MelanieDavis
I was always a tiny child . . . but when I turned 12 all of that changed. However, I can't blame anyone but myself for my obesity. At the time, I was living in Arizona and the weather there is not always conducive to exercise in 95-120 degree heat. Thus, my spare time revolved around eating . . . eating . . . some swimming, followed by more eating. I did anything that could be done inside where I didn't have to break a sweat. I was extremely sedentary.
I was very active in academic and social clubs and held office in many of them, but if I didn’t engage in any sports - I would always back away from those activities. So, at the age of 15, I started every known diet there was with little success. By the time I graduated high school I weighed 175. I started college at 18 and was a little more active so that became my stable weight then.
I got married at 22 . . . and that was a different story. I weighed 175 pounds when I got married but I gained more than 100 pounds over the next six years. Call it being comfortable with married life or whatever you want . . . it snuck up on me. When I realized that I was gaining weight I would tell myself, as I went shopping for the next largest size, that "I'm just getting a larger size so that I'm more comfortable - I could fit into the smaller size."
I tried to loose the weight but was only able to lose a few pounds here and there - 15 pounds at the most. My family and friends could not understand how I was overweight as I "never ate anything." That was the lie I told them and myself. I ate when I got home. I would eat salads and rice cakes at work and then go home and eat half a pizza, an entire package of cookies and two 20 ounce cokes. Looking at empty packages of cookies, ice cream containers, and bowls and bowls of cereal, I realized I was a closet eater. By the time I realized how much I ate it was too late and I became extremely depressed. I became aware that I was highly delusional. Pictures only solidified my horrors.
During my depression I did research about gastric bypass surgery. My research led me to Dr. Madan and Dr. Hiler in May of 2003. At this time I weighed 275 and was at my wits end. I got nervous and cancelled that appointment and tried Weight Watchers again. Frustration hit again after loosing only 10 pounds after four months. I rescheduled with the clinic that August and had surgery December 16, 2003.
I must say that I am truly, truly grateful, healthy and pleased at what has transpired since. I have lost a total of 153 pounds to date. My aches and pains and sleep apnea are non-existent, my asthma is 95% better, my glucose levels are under control and my confidence is through the roof. I would not change anything or make a different decision concerning my surgery. I am in better health and am doing things that I have not had the energy or confidence to do before . . . be myself.
