Jen S.
I am tired of being fat and tired!!! It's funny because I don't think of myself as being as big as I really am... sometimes it's a shock to see the truth. I am married to a wonderful man and have three wonderful children. My life is full, but I am morbidly obese and am having significant complications. I have difficulty standing and bending and doing any kind of exercise, even walking more than a short distance. I have difficulty performing daily activities such as putting on socks and shoes that do not slip on, housework and participating in activities with my family. Osteoarthritis is a major complication that I have. A nearly intolerable problem is the constant pain of the knees. Excess body weight adds trauma to weight bearing joints. The joints wear out more quickly and develop degenerative arthitis much easier than in the normal-weighted person. Currently joint-replacement surgery is needed in both of my knees to relieve the severe pain and to increase mobility. Joint-replacement surgery has much poorer results in the obese. The permanent weight loss of gastric bypass surgery will markedly decrease problems with arthritis. I also have high blood pressure and because of my weight, often become depressed. Repeated failure from dieting, disapproval from family and friends and sneers and remarks from strangers are common occurances. Of course I want to look great, but more importantly I want to feel great!
