Meghan I. "I'm smaller now then I was at 13!" Surgery Date: November 2007 Surgery:  Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass My Life Before Bariatric Surgery I had always been overweight.  It ran in my family.  I had tried countless diets, working out at the gym, hiring a personal trainer, and I never seemed to make much progress.  I had various knee surgeries due to my weight as well as hormonal imbalances.  Thanks to the polycystic ovarian syndrome I was told I'd probably never be able to get pregnant. I was as active as I could be, but it was definitely taking a toll on my joints.  When I was diagnosed as having obstructive sleep apnea, I knew it was time to do something more drastic and permanent.      Making the Decision When I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea in May of 2007, I realized that I could suffocate myself in my sleep. I knew it was time to talk to my doctor about gastric bypass surgery. I found myself on the website obesityhelp.com (or org I can't remember).  When Barix came up, I remember hearing about them years before when they had been called Bariatric Treatment Centers.  When I clicked on the website, and found that the surgery was the only thing that Barix performed, and that they have done 32,000 of them in 16 years, they quickly became a forerunner for having my surgery there.  When I met with a friend who'd had the same procedure done 9 years earlier at the facility, I knew there was no other place for me to have mine.  I wanted to have my surgery done by the experts in the field! My Barix Experience Everyone that I dealt with was exceptional. Coming over from Canada, they helped me fill out the necessary forms.  The staff was all very friendly, and helpful.  I felt more like I was at a spa than in a hospital. I'll never forget as Dr. Poplawski was getting ready to discharge me, he explained very bluntly that the choice was now still mine as to how successful I would be.  He told me that the one thing the surgeon hadn't been able to remove was my eating disorder; I'd have to battle that on my own.    How My Life Has Changed After my surgery, I continued to count calories while making sure to get enough protein in my diet. I always read food labels looking for the highest protein/calorie ratio.  I also started walking for exercise just 3 days after my surgery.  Now, 2 1/2 years later, I try to eat lean protein sources and make sure that I eat a protein source every 2 hours.  I avoid drinking anything that has calories in it, unless there is also a good protein count. If I am going out to eat with friends and I know where ahead of time, I'll try to find the menu online so that I can be prepared when I get there. I also find that I order off the kids menu more often than not.  Yes, it's been hard work, but it's definitely paid off. I’m smaller now than I was at 13! My overall health drastically improved.  In just 6 weeks I was able to get rid of the CPAP machine because my sleep apnea was gone. I started to feel better. I had more energy.  I now have a much more active lifestyle, and my relationships have improved as well. My view of myself changed.  I felt like I’d been given a whole new lease on life. Now, if I get married and have children one day, I’ll be able to run and play with them. What I have learned The surgery is not a magic pill. It's a tool that you can use to help you with a lifestyle change. You have to be willing to do the work, and make the changes.  The power is still in your hands.  It was the best decision I ever made for my health, and for my family. I don't regret a minute of it. Barix specializes in this procedure, and I would never recommend going anywhere else.