Libby's Success with Bariatric Surgery

I always considered myself “fat”, even when I was in high school and weighed 125 pounds.  Once I graduated, started college, got married, and eventually pregnant, my weight just kept creeping up.  I found that it got harder and harder to do things with my daughter and I was tired all the time.  My blood pressure was starting to go up, I developed sleep apnea and started using a C-pap machine and my PCP said I was borderline diabetic.  I realized I didn’t want to live that way any longer and if I kept going, I would eventually develop even more health issues.

I decided to investigate bariatric surgery and I had my first weight loss procedure in February of 2008.  Dr. Ringley placed the LapBand and I did pretty well for quite some time.  My pre-surgery weight was 280 and I was able to bring my weight down to 185, at my lowest.  I struggled to keep it under 200 for many years and then I started to notice that I was getting reflux more and more often.  We kept adjusting the band, removing fluid, slowly adding fluid, etc.  Eventually the decision was made to remove the band and convert it to the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.  In October of 2017 I had the conversion and my pre-surgery weight was 235.  I have since lost 80 pounds and my current weight is 155.

My blood pressure is excellent, I no longer use a C-pap machine, my blood sugar is normal, and I have much more energy.  I go to the women’s section of the clothing stores and I don’t have to look at plus sizes anymore.  I never worry if I’ll fit in a seat on a plane, at the theater, or even a carnival ride.  My daughter is all grown up and now I have a grandson who I enjoy doing all sorts of activities with. 

I look forward to many more years with my family, however I realize that surgery is a tool and in order to maintain my weight loss, activity level, and health it will depend on the decisions I make everyday. 

One day at a time and one bite at a time.