GeorgeB

I found BariatricPals while on Twitter. They followed me and so I decided to follow them and then come to this web site.
 
I have had a weight problem going back to my youth. I was heavy up until Puberty and the start of High School. I shot up from 5 foot 4 inches to my current height of Six foot One inches tall. While I was in High School I was active in Band and Choir. I had to rebuild my late Father's truck for transportation as well as assisting classmates in the repair of theirs. Sometimes I would be up until 2 a.m. working on cars. After High School I was attending college and working. At that time I was 196 pounds. However, it had been drilled into me that I was fat, heavy, large, etc. even though I was at an ideal weight.
 
After becoming an Engineer I took on more sedentary jobs. Sitting long hours in an office did not help my weight problem. In order to keep my weight under control I was running 10 miles every other day, then going to a fitness center and working out as well as playing Racquetball. If I stopped, my weight would come right back.
 
I had tried several "diets": Cambridge, Pritikin, Cabbage Soup, Water / Liquid. I had attended WeightWatchers several periods. Each time as soon as I would let up the weight would come right back. It was a losign cycle.
 
My first large cycle I had gone from 196 to 250 pounds. I then lost down to 220, then back up again. The next cycle I went from 250 to 235, then up to 275.
 
During this time I had gotten married. We were together for almost 10 years when we divorced. My weight had now gone up to 325. During the divorce I was able to get my weight back down to 265. I then met another woman and stayed level for 2 years. They the weight started going up again. I reached 375 and we separated. I slowly began to creep up higher, reaching 425. Ultimately my weight continued until I hit 470.
 
I started trying to work on my weight again. However, by this time Type II Diabetes had started, Hypertension, etc. I also have Gout and my ankles would start killing me. Excersize was difficult to do, even in a Fitness Center.
 
I had started studying the Lap Band but my then Insurance Carrier wanted me to go to a Doctor, Dietician, Fitness Trainer, etc. trying to delay my decision. It turned out this is a common story with Insurance Companies. Statistically a person switches employers / insurnace carriers every 18 months and so they try to put you off hoping they won't have to cover you. Al lthe time they also know Bariatric Surgery is the best method for resolving many health and medication issues. Now that the ACA / "ObamaCare" has changed all of this they are far more eager to help out.
 
On average, year-over-year, I had gained 10 pounds per year. I knew something had to give.
 
After I attended a free seminalr at the Bariatric Center of KC I changed my mind to the Sleeve procedure. I have since had my surgery and I am on the road to a better me.