I just want to preface this by saying that getting the surgery was probably the best decision of my life.

A briefish summary of my story: I was lean as a kid and a teenager. I was highly active and on many days I would play basketball for 3-4 hours after school. Then, I went off to college. As a teenager, I ate a ton of food just to keep the weight on. I could eat ~5,000 kcals a day and my weight wouldn't budge. I had a 6-pack and could dunk a basketball on a good day, which isn't easy when you're 5' 10".

When I got to college, I started partying a bit (others certainly partied a lot more, but I'm not going to say it didn't affect me). I also stopped playing basketball every day because I either felt too lazy to go to the gym (none of my usual friends were around to motivate me to get off the computer) or I had to focus on studying/writing a paper/etc. I gained about 20 lbs my freshman year. I still didn't look bad in a shirt, but I think this was the beginning of my battle with obesity. I'm certain that extra 20 lbs was enough to trigger the beginning of my sleep apnea.

The next year, I became incredibly lazy, mostly because I was often tired. I went to go see multiple doctors on campus, including a psychiatrist, and they all diagnosed with major depression. When I mentioned my poor sleep, they just attributed it to the depression. I tried various anti-depressants, but they didn't seem to help. My doctors and I thought it was a matter of just finding the right medication. Meanwhile, I kept gaining weight. I gained another 40 lbs my sophomore year and my abdominal bulge could no longer be hidden by wearing a loose shirt. I made it through that year with OK grades, but it was a struggle. Once I finished the semester, I resolved to lose the weight. This was my first diet of many.

I spent most of my summer working out / playing basketball and adhering to a strict 1,500 calorie diet. I managed to lose 40 lbs and and I actually looked quite good due to the muscle I put on from weight training, but as soon as school started up again, I slipped. I supposed it was the stress that caused me to fall of the wagon. Between late August and mid-May of the following year, I put on 50 lbs and was heavier than when I started dieting. I also lost a lot of my muscle mass, to the point where my legs buckled a few times just walking around. Worst of all, I failed a couple of my courses each semester. I decided I needed a change of scenery and transferred to a different university, hoping that a new location would help me reinvigorate myself. Long story short: it didn't help me. I ended up dropping out and moving back in with my parents.

I spent the next few years in a state of lethargy, hopping from one crushingly monotonous retail job to the next, quitting when my fatigue would become overwhelming. Finally, at 26, I started to turn things around. It started when I saw a report on the news about sleep apnea. None of my doctors ever mentioned it to me, but I was certain that I had it. After a few months, I finally got scheduled for a sleep study. The night at the sleep clinic was rough as I had trouble sleeping with all the wires attached to me, but I did manage to sleep for an hour, enough to be diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. A week later, I finally got my CPAP. It changed my life. I went from having little motivation and energy to wanting to change the world. I signed up for a couple of classes at the local CC and aced both of them. I then transferred to the nearest university while living at home. Over the next year, I took 39 credit hours and made As in all of my classes except for a difficult genetics class, which I got a B in. It was by far my most difficult course load, but I thrived. I would have graduated summa cum laude if it weren't for the fact that I need another 15 hours at the campus to qualify.

But I still had one large problem: I was fat. Fatter than I had ever been, tipping the scales at 330 lbs. I had also recently tried dieting, but succumbed to the yo-yo effect. Throughout my time living at home, I dieted several times. Each time, I was initially successful, losing 30 lbs or more, but I always ended up a bit fatter than before. I finally realized that dieting was futile, at least in my case. I was in the 95% that re-gains after weight loss through traditional means. I always changed up my diet some, going from low fat to low carb, but the result was always the same: fatter than before. I had known about bariatric surgery for a while, but I didn't consider it an option until after I graduated -- even then I was reluctant to get operated on.

Fast forward to this past March. I had be avoiding doctors, but I finally went to get my bloodwork checked at the behest of my parents. I still felt pretty good thanks to my CPAP but, shockingly, I was diagnosed with diabetes. I also had hypertension, hypertryglceridemia, hypercholestolemia and mildly elevated ALT levels, on top of my diabetes. My A1C was 6.6%, but my doctor said that I could put my diabetes into remission if I lost weight. I had to do something, but I knew dieting again would be a failure. It was time for something different. Fortunately, immediately after my diagnosis, I saw an ad for True Results offering to do VSGs for $3,500. I knew my insurance wouldn't cover my surgery, so I called and set up an appointment. It wasn't long before I had a surgery date.

I had my VSG on April 6th. My pre-op weight was 331 lbs. Today, I weigh 270 lbs. My appetite is nil. I feel fantastic and walk 8-10 miles a day. I lift weights 3 times a week. I've gone from wearing XXXL shirts to fitting comfortably in XL shirts. I was wearing size 52 pants, now I can squeeze into size 42s. I wake up feeling refreshed every morning. I still use my CPAP, but I my pressure has come down from 12 to 6 cm H20. My blood pressure has gone from being uncontrolled even with 2 meds to being normal without any medications. I haven't had my post-op bloodwork yet, but I have no doubt that it has greatly improved.

I didn't read your full post; but congrats on your success so far. ( I did read your last paragraph.) ( I need your exercise mindset!)

What a great story. What you will be capable of will be completely up to you now.

What an inspiration!!!! Sounds like your doing fantastic!!! Congrats on your amazing results!!! And thank you for sharing your story with us!!!

That's what its all about! Living a healthy and active life. Participating in life instead of watching from the sidelines! Great job!!!