I woke up this morning thinking "Am I out of my mind? Just suck it up and put in the effort you need to to lose the weight." Then my realistic brain kicked in and said I'm 41 years old 5'3 and 275lbs. I have been overweight since I was a child over 200 lbs for more than 15 years. I have tried to lose weight but I never last more than a month. In the last 2-3 years I have been so discouraged I haven't even really tried. If I could lose weight on my own I would have done it by now. At least thats what I keep telling myself. When I diet I am hungry all the time. Portion size is a huge issue for me. Those little 300 calorie microwave dinners are a joke. I need at least three to fill me up. I really think that VSG would give me the tool I need to be able to lose the weight. But then again that little voice inside me head is once again telling me that VSG is taking the easy way out (although I know it really isn't) and that I should just do the hard work and starve myself to lose weight. How do I know I'm making the right decision to have VSG?

Tina

I really had zero issue losing weight, keeping it off was the issue. Sure, we can all lose weight, but being able to keep it off is where the failure rate comes in with the "good ole fashioned" way of losing weight.

I looked at it this way; 1) I can have surgery and take the "easy way out" 2) Stay fat and battle obesity related diseases/conditions well into my golden years

I get in my car to drive to WalMart which is just a 1/4 mile from my house. It may be the "easy way" to get there, but I'll take the easy way over walking down the hwy here that is affectionately called "bloody 98" because of the high number of fatal car accidents.

Ultimately, it's your decision, but this surgery gave me a fabulous life.

This time last year I lost 40lbs on the HCG/500 calories per day diet..weighed 155 lbs..I gained it all back. I also joined an exercise bootcamp - worked out 1 hour every day, 5 days a week for 2 months and did not lose one pound. Then I decided I could not do this to my body anymore. I am 58, 5'1" and weigh 193. My heaviest weight was 212 when I was pregnant and my baby girl will be 28 this month. I can eat bags of cookies/chips/candy - a volume eater of everything - it is never enough to "fill" me up. I am praying the sleeve will be the tool to make me eat sensibly. This is not an easy way out, but it may be my last chance to take back my life and health. I am an avid scuba diver and travel the world with my husband, but I am not going to be able to do it much longer at this weight. If I do not go ahead with VSG, my nightmare is that I will weigh 300 lbs next year and more every year after that with no end in sight. No easy answer to your question, all I know is that VSG seems the best decision for me to have a better healthier life. I want to take my 2 year old grandson scuba diving when he is 10! Will be going to Dr. Ramos-Kelly on 4/13 in TJ, Mexico. Good luck!

Well I think you should do it, but don't think this is the easy way out. It is still very, very hard. Even though you can't eat a lot, your head still wants to eat everything that you want to eat now. This is really the hardest thing I have ever done. I am almost 3 months out and have lost 48 pounds. I have not lost a thing for a month and I am doing everything right. I know it will come, but it is so sad to see the same weight week after week when I am eating so little and excersizing so much. Just decide to do it, I know it's a hard decision, I thought about it for 20 years before I finally made up my mind. I am 54, 5'4" and started at 432. OMG how did I get that fat?

Good Luck to you.

I'm only two months out but the changes my surgery as brought to me are AMAZING.

I'm so glad I made my decision.

The sleeve REALLY is a great tool!

Hi,

There is a lot of talk about whether this is the easy way out or not. In my opinion, it is the REALISTIC way out. What we really want it a way out, right? How you get there, as long as it is healthy, doesn't really matter.

Only you can make the decision.

Very best of luck to you---

Lara

I think we all had those feelings before surgery. I had spent years losing and regaining the same 50 pounds, gain a few more until at 43 I was 270 pounds. I could not do the roller coaster any more. It is horrible on your body and your spirit. I am now 6 weeks out, down 34 pounds and thrilled.

If you were not fully thinking things through, it would not be good. This is a major, life changing decision and should be looked at as such. This is not the "easy way out" . It was the ONLY WAY, for me at least.

Not really a easy way out. You need to monitor your intake and exercise. It does help that your stomach cannot handle too much and if you over do then there is a price to pay. It is just the same except the stomach has a new fill line.

Now 5 weeks outs I can't believe how much I used to consume. Plus it has gotten me to try new foods I never would have.

Best part right now is my energy level is 10x what it was 5 weeks ago!

Pat