OkieGirl
Well-Known Member
So, where to start?
I was born and raised in Oklahoma and when I about 8-9 my weight ballooned. I remember around that time I was watching the Miss USA pageant with my mom and dad and one of the "features" of the show was that they gave the measurements and weights of the contestants. Most of them were in the 125 range and close to 6'. I remember asking my mom, "Why don't I look like that?" because I weighed the same as them. My weight continued to pile on over the years and I've yo-yo dieted off and on with limited to no success. The most I've ever been able to lose was 50lbs back in the mid to late '90s with the aid of the drug combo of fen-phen (essentially prescription amphetamines) that was later pulled due to causing mitral valve prolapse in some people.
At any rate, after spending the majority of my life trying to shift the weight and failing miserably, I had come to the point where I had given up hope. I've always felt that surgery would be the only surefire way that I would ever be able to lose it and keep it off, but the doctor I had for my first 13 years here in England who had, at one point, even suggested surgery to me, refused to refer me. I don't want to say that I'd come to accept that I would always be the size that I am (or larger) and that it was going to kill me, but I just figured that was how it was and, barring a lottery win or an unexpected inheritance, it was just never going to happen.
Well, last Friday I went to see my new doc to follow up on my blood pressure, which he said that my weight is most likely the root of the problem. We discussed it and what could be done and he said that they could refer people to Slimming World or, if I wanted, he could refer me for surgery. I nearly fell out of my chair! After asking him about three or five times if he was being serious and him reassuring me that he was, I have to admit I broke down in tears! They were both tears of joy and tears of years of frustration that just couldn't be held back!
I know that this will not be an easy route. I know that there are still loads of hoops to jump through. But for the first time in such a long time I have HOPE again! I am scared that this is still some cruel joke or a dream and that it's going to be yanked out from under my feet.
Sorry this is so long! I know that I'm going to have loads of questions as things progress. I'm thinking (hoping) that with my BMI being at 62 (no word of a lie, even my doc said that they'd think that was a typo when he sent through the referral) and having high BP that might get me in a bit sooner, but we'll see. I'm nothing if patient. I've waited this long for this to happen, I can wait a bit longer.
I was born and raised in Oklahoma and when I about 8-9 my weight ballooned. I remember around that time I was watching the Miss USA pageant with my mom and dad and one of the "features" of the show was that they gave the measurements and weights of the contestants. Most of them were in the 125 range and close to 6'. I remember asking my mom, "Why don't I look like that?" because I weighed the same as them. My weight continued to pile on over the years and I've yo-yo dieted off and on with limited to no success. The most I've ever been able to lose was 50lbs back in the mid to late '90s with the aid of the drug combo of fen-phen (essentially prescription amphetamines) that was later pulled due to causing mitral valve prolapse in some people.
At any rate, after spending the majority of my life trying to shift the weight and failing miserably, I had come to the point where I had given up hope. I've always felt that surgery would be the only surefire way that I would ever be able to lose it and keep it off, but the doctor I had for my first 13 years here in England who had, at one point, even suggested surgery to me, refused to refer me. I don't want to say that I'd come to accept that I would always be the size that I am (or larger) and that it was going to kill me, but I just figured that was how it was and, barring a lottery win or an unexpected inheritance, it was just never going to happen.
Well, last Friday I went to see my new doc to follow up on my blood pressure, which he said that my weight is most likely the root of the problem. We discussed it and what could be done and he said that they could refer people to Slimming World or, if I wanted, he could refer me for surgery. I nearly fell out of my chair! After asking him about three or five times if he was being serious and him reassuring me that he was, I have to admit I broke down in tears! They were both tears of joy and tears of years of frustration that just couldn't be held back!
I know that this will not be an easy route. I know that there are still loads of hoops to jump through. But for the first time in such a long time I have HOPE again! I am scared that this is still some cruel joke or a dream and that it's going to be yanked out from under my feet.
Sorry this is so long! I know that I'm going to have loads of questions as things progress. I'm thinking (hoping) that with my BMI being at 62 (no word of a lie, even my doc said that they'd think that was a typo when he sent through the referral) and having high BP that might get me in a bit sooner, but we'll see. I'm nothing if patient. I've waited this long for this to happen, I can wait a bit longer.
