Dear all,

Well let me tell you my story. I am currently a 30 years old woman who is happily married to a man I love. If you ask me what is the reasom behind all this, well it is simple. I took a decision to have a life or at least die trying.

Three years ago I decided to do the lap band surgery operation. I was always over weight , i was obsesed by being fat. I would sit on the toilet and with a marker mark where my belly is on my thighs. I would crash diet for weeks and lose up to 12KG and then gain them back in a blink of an eye. I used to go shopping for clothes and nothing would fit me, not even boots. I had an emotional eating disorder. I would eat when i am happy and when i am sad. I would even sometimes eat and binge and then start crying cause i am not in control.

I finally did the operation. I lost almost 20KG. I didn't follow any of the rules, i eat everything, but the ring was like my own personal guide. It would stop me, punieh me if i overeat. If i eat slowly, i would be fine. If i eat too quickly it would punish me. I am fond of my relationship with my ring/band. Yes there are times when i would wake up at night running to the bathroom vomiting with no reason or suddenly can not swollow things i used to eat, but thats alright. That is part of the package.

I would never give up my band. It saved my life.

I forgot to tell you why i decided to do lap band surgery and not any other weight loss surgery. I was sitting at my tailor's place because at the time i was too fat to buy clothes so i had to make them. A very elegant woman came in and sat beside me. She looked at me and said "you are too pretty to be that fat, you know my daughter was as fat and she did an operation" and she told me all about it and gave me the sugeons phone number. I contacted the surgeon and made the operation and boom! My life changed!

To be honest, i didn't tell anyone that i made the operation except my mom and dad and best friend. It took me two years to be comfortable about telling everyone. Why? Simple . I was not ready to be judged. I myself feel guilty sometimes when i puke when i know that there are alot of people who are very poor that they eat from the garbage cans because they are poor. I started telling people on need to know basis. I was trying to pay it forward. What the elegant lady did with me. So everytime i would see someone who is really over weight i would share my succes story. I actually managed to help 5 people. Now i joke with my surgeon that he should put me on commission:)

What a wonderful and courageous story!

Hang in there and be happy!

Your whole story makes me sad. First, I must say that if you're waking up in the middle of the night running to the bathroom and vomiting, that's not normal and it's not just part of the package. You're going to end up damaged physically.

Second, what kind of therapy did you get to help you with the emotional eating? Do you still measure your belly against your thighs? What have you replaced binge eating with? I hope that you've received ongoing counseling because from what you've written, a lap band is not going to take care of the issues you've talked about. It may stop you overeating, but it's not going to help you with the emotional aspect, the binge eating disorder, or the feelings of being out of control.

Third, that "elegant woman" who gave you unsolicited advice, INSULTED you, and led you to believe that the lap band was the only answer for you was a d**k. If some rude stranger tells me I'm "too pretty to be so fat," I'm knocking them into next week. They can meet me next Tuesday to pick up their teeth I knocked out.

Best of luck to you in the future. Get checked about that whole, "puking in the middle of the night for no reason" thing.

Dear Ivy,

Let me answer all your questions first. First of all, you are assuming that i didn't go to councelling for my emotional eatting disorder. Indeed i've been to a therapist who helped me alot since I was 15. My only problem as i mentioned before is that i loose weight and i gain it back again. Until i was 27 years old i was obese.

Do you know how it feels to be obese? To see men flirting with other women and not considering you as one, as if you are a third sex. Being too fat to do sports, too fat to wear a bathing suit, too fat to do stuff people your age enjoy. Do you know how it feel to sit on a chair that can not hold you?To have two sets of boobs instead of one?

I had an epiphany if you will, would i choose to keep trying for another 27years to have a life or just admit that i am facing a problem and need help and start living? To tell you the truth i believe that the lap band surgery saved my life. Its a life support.

Do you think that the elegant lady is the first one who mentioned surgery to me? At the age of 24 i wanted to do it. After a long discussion with my dad we agreed that i should be more diligent and give it one more try. Well, call it what you want lack of will or otherwise but i just couldn't. I would lose the weight and just gain it again. It was a nightmare.

You are right. I totally agree with you if someone comes upto me and talks down to me and make me feel inferior because i am fat i would kick his or her ass. But that was not the case. When someones intention is to help you. You simply feel it. You relate to the words. Maybe i didn't describe the discussion in the right words.

On one hand there is the puking. Well, it happens every now and then and to be honest, if that's the only sacrafice. I am willing. Lets look at the other hand if i am obese i am indanger to heart problems, high cholestrol, diabetese and more.

All i would expect from anyone who doesn't understand to be less judgemental and more understanding. Ivy i've had the ring for the past 3 years and i'm fine. I am not checking my belly anymore, i am not obsessed anymore. I have a normal life. I don't binge anymore. I can say that i substituted all this by just being happy and too busy living my life rather than spending it trying to lose weight. Ivy, i was in a vicious cycle and i simply broke it

I am glad you're well. It's important to take care of yourself.

What an awesome testimony. Thanks for sharing.

Every success story is just that ...... a success story! Everyone has their own.

Great job!