There was once a time...that I needed to see not only my PCP, but my Endocrinologist, Cardiologist, Dermatologist.

PCP was every 3 months with repeated lab work....

Everything was out of control. All my blood work was helter skelter. Get one thing under control, another thing would go through the roof. Not to mention high BP, etc.

Taking more medications than I can remember, and different combinations and dosages were having no effect.

Dermatologist was a regular routine due to chronic skin rashes, infections. Some landed me in the Hospital in an isolation room....mask and gown for the nurses to enter.....

Diabetes totally out of control, kept raising the medications with no results. Where would it end?

Today I had my annual visit with my PCP...yes, I said annual. Only see him once a year now. And today, as with last year and the year before that, my Lab results were PERFECT!!! My weight unchanging!!!

Leaving, I made my appointment for July 2016 !!

Same with my cardiologist...once a year. Routine visit.

Don't see an endocrinologist anymore. That's all behind me.

And I don't have skin issues anymore so no more dermatologist needed.

I only visit the weight loss center and surgeon once a year.

All because I had Weight Loss Surgery !!!!!

My PCP asked if I had any regrets with WLS....are you kidding me??? I would probably not be here if I didn't...I'd be dead!!

He nodded and agreed.....I would not be here today if not for Weight Loss Surgery. A surgical intervention to accomplish what I am not ashamed to say I could not do on my own with diets.

B-52, truly inspirational. When I went to the initial public education on WLS which our clinic gives, they had a slide where an MD said that WLS can cure 5 major illnesses with one surgery. That slide was my tipping point. Still have a 100 # to lose but now, with five major illnesses gone or in retreat, I am full of hope.

@B52 - "A surgical intervention to accomplish what I am not ashamed to say I could not do on my own with diets."

I'm glad you are not ashamed either. I'm not. Once I realized just how much my body was actually fighting me to stay at my old weight and there was only an 8% chance I might succeed by diet. But I'm curious, B52 - why are you not ashamed?

Congratulations ! Im pretty sure your Dr. Thinks of you as a "poster boy" for successful WLS . Way to go !

@B52 - "A surgical intervention to accomplish what I am not ashamed to say I could not do on my own with diets."

I'm glad you are not ashamed either. I'm not. Once I realized just how much my body was actually fighting me to stay at my old weight and there was only an 8% chance I might succeed by diet. But I'm curious, B52 - why are you not ashamed?

I am not ashamed, as so many on this forum have said, by "Taking the EASY way out" I don't care if it was easy, matter of fact, I Like easy, why would one not???.....bottom line, it worked and made me a better person....and that's all that matters. It's all about me and my own, not what others may think.

This is a great NSV, B-52! I'm with you in the easy. My life is so much easier now.

One more thing.....

My Dr. asked me what was my heaviest weight...I said "You're asking me?"...what does it say in my file"

He held up my file and said "See how thin this file is? And it's 2 years old....you're old file was way to thick and heavy, too cumbersome to handle, so it has been archived..."

I thought that sounded pretty cool....Archived...so goes my old life...archived. Working now with only the new, thinner.

Archived Great metaphor

OMG, ARCHIVED. Love love love this -- the putting all of that behind. We are who we are now, and, guess what, we are strong and healthy! New Reality.

And B-52, I know you are not overly-sentimental, but it was you, Catfish and TMF who helped me figure out that even I could exercise. ME? Yes, I can! In fact, I HAVE to exercise. Being in sync with my body is such a great thing.

This post made my day!

That was such a powerful post. It's so amazing what you've accomplished and how much your life has turned around for the better. Congrats!

Congratulations ! Im pretty sure your Dr. Thinks of you as a "poster boy" for successful WLS . Way to go !

Funny you should say that......my Cardiologist does refer to me as his success...HIS poster boy...

And he was the one who was reluctant to sign off on the clearance for this surgery....

@@B-52

Congrats again! You continue to inspire many on here and I'm sure in person.