Having bariatric surgery changed my life in many ways. I actually can say I feel myself and normal again. I feel I am so much happier and love feeling great all the time. I love exercise now too and rarely skip a day. – Stefanie
Since I was 11 years old, I have struggled with my weight. I tried numerous diet plans, exercise and gym programs, but everything failed. I started to become very depressed because regardless of what I did, I could not lose any weight. I had very high blood pressure, borderline diabetes and a risk for sleep apnea. I was so depressed that I turned to food for comfort and accepted the fact I was always going to be big.
Two years ago, I went to the doctor and he was so concerned with how high my blood pressure was that he sent me directly to the emergency room. From that point on, I knew I had to make a change. I was only 29 years old; I wanted to live and get married and have children. That moment I knew I needed help and I also knew that the St. Luke’s Weight Management Center would help me make the best decision of my life.
Prior to surgery, my biggest fear was whether the weight would really stay off and not return. I also wondered how I could maintain such a strict diet and commit myself to exercise. My husband was always my biggest supporter and he would always assure me that everything would be ok and that he loved me no matter what I looked like. He just wanted me to be happy and healthy since he knew I was very unhappy and depressed about my weight.
After surgery, I started to notice the weight loss within a week. Once Dr. El Chaar said I was clear to go to the gym, I was there faithfully every day. With the increased exercise and adhering to the meal plan, I saw rapid weight loss. In a few short weeks, I started to feel “normal” again, had more energy and I could do much more than I could have done when I was heavy. Since the surgery, my blood pressure is normal and I do not have any problems with my blood sugar or sleep apnea.
It was definitely hard seeing people around me enjoy good food and dessert while I had to measure out all my food and make sure I was eating healthy. However, when I would see my results in the mirror and considered how I looked and felt, I associated all those foods with my problem with weight and they weren’t so appealing.
Having bariatric surgery changed my life in many ways. When I was heavy, I lacked confidence and self-esteem because I felt everyone would be looking at me, saying how fat and ugly I was. I actually can say I feel myself and normal again. I can do all the things I was never able to do when I was heavy because I was always depressed, tired and just did not have any interest in anything. I love to work out at the gym, run on the treadmill or outdoors, bike or go on long walks with my husband and our dog. I enjoy amusement parks and going to the beach in the summer. Now I have energy and just love being able to go out and shop at the stores I was never able to shop at before because of my weight. I feel I am so much happier and love feeling great all the time. I love exercise now too and rarely skip a day. Once you feel this way, you will never want to go back to being that overweight person again.
For anyone thinking about surgery as a weight loss option, I would say that surgery will be the best decision you will ever make in your life and you will not regret it for one second. In the beginning, it’s going to be very hard, but once you get past that, everything gets a lot easier and you will feel great about yourself and love your life. You will experience pure happiness and satisfaction and will never want that feeling to go away.