My highest weight was 322.  I’m 5′2″ so to say I was kind of rotund would be an understatement.  I struggled with my weight all my life.  I would lose down to a good weight, and then something would happen and I would gain back 20, 30 or 40 pounds. 

Growing up and in school, kids made fun of me all the time.  You are called names, pointed at and laughed at for being too big to sit in a swing, or ride a pony, or just any number of things you might do as a child.  It doesn’t get any easier as you get older.  You just hide it better and you build this enormous wall around you.  You won’t let anyone close in case they decide to make fun of you, and because of the fear of being hurt.  Your family never says anything, because to them, you are just their daughter, sister, aunt or mother.  However, your weight does eventually affect your health, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. 

Most people assume when you are overweight that you have high blood pressure, heart problems, high cholesterol, and many other issues.  However, I was overweight and did not have high blood pressure, or a heart problem or high cholesterol.  I had a bad back, bad knees, weak ankles and I was tired all the time.  My problems with my weight were more mental and emotional.  I was afraid to go to some place new.  I couldn’t fly on an airplane without asking for a seat-belt extension, which is very embarrassing to say the least. 

As I went through the years of being obese, I tried high protein diets, diet pills, speed, liquid diets, fasting, starvation diets, low fat diets, no fat diets, weight loss program after weight loss program with no long term success.  People just told me you have to try harder.  Well when someone that has never had a weight problem in their life and weighs just above a 100 soaking wet, tells you its easy, they have no clue.  These people don’t mean to hurt your feelings or embarrass you or make you mad.  They think they are helping. 

After years of trying everything out there, I finally made the decision to have a gastric bypass.  A lot of people look at that as desperation.  I guess it is, because after 30 years of fighting with my weight, I saw light at the end of the tunnel.  It was a slow process to get diagnosed as a candidate, get written letters from my doctor, a psychiatrist, and then medical test, but I was approved for the surgery.  I had my bypass in October of 2003 and not one day since then, have I regretted my decision.  Lap-Band was not an option then, however, I know that it is out there now.  Would I recommend a gastric bypass?  Absolutely.  Are there things I can’t eat? Yes and some that I love a lot.  Did I have to change the way I eat? Yes.  Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat.