La Lily

[font=georgia]I have been overweight most of my life. I was a chubby child but lost weight when I turned about thirteen. Of course, a teenager needs to fit in so I worked my butt off to stay slim It was never good enough for me, I always felt fat. As I got into my later teen years I partied alot. Naturally the weight started to add up quick again and from 13-18 I went from 130-180 lbs. At the age of 19 I became pregnant with my first son. I was very sick and ended up putting on 55lbs through the pregnancy.I developed pre eclampsia, a toxic disease in pregnant women, and ended up with an emergency c-section. I was never the same after my first baby. I was always sore, and tired and had tons of headaches. I kept my weight at about 210lbs for a couple of years until baby number 2 came. I was 22 when I had my second son and my pregnancy with him wasn't as bad but still not great. I had a planned c-section with him and it was much better than an emergency one. So then there I was, 22 years old, 220lbs with 2 young sons and very depressed about my body. Eventually I had crept on another 10lbs bringing me to 230lbs. In the fall of 2005, 3 of my best friends became engaged and I was asked to be a bridesmaid for all of them. Although I was super excited I was so scared to be seen in a dress. So began one of my first of many diets. I did really well and lost 30lbs over the winter, I was finally back in the one hundred club, even if it was 199lbs!! Even through all my weight loss though I never felt "good".I was always tired, sore and had lots of headaches. As soon as my friends weddings were over the weight started to creep back on again and in 2007 I became pregnant with my third and final child, another boy and another c-section!! I was at my wits end with my weight, I had hit 240lbs and felt like crap!! I finally found a doctor who would hear me and not just say "lose weight". Like geez, I never thought of that!! My doctor started to send me for test after test and they all came back "normal". He finally diagnosed me with fibromyalgia and alot more of my life made sense. Fibromyalgia is a condition where your nerves shoot off too many signals that your body reads as pain. So it is why i always ached like I had the flu, why I was so tired, why I had so many headaches and why when I excersized my muscles burned like fire. Thats when it really hit me, I will never be able to lose the weight without help. I asked my doctor for a referal to a bariatric surgeon I knew was in my area and so my lap band joourney began. i first seen him July 15, 2009 and had subsequent visits with him often after. He made me journal my food and count steps. When I seen him he would weigh me and go through my journal. Finally in March of 2011 he said yes, I was ready. I waited until I got the call in Sept 2011. I went in for surgery on Sept 28 2011. I am coming up on 2 weeks now and I have lost 10lbs since surgery. I had no idea the recovery would be so painful but at 12 days post op I feel almost back to normal. At my very heaviest I was 255lbs, and I now sit at 238. My first goal is to hit the 100 club agin, that will be a big accomplishment for me. So that is my story.....so far!!![/font]

[font=georgia]UPDATE:(March 2014) After 2 plus years after the band I still haven't lost much weight. I feel like I can always feel it and I can't get it full enough ect...so I am going for surgery to take it out AND I am getting the gastric sleeve the same day!! I am excited and terrified. My last surgery was so painful but I lived right?? I need to get my health in check, I am afraid I will die if I don't do something drastic.[/font]