I am just curious what was your final straw of being overweight that caused you to choose lap band?

The Calendar

I sing with a choir and we had gone on tour. We spent many long hours on the tour bus and it was so difficult for me to get into and out of the bathroom that it made me kind of think "gee, i've gained a little bit of weight"....but it wasn't until I saw the pictures from the tour that I realized just how large I was. I have never liked the camera, probably because of the fat, but when I saw what I really looked like I almost died of embarrassment.

We got back into town from the tour in mid January and I immediately booked a seminar to see what my options were.

Great post! My ah-ha moment happened last September, 2011 at my full physical with my doctor. I was considered morbidly obese, by the BMI charts (I wept in her office over that news, I knew I was fat, but I didn't realize it had gotten that out of control). I had been on cholesterol medication for about 6 months at that point in time. My doctor also informed me that my blood pressure was very high and I would need medication for that. As well, my blood sugar was very high and I was pre-diabetic. We discussed the options at that point in time and this surgery seemed like it might work. I had the surgery in October, 2011 and I think it literally saved my life! I am now off the cholesterol meds, my blood pressure is normal and my blood sugar is normal. I also just transitioned from obese to overweight on the BMI charts. Life is now good and I look forward to becoming normal weight in the next few months.

I guess its only fair that I share mine. I always knew I was heavy, but it started to affect my marriage and I couldn't "be" with my husband out of fear that he was thinking the same things about me that I was thinking talk about a mood killer. Then also in Febuary I ended up breaking my computer chair. Oh my word is so hard to see that actually typed out in black in white for all to see.

When my long time {former}boss/Dr saw me in the office and didn't recognize me!!! {Among airplane seats, walking up the stairs, knees hurting, etc etc}

He didn't say anything, it was written all over his face.Standing there in front of him wearing what I thought was a great poncho that hid a multiple of sins, all he could see was a big fat face! I even commented to him saying, "what, did I gain that much weight that you didn't recognize me"? He didn't say a word but just hugged me. Months later I bumped into his wife at the grocery store buying my pre-op liquid diet and told her we were having WLS surgery. She confided in me then what her husband had said about me when he got home. I've yet to see either one of them lately but even though I need to lose a good 35lbs more, I think they will definitely recognize the old me. And that was just one person. Now, after the surgery, I'm hearing from other friends & loved one's who held their tongues re: my recent weight gain and are my greatest supporters now!

I just knew it was now or never. I couldn't do it on my own- well, I could lose I just couldn't keep it off. I hated how I looked, had hardly any clothes, knew I'd never advance in my job or get another one looking like I did. It was just time. I wasn't getting any younger. I wanted to go to Paris with my daughter and not worry about sitting in the airplane seat. I wanted to want to play with my little kids instead of always putting them off and sitting around. At almost 42, it was just time to take charge of myself and time to start caring about myself. Now I make time to work out because *I* am important. I treat myself well because *I* am important! And because I do, I seem to be treating everyone else in my family better. It's definitely been a win/win for my entire family.

Weight has always been an issue for me but my "ah ha" moment was when I got diagnosised with diabetes. I think it finally hit me that all my problems (dizziness, moodiness, my high blood pressure, sore back and feet) all had to do with the weight.. I have two small children and realized if I continue on that path, I would not be around to see them get married or even graduate high school. I was tired of sitting on the side lines watching life pass me by. I couldn't do hardly anything b/c I couldn't fit in/out or I was too tired..

Unfortunately, not many people I know have commented on the weightloss not even my parents or co-workers except for a handful. I can literally count on one hand the number of people that have commented on the change. For some reason, one person has really stuck out was a former boss. Just the look on his face and his words, just really made me feel good about it. Now, I know I have a long ways to go but it helps to hear those words of praise every now and then..

My moment was finding out I was only 25 pounds lighter than my 300 boyfriend.... and when I have to wear yoga pants more often then jeans.

For me, the option of WLS had to build up over time. I kept thinking that I have lost weight in the past and I could do it again. I would lose and gain more over and over again.

Then in the spring of 2011 I went to my cousin's wedding. The dress I wore was my "fat dress". It was so tight that the seam began to rip in the back whenever I sat down. I kept thinking "my dress is going to rip"...."how have I gotten this way"...."I'm so out of control"...This was my ah ha moment.

I began to diet, again. My doctor said I needed surgery on my feet. My hips and knees hurt all the time. I had a realistic talk with myself. I finally knew I would have to have surgery. Do I want to have surgery on my feet, my knees, my hips or do I try lap band? I scheduled a consultation and had the surgery less than six months later.

Foot pain...gone; Knee pain...gone; Hip pain...gone.....36lbs...gone.

I am raising my 6 yr old grandson. He needed to learn how to ride his bike without training wheels.

I was in no shape to run down the street beside him, so at 6 he still had training wheels.

When I had to get someone else to help him learn it hit me that if I want to be there for him I need to do something.

I am now on the way to a smaller me so I can be here to see him graduate high school and maybe college.

I looked at a picture that was of myself in December 2011 and said "OMG" who is this in this picture! I then decided to get healthy again.

When I couldn't fit into my size 20 jeans .... I am now awaiting my surgery date!!!!!

I have only been obese for about 5 years.... I could still do everything I wanted to....hike, ski etc. It wasn't until 2 years ago when we headed out to hike and I was so winded and all my joints were hurting that I thought "what the heck!! "....So I gave myself until my 40th birthday to get it under control...to say the least it didn't happen. I would loose it all only to return to eating 1200 calories and slowly start gainnning it all back..I finally decided that even though I could get the weight off I could never stick to a 1000 calor a day diet without help....enter the lapband!! Im down 42 pounds with about 29 left to go.Hopefully I will have restriction by then and will be able to maintain the 1000 calories a day for maintaince

I crushed my big toe bones in January 2011 without even knowing it bexauae of my diabetic neuropoathies. When I noticed how vig it was (no pain) I pointed it out to my dr. Well long story short - they were convinced I had a very serious bone infection that would require months of intravenous antibiotics. After 4 MRI's and a surgical bone biopsy they determined I did not have a bone infection. Good news...NO I was diagnosed with "charcot foot", a degenerative bone disease many times brought on by diabetes and obesity. Google it sometime, the images are frightening to say the least!!! I got on my cell phone, in the parking lot of the orthopedics office, and called the bariatric surgeons office told them I would be a self pay and wanted the surgery as soon as possible. I had WLS 5 weeks later! While I will always have charcot foot, I cN hopefully hold off the degenerative part so that my entire foot will not be affected and I cN co tinue my new wonderful life!!!

My Father died suddenly of Cardiac Arrest while sleeping Dec 22nd 2005, then My Mother was diagnosed with Colon Cancer Sept 2007. I had to do some flying in between and frankly was just thankful I didn't have to use a seatbelt extender. Heart, High BP, Diabetes, Arthritis all run in my family and I decided to do it for health reasons. i did a backslide when I left the ex husband and decided to move back to California. I had a partial unfill becuse I was at a pretty tight restriction and didn't want to run the risk of needed and ER visit to get fluid backed out while traveling cross country. I gained weight back but finally got in for a refull a little over two weeks ago. I am back on the track again and not planning on moving out of state, and not planning on letting this go the wayside. I feel so much better in the short weeks and weight is coming off.

If you backslide, get right back up and head in the right direction. Forgive yourself and move forward because. I know I am!