So I went to my primary care doctor last week. I hadn't seen him in six months. It was the beginning of my journey into lapband and weight loss. At that time I was 295 or so. I told him I was going to lose all this weight and have lapband done. I am sure he has heard the pledges of many overweight patients to finally lose the excess weight. He probably put very little faith in my statements. My weight was 225 when I went last week. That was a 70 pound loss. I could see the disbelief and pride in his face. Toward the end of the visit, he asked, "What was the one deciding factor that finally made you decide to lose weight?". Well, in the past 6 months, I have been asked this question many times and already had a rehearsed response. It came out like a reflex. I said I was sick of hurting everywhere all the time. Although this is one of the reasons, it does not begin to scratch the surface as to why. I failed to mention the very important reasons why. Such as the fact that at 317 pounds, I was wishing death upon myself almost everyday all day. I became a prisoner in my own body. I was ashamed to be seen in public with my children, boyfriend, friends, and co-workers. I knew my children were embarrassed to be seen with me in public. Hell, I was embarrassed to be seen with me. I was unable to wash my private areas without becoming a contortionist. I was unable to use tampons because I couldn't reach. My ankles, knees, hips, legs, chest, hurt all the time. My self-esteem was in the gutter. I was short of breath with any physical exertion. I couldn't hardly fit in my larger model car. I could barely heave my large ass out of the car when I did get in it. The reasons go on and on and on....

I have so much to be thankful now. My energy level is through the roof. I am confident. I am much more active in my social life. I have dumped the abusive boyfriend I had been settling for. I have discovered bones that I didn't know I had. I enjoy foods that are healthy. I seek out new friendships and relationships. For the first time in 42 years, I can say I love myself and really feel it and mean it. Life is good. I feel truly blessed to have had this opportunity to reclaim my life and begin living.

For me there was no single factor, it's been building for a long time.

I'm 280, BMI 40. I was up to 315 at one point. I've been over weight my entire life.

• I've been on every diet program, WW, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem and even that horrible Optifast. They all work but then I get tired of the food and counting all the time and I slowly slip off.
  
• I went to Universal Orlando with my kids and couldn't ride some signature rides because I can't fit into the seats. The attendant was nice enough to say that my shoulders are too broad. Some I could ride if I rode the "fat guy" seat and the attendant squashed me in. Humiliating.
  
• On airplanes and in theaters, I fill my own seat and part of my neighbors' so I try to get an aisle seat or a window seat and squish into the corner.
  
• I'm type II diabetic and on THREE medications yet my morning stick is still above 150. I'm asymptomatic but when symptoms appear, thy'll be permanent and devastating.
  
• I buy my clothes from the big and tall store, I can't wear what I want because it's not in my size.
  
• A day at Walt Disney World destroys my feet for a week despite having very good shoes and no feet problems. I was going to book the EPCOT Segway tour but I was above the weight limit so I told my family that it was full. I feel terrible for doing that.
  
• I don't sit at restaurant booths because the table is "too close".
  
• While putting Christmas lights on my roof, I noticed that the ladder's weight limit is 250. I'm risking my very life!
  
• I think that my size is preventing me from getting the job that I want but the employer will never say so.
  
• ... and on and on and on.
  

Warning Mature Content

To be honest I was having sex with my wife and I noticed I couldn't go as deep as I use too, because of my belly. So I guess I did it because I wanted my d**k to look bigger…LOL

And all the other stuff you guys mentioned too.

OH MY, Well my story is that I also have a family history of diabetes and heart disease. Everytime I saw my Doctor he never bit his tongue making it known that "You're gonna have a heart attack or stroke". I dreaded going to have my labs and follow ups but knew he was right. I had tried so many diets only to fail. I thought about doing this for 3 yrs but was too afraid to commit. One day I was dancing around my kitchen in front of my granddaughter trying to make her laugh and she did. She looked up at me smiling and said " you look like fat Albert". Well that did it for me. I made the appointment and kept it this time. It's been 2 yrs and Im down only 50 lbs but I've been taken off 2 of my meds. So it took that or her to make me get control of my weight. 25 lbs more to go and I'm coming off the other meds too!

im 53 yrs old. 5'3- was 225 lbs. been fighting a weight prob since i was 30 or so.i just got tired of not living the life i wanted. EVERYTHING revolved around my weight, and i mean EVERYTHING! i knew last spring that i would have to do something, but what ? then my hubby casually mentioned that his sis and her hubby were going to have lap band surgery around early june. I had seen the adds, so i knew what it was but had literaly never thought about it for me. they both had the surgery and did very well over the summer. i did research over the summer, and finally went to a seminar sept 7th, and the local support group sept 8th, and got the paperwork started. i had my surgery dec 13, 2011 am down 12 lbs so far ans feel and look better already. i am on my way to doing the things that i have only thought about for a longggggggggggggggg time . MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME !!!!!!

Warning Mature Content To be honest I was having sex with my wife and I noticed I couldn't go as deep as I use too, because of my belly. So I guess I did it because I wanted my d**k to look bigger…LOL And all the other stuff you guys mentioned too.

Too funny!! I love it! I have heard somewhere that for every 50lbs overweight a man is, he loses one inch of length!!

I am 56 type II diabetic on an insulin pump bmi of 34 my pcp said she wouldn't support lap band decision because of complications and you've lost weight in the past so what's the big deal. So now have to go in and try to explain hard for someone without issues to understand. Plus I'm what they consider borderline so it's not that important.

My BMI was also 34. My PCP also told me it was too dangerous and I should just eat less , exercise more etc. I don't like being told I can't do something so I thought Sod you and made an appointment to see the specialist myself. The specialist thought i was a perfect candidate and more likely than most to achieve 100% success because of having the lower BMI. Yes you may have lost weight in the past but have you kept it off? Obviously not. Plus as you get older it gets harder and harder to shift the weight. I wish some of these PCPs would just open their eyes and realise how hard it is. If they have never had a weight problem then they cannot possibly understand.

I would go and see another Dr.