Gastric Bypass Surgery: The Most Important Decision of My Life Made in 15 Minutes

Question Below Submitted By:  

Yvonne McCarthy (a patient from Dallas, Texas USA/Bariatric Girl Blog)

In December of 2001 I was watching Good Morning America and saw Carnie Wilson talk about gastric bypass for the first time in my life. A few minutes later a local show was on and one of the guests had surgery also. After 30 years of obesity and trying every diet known to man, I couldn’t dial the number of the bariatric surgeon fast enough. The first available appointment was January 15th and I took it.

Some of the friends asked about the danger. They just didn’t understand….I didn’t care about the danger which was a bit more severe back then. My basic thought was fix me or take me out. The emotional and physical pain was too much and I just couldn’t take it any more. I had lost my mom to cancer a few months before and I felt like I had nothing to lose except the weight that dragged me down for most of my life.

I also made a deal with the God of my understanding. I swore on everything that mattered that I would not mess this one up. If I ever got back to a normal size I swore I would never go back. How little I knew at the time. I had a disease and I was not a failure. In every other area of my life I could do something if I put my mind to it. I felt like I had failed so many times and I lost hundreds of pounds, hundreds of times. I wanted the inside to match the outside.

I had open gastric bypass on March 30, 2001 with no complications. I weighed 260 pounds the night before surgery and lost 130 pounds. I have maintained that loss through learning just how much my head had to do with my problem: my disease of food addiction. Needless to say, that fifteen minute decision saved my life. I will be sharing so much more and I’m including a before and after picture.

Grateful for a second chance in life…
Yvonne

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Patient Responses to the Question Above

hi there

by: sarah ann

hi! thanks for sharing your story for me to read, i am currently in the process of getting gastric bypass surgery. i am 20 years old, a bmi of 42 and i weigh 268, my goal weight is 130-140. i have depression, anxiety, and pcos.-which makes me gain weight, and very hard to lose it.just wanted to say that i think you are beautiful, and i am now very excited, i hope to one day look like you. thank you,Sarah ann,20, ontario, canadacheers!

Hi Sarah Ann

by: Yvonne McCarthy

It sounds like we are going to be twins!

Your starting weight is close to mine and so is your goal.

The first thing I'd like to say is that it's great that you already know you have PCOS.

There is actually treatment for that and you are right, it causes weight gain.Let me say this about depression.

You may find that you will still have to deal with depression afterwards but please know that if you are on meds, your doc may have to increase them because we don't absorb things as well after gastric bypass.

Even with depression and anxiety you will have a better chance at getting to the root of those at a lower weight.

Getting thin doesn't make us happy but it makes it easier to work on what is causing our problems.

I've always said I'd rather deal with problems at 130 pounds instead of 260 pounds right? Please educate yourself about food addiction and if you have access to therapy it is important to cover "family of origin" issues.

I'm here to help so please keep me posted on your journey OK?

Hugs,
Yvonne
BariatricGirl.com

Thank you

by: Olivia

Thank you for sharing. I am trying to decide between the band or the bypass. Your story touched my heart.

Amazing!

by: Shannon

Hey girl!

I just came across your post. In my group people were saying I am too light to get the procedure. I have a BMI of 41.6 and weigh 260ish lbs now, happy to come across other people who have had it done at this BMI. Amazing you lost 130lbs! My goal! <3

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