Wasnt really sure where to post ... Ive been wondering.

[novamay]

Hi hon, I've been fat since about the age of 7, and I'm 40 next week... I was in WW at the age of 8, and have rejoined that and all the other programmes between then and now.... with absolutely no success. I've tried the Xenical and lost a few pounds - but as i was dieting and not having a high fat diet, it didn't really work.

I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid in my early 20's - as aresult of all the yo-yo dieting I believe!, and since then its even harder to lose any weight at all.

I've got fatter and fatter over the years, and was diagnosed with diabetes in 2003. I hadn't heard about bariatric surgery until the diabetic nurse mentioned it to me at a routine check up - she'd put me on antidepressents earlier in the year to see if they would lift my mood and help me get out of the house to exercise; it has helped a little... I'm not shy, but I'm just too fat to do the jumping up and down type of exercise (I only do swimming).

The nurse has told me that the next five years are crucial for me - at my weight and with increased chances of diabetes worsening and other illnesses taking hold including neuropathy, retinopathy, liver and kidney failure, high blood pressure/cholesterol, stress on the heart, family history of strokes and heart failure - there's not much to look forward to. My cousin died two years ago because of uncontrolled diabetes and related illnesses and she was only six months older than me. I also have trouble with mobility, can't do my shoe laces on one foot (hubby has to do this), and I don't go anywhere or do anything and I don't have much of a love life even though I'm married! My husband is starting to become my carer and I DON'T want that. All these factors made me seriously consider surgery and when I approached my doctor in June, he was really positive about the surgery and didn't hesitate to refer me to Sunderland. I'm 'early days' in the process, but hope to have the surgery next October/December time. I'm not sure if PCT has been approached for funding yet - I think that comes later; so I could be going through this process and still be rejected by the PCT, even though I've got my gp and the hospital's support (tho I hope that doesn't happen!).

I really hope that you do have success in your attempts to lose weight whether you do this by the traditional methods, or through surgery. If you can't get your gp's approval, then seek a second opinion; some people have even moved house to a PCT with more 'relaxed' criteria. Would your GP consider exercise on referral, weight management or congnitive behaviour therapy? Some PCTs ask patients to do this anyway before referring for surgery.

I'd give my eye teeth to be 15 stones (rather than 23+) but I understand that at 5ft2 its quite a lot to carry on such a small frame.

 

[gaelic girl]

For me it was a life time of being judged and ridiculed by strangersin public places i would be in tears more times than i care to remember. I didn't own a mirror couldn't face looking in one. Going on holiday and praying no one would sit beside me on the plane, breaking a chair on holiday the list is endless. Think the final straw came when my dad died, he wiped away my tears and shouted at those he teased me over the years and when he went my "protector" had gone. I ate even more then and when i realised i had gone over 20 stone I had to do something. With my dad's money i paid for my surgery and i just hope somewhere my dad realises that although he isn't here once again he has made everything right for his "little princess" xx

 

[piratess]

Allie thankyou so much for sharing your story,
that really touched a nerve with me. Your dad sounds like he was a wonderful man! ..
My dad is like that... noone hurts his girls.

Thankyou so much Novamay for your reply,
Its lovely reading about peoples experiances everyone is truly amazing.
I can understand why some would find my weight quite low but this last few months i have realised and noticed more just how it is effecting my day to day living.

I find this forum so helpful and although im usually in the side lines i find everyone friendly and sincere I really feel comfy here... And i hope that one day when i have raised funds to have surgery that i can share my journey with you all.

xxxx

 

[Grace]

For me, it was a combination of many things other people have said: my mobility was terrible, I couldn't do up my bra on my own, get tights on without almost fainting with the struggle, wipe my bum without severe contortions, even put on my own shoes. I had severe lower back pain, waddled rather than walked; everything hurt and my GP simply refused to even x-ray my hips, because he was so certain all my pain was obesity-related.

The last straw for me came early last year, when I insisted on seeing a neuro-surgeon because my back pain was so severe I could not take more than a few steps without being in agony, and I felt certain that something serious must be wrong. The neuro-surgeon told me that, although he would do an MRI scan on my back, even if he found something which could be put right with surgery,he would not operate unless I was half my weight, because the risks would be too great, and the chances of success almost nil.

I came home from that appointment and realised that, like many others have said, I could not face slimming clubs or diets or pills or anything else that I have tried over many, many years, with limited success...but always regaining the weight + more besides. I knew I simply could NOT do it on my own. By this time, I was 19 stones 2 pounds. I am only 5 feet tall.
I did not know my weight at the time, having resigned myself to being overweight for ever, as there as no hope that I could ever lose weight and keep it off by myself. I could not face the horror and depression stepping onto the scales would cause.

Then, seemingly by chance, Fern Britton's WLS hit the headlines, and I thought,
"Why not? If she can, maybe I can too."
and with that thought in mind, I approached my GP, expecting to be laughed out of the surgery. It was almost more shocking when he did not laugh; but took me seriously. Though he told me there was no way I would get funding. However, we together approached the exceptions panel of my PCT, and I did get funding. That was 18 months before surgery. Surgery wich has changed my life.
And incidentally: my MRI scan on my back was clear. Miraculously, I have an extremely healthy spine! The pain was, as my GP had insisted, obesity-related.

I feel for you, truly I do. 15 stones is a lot at around our height, and there is no getting away from it, or the problems, physical, psychological and emotional which it causes.

I hope you can find a way to have surgery, if that is what you decide is right for you. BUT you should be aware: surgery is tool, not a magic wand. Surgery is working for me and for others on here because we are working with it to give it the best chance. It can be cheated if you're determined to cheat it though.

I think it might be worth asking your GP if you can see a psychologist or counsellor to help you with the issues surrounding your eating. This could help you to decide whether surgery is the right route for you, and is sometimes required prior to surgery in any case.
Best wishes with it,
Grace xxx

 

[piratess]

Hi grace thanks very much for your reply, I have approached my GP about councilling for the way i feel about food etc and she agreed that a course of CBT would be highly beneficial but then giggled ..

"that would be of course if we had enough funds"

all she keeps saying is how stretched the NHS are ..
she is about 5.10 by the way ...about a size 8 and has never had weight issues ggrrrr

~sorry i shouldnt say things like that ~

I have been reading and thinking about this for along time now but usually stay in the shadows, I feel in my heart that this could be what i need, the tool that i can at last work with to lose weight and keep it off! ...
I find i go thro phases of binge eating and grazing and i realise now it is more comfort and depression that dictates these patterns, vicious circle,
if i feel good i dont think about food... i eat i feel bad so i eat some more etc then feel bad about eating so binge ... i know that genetics play a part in this also (and my GP agreed) she also agreed that dieting alone would probably not help in the long term because my mum is obese as was my grandmother as is my sister etc ....

sorry i tend to ramble .. just have so much whizzing round my mind! .. ive been looking at credit cards but not sure i could get one with a 10,000 limit! ,....