding a single one. As such, I've decided to use online forums as a part of my support tool.