LeAnn B.
Well where do I even begin?? My name is Le'Ann, I am 26 year old, divorced, and full of life, but I am stuck inside a fat suit. I have been over weight my entire life. As a pre teen I remember tipping the scales at 235 pounds at 5'5". I tried multiple diets and even diet pills (that actually landed me in the hospital) and to no avail I was still over weight. I began to suffer badly with depression, so my PCP gave me Wellbutrin to help with the depression. I lost all appetite while on that medication and lost 95 pounds between the ages of 14-16. I felt amazing. I was confident, I wore cute clothes, I was energetic. I met my husband at 16 and we were head over heels for each other. At 17 I went off the medication (I was sooo in love and happy that I felt "cured" of my depression). Because I never changed my relationship with food or my eating habits while on this medication, I simply just stopped eating, when I came off of them I began to eat the way I had before and the weight slowly came back.
Since then, which has been many years I have gone from 139 pounds to my current highest weight of 281 pounds. And at my 5'7" stature that puts me into the range of Morbid Obesity. (Dun dun dunnnnnnn)
I began researching WLS in 2011, when my husbands insurance actually covered it. My BMI was high enough for surgery however I had no co morbid conditions. The insurance fought me tooth and toenail and eventually I just gave up. I figured I would just try to do it the old fashioned way (again).
I tried many more diets, HCG, Weight Watchers (which I actually did enjoy), The Wheat Belly Diet, calorie counting, Adipex. I would lose 30 and gain it all and then some, back. In the meantime I found out that I also had hypothyroidism which makes it difficult to lose weight and also causes me to feel exhausted most of the time, even when I am on medication for it.
I had given up on the idea of WLS until I found myself alone at 24 years old. My husband of almost 6 years, who had always said I was beautiful at any size, came to me and said (and I quote) "Your weight makes me very depressed. And I find your body very unattractive due to your morbid obesity." I was crushed. BUT I thought maybe he is right, so I joined Weight Watchers and began to pick up my activity. I lost 25 pounds! In 6 weeks! And at the end of those 6 weeks, he told me he no longer loved me and he left....then quickly after, moved a good friend of mine into his apartment with him. I got divorced on my 25th birthday. I felt dejected, alone, hurt, lost, furious.
I sank into depression and my weight began to climb. I figured I needed to do something for me. Something that would make me happy. The Gastric Sleeve! But sadly my father's insurance and my insurance at work both had exclusions for ANY bariatric surgery. Again I gave up.
This winter was a hard one. I hardly left my house, my life felt like it was a waste. I went to work, came home and slept. I ate and then I slept some more. Finally I realized that I was sick and tired of feeling depressed and anxious. I was tired of merely existing.
I sought out the help of a Psychiatrist and she began to adjust medication (what a horror story), and began to speak with me about investing in myself, doing things that would benefit me not only now but in the future. I think she was really implying college, but my immediate thought was the sleeve! I fully came off all medications and the full scale (no pun intended) of a sedentary winter and being 281 pounds hit me like a ton of bricks. My blood pressure was high. So were my triglycerides and cholesterol. My whole body ached. I had no energy. I have a knee that sounds like it has rice krispies in it. I broke a toilet seat. I have a hard time tying my shoes. Walking hurt. Sitting hurt. Standing hurt. And then finally I realized I was DONE. I was done being the fat girl sitting on the side lines watching everyone else (including her ex husband) live out their lives. I was done not going after dreams because I figured I would just fail. I was done hurting physically, emotionally and mentally. I was done being medicated, wearing ugly clothes, being the punch line of my own jokes. I was done with self loathing and self hate. Done. Done. DONE.
I had money saved up to move out and move closer to work. I currently live with my parents and live 45 minutes away from work. But I decided to take all that money and put it toward my surgery. And since I would be self pay I decided to do my surgery in Mexico. I spoke with many people on this website, watched videos, read reviews and blogs. I even talked with doctors that I work with about their thoughts on having the surgery there. I pondered and pondered. And then I decided nothing was getting done with me just sitting there thinking so I made the move!
I contacted Tijuana Bariatrics and began the approval process for surgery. I was approved within a week and now my surgery is scheduled June 9 with Dr Fernando Garcia. I've got my passport, I've got my plane tickets, I've got the time off work. It's gone so smooth, and I feel so blessed. This is the first time I am actually doing something for me. I am investing in my future. I am creating a life I only had dreamed of and some days it still feels too good to be true, but June 9th will be here before I know it.
This is just the beginning of my story.
