Judy R.
Hi, my name is Judy. I am 52-years-old. I had laparoscopic RNY on 12/19/05. I weighed 230 lbs before my surgery. I have lost 100 lbs. I now weigh 130 lbs.
My weight problems did not start until in high school and only had a little weight problem then. When I had my two kids is when I really began having significant weight problems. I would lose weight then gain it right back and then some. I went through having my kids and then my husband at the time decided he did not want to be married anymore, too much responsibility, etc. I married about 8-9 months after that and went into an 11-year marriage with a man who was fun at first but then began being verbally abusive, finally ending in him leaving me for a girl half our age. My weight had been creeping up all through this marriage but I always had an excuse. I ate all the time to console myself. Food was my best friend along with my kids. I never could seem to get the weight off no matter how I tried. I lost a little but it came back too. I was single for 6 years, running into a man whom I had gone steady with in Junior High. We finally met again at the right time in our lives and have been married now for 10 years. He has really been an inspiration to me, having always supported me in everything I do!!! I lost weight through Weight Watchers finally, about 48 lbs but almost all of it came back in time. I felt like I was burned out with all diets, having tried them all multiple times. My sister and I got to talking about my health problems one day and she suggested weight loss surgery. I was very scared about this option, kept thinking about it and finally went to a seminar. I was very interested but still scared about this. I had sleep apnea and was on a CPAP machine. I also had diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, GERD, hiatal hernia, depression and lupus, and was on medication for all of these illnesses. I went to see my rheumatologist for a check up on my lupus and I talked with him about the surgery. He told me I had a freight train coming at me with all my weight-related illnesses and I had to get the weight off or I was going to die and that I had a what if? with WLS. He told me that he would take the ( what If ) chance with the WLS. I got really scared then and knew that this is what I had to do to finally be in better health, to feel better and finally get control of my weight for good. I feel so much better now. I am amazed every day at feeling bones I did not know i had, fitting into seats, booths (without having to move the whole booth), stalls, being able to squat down and pick up things without feeling like I am going to pass out. I do not have to take any of those medications now except for lupus, hormones and my multivitamins, calcium, B12. This surgery has made a tremendous change for the better in my life. I am shocked every day when I look at myself in the mirror, I look so different. I have a long skinny face now instead of a round, puffy, swollen looking face. I went from size 22-24 in tops, 2X scrub tops, large scrub pans and 22 size jeans to size small tops, XS scrub tops, XS scrub pants and 4-6 shorts and jeans. I would have the surgery again in a heartbeat!!!!!!!!!
