I’m 5ft6inches. Well, 5ft5 3/4 inches.

I decided to get gastric bypass surgery when all other weight loss methods failed. I had been working to lose weight basically my entire life. I started becoming overweight when I was about 6 years old because of the severity of my Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. (For more on what methods I tried to lose weight, check out my FAQ.) When I hit 300lbs, my doctors and I agreed that I needed to consider more extreme methods. Unfortunately, our insurance wouldn’t cover weight loss surgery until I was 18, and I was only 14 when I hit 300lbs. At 16, I went to my first information session on bariatric surgeries. When I was 18, I pleaded with my parents. With great reluctance, they agreed to take me to some info sessions again and to get a consultation. They realized that this really was the only chance I had left. We began the process. Gastric bypass saved my life. Many people can lose weight without surgery. Despite my impassioned efforts, I could not. I would get the surgery again in a heartbeat because, despite all of my medical issues now, I probably wouldn’t be alive now if it weren’t for that operation.