My Journey

by Bonnie
(Minnesota)

Written 12/27/07. Surgery 7/29/03.

I had always been chunky since I was little. I was even given a case of Metracal as a 14 yr old one X-mas. Talk about humiliation.

Did manage to get to a size 14 in my senior year of high school and found my true love the year later. Got married and had my first child. Then 2 yrs later #2,3 yrs later #3,4yrs after #4,and finally #5 came 4 yrs. after that. Meanwhile I gained 20 lbs BETWEEN each pregnancy!

So where I was 140 at #1, needless to say I was over 200 for #5. Oh, of course I lost and gained like a yo-yo all through the years, but nothing ever stayed off. I accounted it to testing the baby's food while feeding, and of course taste testing while cooking all them Italian foods for family.

I did have a friend who had GBS (gastric bypass surgery) in 1990 and said most definitely, I would never do that! I wasn't heavy enough to begin with and I surely would never let myself hit 200 lb! Well I did, and continued to try to take it off. Then in Oct of 2002, I went for a general physical, and to find out why my legs kept going out from under me.

I had great pain and could not walk for anything. He said take some weight off; they are having trouble holding you up. Okay. But 3 weeks later my legs went out while walking up stairs and I fell down them, broke my arm.

Now I have never broke anything, had surgery or even spent time in hospital other than giving birth. At the hospital, I told my story several times,had multiple tests and all concluded: "Take some weight off." Okay.

Our WLS (weight loss surgery) clinic was holding seminars and I went the first part of January. Started the process, did all I was suppose to and even got bumped up for surgery from Oct to July 29th 2003. Surgery went well, recovery went well, but my legs were not any better. I mentioned it to my surgeon at my 3 month check up and he referred me to a neuro.

Almost immediately I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, an autoimmune disease (not caused by WLS) and was put on lifetime meds. I lost 87 lbs in 14 months. I was what is called a slow loser. Slowed more and then lost some more. Total is 110 lbs and I have maintained at 166-168 for the last 2 1/2 yrs. I have yet to get to my goal of 140 lbs but with the surgery I did lose 100% of my excess weight.

I am now 57 years old, size med or a 14 depending on maker, have 3 new grandchildren this last year and one coming in March, to make a total of 16 and 6 great grandkids.

I feel good, have had no problems and am looking into plastic surgery now. Insurance won't pay for breasts, although its sagging is caused by my surgery for a "disease of obesity," and I do have enough of a "panni" (loose skin resulting from extreme weight loss, addressed with a "tummy tuck") to get lower skin taken off. Though at my age I would really like the tummy muscles tightened but they won't pay.

Yes, I do recommend it to anyone that is inquisitive to ask how I did it. My only concern is I have had to educate my family doc on a lot of it, and it is hard to get them to pay for labs as often as we should have them.

I also have had to bring a chart with me to show labs and how they go up and down. I decide my own amounts on supplements for this reason.