Hi,

Im Krystal, Im 22 yr old female from saint Louis, Missouri. I am 380 lbs and 5'4. Seems like on everyones before surgery weight i am still the biggest one here. I do not have the lap-band yet, but soon, i am waiting on the surgery center to call me to schedule the appointment so it shall be soon!

My story: Ive always been heavy throughout my entire life but it was never really serious until i was about 18 yrs old. My mother left me when i was 2yrs old and i know of her and have seen her but dont KNOW her, if you know what i mean. So i was raised by my father who was an on the go dad who did a lot of fast food and eating at classy restaurants. I was never tought to make good food descisions. Good food to me was food that tastes good. The damage was done. I remember eating twinkies as a little girl for Breakfast. One morning when i was like 5 i noticed that St Nick had never come and my shoe at the door was empty(if you dont know what im talkin about u can email me) so anyway i ran and told my dad that St. Nick never came and he told me to go to my room because he heard him comming....when i came out of my room there was a twinkie in my shoe. Go figure right! So ever since i was 16 or so i have not touched a twinkie because ive had my fill.

I was about a 16-18 up until Junior year of High School. Then i got with an abusive boyfriend and resorted to food. I gained almost 100 lbs in less than 1 1/2 years. By the time i got rid of the boyfriend i was almost a sz 22. I stayed that way until 2 years later when the stress of starting, stopping, and not finishing colllege started playing on my nerves and i went to a size 24. I met a guy name Kyle who is now my Fiance on Feb 14th 2003. We became pregnant Oct 2003 and i had a little girl named Chloe Nichole June 30, 2004. My delivering weight was 350+ i cant tell you what it was because the Dr's scale only went to 350.

So its been 11 months since the baby and im at my all time high of 380 lbs and a size 30-32. Im miserable. I dont feel up to doing much with my daughter. Thank god shes not walkin yet, i dont know if id have the energy to chase her. I work part time on weekends as a newspaper RE-delivery carrier, and im a Stay and home mom during the week. I would work and do something productive IF I COULD.

We went to Grants Farm(for those of u that dont know, its like a mini zoo) the other day and i could hardly get through it without feeling miserable and having knee pain. I used to drive a 2001 Yellow Mustang that was completely done up with stripes and yellow interior, i won awards with it....well i had to give that up when i got pregnant because i was getting too big to fit in the Mustang....my excuse to everyone else was that it was unsafe for the baby to be in.

IM NOT LOOKING FOR A PITTY PARTY...im simply telling my story and how i got to be where i am. Excercise is near impossible for me right now because im so big. Simple things like going to the bathroom is becomming a task all in its self. I NEED this surgery if im to survive to see my daughter grow up.

I have great support from my Fiance and we are getting married September 17th of this year! So maybe i can sport a 360 pound body instead of 380 for the wedding...who knows.....

I want to thank all of you that read this....this was one of my own personal journeys to take the steps and backtrack where all this began. Im ready for change...and im proud of all of you that have already gone through this and succeeded.

Thank you for reading and listening to my story!

Welcome to LBT,Krystal!! Take your shoes off and stay a while.....

Have you had your consultation yet?

Have you had your consultation yet?

Yes i've had my consultation. Im just sitting around waiting for the lady to call me so i can make my appointment for the day!! Im really excited and nervous all the same.

Thanks for the reply!!

Krystal I must say your story has touch my heart today. I see in you some one who wants to be healthy so bad... and you will! The decision to have this surgery will change your life!!! Welcome and please come back for suport through your weight loss journey. You will meet lots of people just like your self. Read some old posts lots of info there. Good luck on getting your band and getting your health back.

Krystal- I wish you luck in your journey! Ihave four children and live in the STL area too! Thank the lord our zoo doesn't have many hills, I am forever pulling them in the wagon there (we moved from TN and our Knoxville zoo is on the side of a small mountain - ok large hill)

I hope you get your call back soon. An aquaintance of mine just had the bypass, (I tried to explain the benfits etc- but insurance only paid for this & they appoved her plaxzstics already too- oh to have her policy on that). The docotrs here are really great, but I went to Mexico and am so happy weith my loss. I am really doing great (or so everyone tells me)

Wishing you the best!

Welcome to LBT! Don't worry about what size you are today, think about the future which has lots of hopes and dreams just waiting for you. Good luck and keep us posted. While waiting, browse through all the older and new posts here and you will gain lots of valuable information.

Krystal, I too feel like you. I didnt start this journey at 380 but I wasnt far from it, 335 and I was creeping up. So you are not alone in this. Once you get your band you will feel like for once you will be able to achive a healthier you! There is so much support on this website. We are all like family, so just know that we are all here for you. Good Luck with everything. Take Care PM me anytime you want to talk!

I wish you all the luck in the world and welcome to the site-everyone is great.

What an inspiring story. You will do great and I'm excited to watch your journey! Welcome!

we are getting married September 17th of this year! So maybe i can sport a 360 pound body instead of 380 for the wedding

Pretty much a guarantee that if you get your band in the next month or so you will be sporting much less then a 360 lb body. I wish you the best, sounds like you are very ready to make this lifestyle change. I hope your day comes soon.

Looks like my surgery will be JUNE 1 is all goes well....some people are taking their time faxing my paperwork to the proper places....ugh....but hopefully this all goes well!!!!! YAY me!

Welcome Krystal. We all started out hopeless and paranoid that we were the biggest person around. But you know what? That doesn't even matter. What matters is that you have made the committment to be healthy and the band is going to be a very useful tool for you. I too, started at over 300 lbs and one of the benefits of our larger size is that is seems to come off a little faster as long as you follow the rules. Good luck and you will be successful!

Hi Krystal, thank you for sharing your story. I know you can achieve the results you want once you have your band. I am so glad you got a confirmed date and I wish you all the best with your surgery. Check the board frequently there is such wonderful information and support from all the members.

Hi Krystal, welcome to LBT! June 1 is right around the corner and you will indeed be sporting a smaller body for your wedding. Don't buy the dress now, you'll be sorry!

Hi Krystal,

Good luck with your journey. writing it down was a brave first step on this new path you've choosen. You daughter will be an enormous source of inspirationa andforward thinking. You have parks to play in, places to visit and milestones to share with you family. Being healthy is the most beautiful gift you can give your financee and your duaghter - Good Luck to you!!!

Hi Krystal...

We here truely understand the battle you have with food...and the desire to to better. It doesn't matter what weight you start at. It only matters that you are starting the journey. We are here to listen, understand and praise you...and sometimes to scold you ( I've seen it done) when you need it.... We are blessed to have this new beginning. Just think what a joy it will be to run and play with your daughter... She will never remember you big... She will never have the issues you have with food...and in the long run you will learn to be on the outside what you are in the inside.