New to the forums, but trying to jump in on the convo
I'm 21, and 5'8 -- was always a chubby kid. Weight has always been an issue, and to add to it, I'm adopted and my parents don't know much about my birthparents' medical history.
I was always the tallest kid in grade school, and my parents just figured it was "baby fat". By the time I was in middle school/first couple years of high school, I was up to ~240lbs. The beginning of senior year (2004), I'd hit ~310lbs. I began a serious, strict diet/exercise regimen accompanied by Phentermine, and dropped down to my lowest weight of about 225lbs. in the winter of 2006.
Today, the spring of 2008, I'm at my all-time heaviest; close to 350lbs :'( It's a daily stress for me. The other weekend, my boyfriend and I took a trip down to the coast, and there were about 3 flights of concrete steps heading down to the beach, and then 1/4 of a mile to the coastline. Walking back up, I felt like my legs were about to snap and I was going to pass out.
I still continue to watch what I eat and go out on walks daily, but it's time for a big change. Which is why I'm here, looking into the LB procedure. I'm hoping and praying that this is something that will work for me.