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Last straw stories



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My last straw came when I realized that my food addiction (that's what it is in my opinion) had pretty much caused my infertility. I had PCOS and couldn't control my diet enough to make it go away. My doc said she would try with meds, but everything seemed to aggravate my ovaries and make a bad situation worse.

The thought of missing out on my opportunity to have children forever is enough to scare anybody into surgery.

I will always see my problem as an addiction, and I will have to treat it as such even after the band. The problem is in my head and I will always have to work on that.

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My weight went over 317 pounds and I was worned that I would develop diabeties if I did not lose some wait. Not long afterwards I was drinking tons of Water and I was losing weight but not because I was dieting but diebeties had finaly set in.

I also had to use a cpap machine to sleep with. I went on Atkins lost 60 pounds my spouse and I went on a cruise where I gained what seemed like 20 pounds in a week and then my run was on.

I started taking twice the medication for my diabeties and my health started to fail.

Meanwhile my mom had to have both needs replaced and she has had health problems so I could see my future in the mirror.

My wife started researching lapband and I was finaly willing to do something about my health. After several months of jumping through hoops with insurance on 9-12-07 my wife and I were both banded.

Even though it has not been easy my decision to proceed with the lapband is the best present that I could ever give to myself.

I am no longer using the cpap machine and I am taking half of dosage of my diabetic medicine and looking forward in a couple of months to no longer taking any medicine.

Joe Frank

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My last straw moment was knowing I just didn't care enough about myself to diet anymore. I was starting to forget what it felt like to be skinny, and it was getting less and less important as the years went by. Diets just made me gain more weight in the end.

I was scared that when I stopped completely caring, I would continue to gain until I died of a heart attack. I was eating a diet of junk food and was sneaking it in any way I could - going to different stores every day, hiding it from my husband and child.

For me it was an addiction (sorry, Wasa, I know you don't believe food can be an addiction, but for me it really, truly was.) I did get the shakes when I tried quitting, and did get other symptoms like feeling out of control, severe mood swings, panic attacks, that sort of thing. Instead of equating it to other addictions like drugs and alcohol, think instead of gambling or shopping addictions.

Anyway, I just knew I couldn't do it anymore through traditional means, and needed something drastic.

30 pounds lighter, and I feel like a new person, I feel like I fit in more, and I'm excited to lose more and feel even better about myself. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel where before it was complete darkness.

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I can't help but notice how some posters are being somewhat righteous ... shunning those who are more obese than them.

I have incredibly sympathy towards those who happen to be morbidly or super-obese.

Due to medications, I have been there when I lost all feelings of satiety, where it didn't matter how much I ate, I never felt full, and it was non-stop, never-ending hunger, and getting food was all I thought about. Thankfully I was able to stop those medications before I gained even more weight, but some people don't have that luxury.

Then the weight comes on, and the cycle of depression continues. Isolation from public humiliation causes depression, lack of movement, further contributing to the weight gain. I could go on and on....

Rather than sounding like you look at people with such disgust and disdain, how about being a bit sympathetic and understanding of their plight, rather than thinking to yourself "oh god I never want to get THAT fat", talking about the smell of yeast in fat rolls, them not being able to wipe themselves properly, etc. etc.

I would sincerely hope that those, who work as health care professionals, would show some kindness towards that patient. It might be the first show of sympathy and care that that poor person has had in ages. He/she was humiliated enough being there.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
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    • bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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