I am a woman in my 50′s who weighed 250 pounds. I had so many physical problems that I thought I would never be able to feel better. Whatever diet was out there I tried it. I gave up on myself and decided I was going to be fat all my life. I would go to the doctor with a complaint and the first thing they would say was “we both know you are really heavy.” I knew this but I could never seem to be able to fix it. I felt ashamed of myself and cut myself off from friends and family. Never should anyone feel so ashamed of themselves.
I began to see commercials and read about Lap-Band surgery. I felt like I could have a good life ahead and decided that I deserved one more try. I wanted to be able to enjoy my wonderful family instead of sitting on the couch. I finally went to a Lap-Band seminar given by Dr. Cottingham. My husband and I were convinced that this is what I had been looking for all my life, and I had surgery in 2012. It has been almost three years since I took that step and it has been the best three years of my life. I have lost 100 pounds. I look at myself in the mirror and think “Wow, I can’t believe this is really me!” It took me 16 months to lose that much weight. Of course I wanted to lose all 100 pounds in a week, but I did not gain it all in a week so I couldn’t lose it in a week. My eating habits had to change and I had to start exercising (which I hate), but believe me it is all worth it. You have to decide for yourself that you can do it, and just do it. You will never regret taking that step.