A year ago I was over 400lbs. I had made a habit of avoiding doctors, even once I had health insurance. I was sleeping too much, had trouble walking, sweated way too much, and had vision problems, all of which I just ignored because I didn't like going to doctors. Then I hemorrhaged and couldn't avoid doctors anymore. I was diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia (precancerous changes caused by obesity), had to have a couple of transfusions, then was scheduled for surgery. During the blood tests before surgery, I was diagnosed with diabetes and the surgery was postponed until the diabetes was under control. So I made a major change to my diet, limiting carbs and calories. I also started taking metformin and Januvia. I was on two blood pressure meds. I lost 40lbs before my surgery in March, but I still had complications with the anesthesia because of my weight, and ended up in a coma for a few hours. In April I saw an endocrinologist, who switched me from Januvia to Victoza. Victoza is an injection for diabetes that delays gastric emptying. So basically it makes you feel very full a lot of the time. Once I started taking Victoza, I quit feeling so hungry and lost interest in food. I eat now, but I eat to meet my calorie goals for the day, not because I enjoy the food a lot. I still cook good food...can't let the hubby starve after all...but I don't need to overeat. I can take a bite or two of something and be happy with it.

I've lost 180lbs. I was off both blood pressure meds by the middle of the summer, because my blood pressure started going so low that I was fainting. I ride 6 miles a day, hula hoop for 30 minutes, use the bowflex machine every day, and use the elliptical 4 or 5 days a week. I still take the diabetes meds, because I want to take them, but I'm not really sure I need them. I'm planning to take metformin for as long as my doctor will continue to prescribe it, because I really feel like it makes my body work better. Before I took it, it was a real struggle to lose weight. A couple years ago I started riding a bike every day. I weighed 365 then and only lost 20 lbs, riding twice a day for six months. Year before last, I tried a diet, counting calories and eating less carbs, and didn't lose any weight, even eating 1200 calories a day for a couple of months. As soon as I started taking metformin, I was able to lose weight, and especially weight off of my belly. It worked so well for me that my younger sister got her doctor to prescribe it for her, and she lost weight too (until she got pregnant). My dad is the same way, he was enormously overweight until he was diagnosed with diabetes and started taking metformin. He lost more than 100lbs and has kept it off. I saw that the other diabetes med I take, Victoza, has been approved by the FDA for weight loss (under the name Saxenda) so I'm hoping my sister will be able to start taking it after her baby's born, and then she and I can get healthy together. We always used to compete about our weight, but I'm too old for that anymore. I just want to be healthy so I can be around to watch my kids grow up and have their own kids.