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What Was Your Final "straw That Broke The Camels Back"



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I have been overweight my entire life, but I had accepted that I am a "big girl." I have lost and maintained for a while, then eventually gained over and over. Luckily every time I diet, I pick up a good habit. At this point, I don't drink any sugar and exercise 3-4 times per week. That has been enough to maintain but not really lose. Lately, my knee has been getting the best of me while I jog or do Zumba, to the point where I have to back down.

Then, at Christmas dinner, as my diabetic aunt and grandpa were checking their blood sugar, I took a good look at my aunt, who everyone has always compared me to physically. She is about a size 24/26, and has had numerous surgeries for her obesity related health problems. I asked here what size she was at my age (25)- turns out she was exactly my size (18/20). At that moment, I felt like I was looking into a mirror of my future. I had to decide if wanted to live like that or if I wanted to change my fate.

Scheduled surgery 2/7/2013.

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Not being able to get into the house (6 steps) without being out of breath and having trouble putting socks on.

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A few reasons why I want to do this:

I want to be able to run and play with my 2 beautiful kids (4 & 1 years old)

I want to be able to have an amazing time in bed with my hubby. (We have a regular kinda boring love life because I feel too large and insecure to make it fun.)

I want to be able to shop in a regular store with normal prices!! (I was 13 the last time I shopped in a normal clothing store- even then I was wearing a 14+)

I'm SICK of thinking about my weight all the time! I swear that's what 70% of my thoughts consist of and my brain it tired lol

I don't want to die from this! I want to add years to my life so I can be around for my sweet babies :-)

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I had never thought about it this way but last year I turned 30 and I started to feel that I was not as energetic es before, my feet hurt. I have never been skinny so I guess I learned, over the years, to accept myself as I was. Thank God I have never stopped or avoided trying the things I enjoy and so far I have been a very healthy person. But both of my parents are diabetic and I know that just by that I am prone to become diabetic if I don't take care of myself so I realized that I needed to lose weight to avoid that happening. Still the most important thing that I feel was my biggest encouragement is that I want to have kids someday and I want to be a healthy mom and I want to have the strength and energy to enjoy being with my future kids.

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The straw for me was when I went to the doc at my highest weight of 299 at 5'8 and it made me sad cause I said I be damn if I gain one more pound in to the 300 I would just die ...

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Riding a horse in the Caribbean and seeing the photos afterwards .. just disgusting!

Not wanting to participate in all of the things I love on our recent cruise because I was "too fat" to try them ( rock climbing wall, flow rider , etc )

Not wanting my husband to be intimate with me because I am ashamed of my body

Seeing photos of me ... period ... all I can say is OMG!

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Since our family reunion last July, I had been looking into lap band surgery then at Thanksgiving, my daughter posted a photo of me with my son and daughter in law on Facebook and I cried. So, I did my research and decided that bariatric surgery is what I needed to do.

When I was shopping at Christmas at a shop that has cute jeans with rhinestones on the back pocket a well meaning sales girl pointed me towards the little area on the back wall and said "even people like you deserve to wear bling on their jeans" AHH. (yes, it was the fat section) There was no turning back after that!

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My friend had the surgery. She was HOT and happy. I was fat and frumpy and sad. I looked into it.

This!

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The final straw for me was when I went to my Urologist for a follow up visit from a lithotripsy to break up a kidney stone (the second time this was done for the same 1cm kidney stone :( ) and to have him tell me that it did not work again! only this time he disclosed (not once had he mentioned that this could be an issue in the prior year) that it was most likely my size that is hindering the procedure that due to my 'girth' it makes it more difficult for the lithotripsy to be effective!

Although reading through all of the other posts I see some of the same issues that I have had, and they have all played into my choice to have the surgery. I am so glad that I had it, and would do it all over again! I was sleeved on October 24th, and I have lost 45 lbs so far. I am looking forward to the day that I can get rid of the C-Pap :) .

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...

It doesn't help that my husband jokes about going to the fat doctor to lose weight. He thinks he is being funny, but he just isn't.

So, this is my last hope. I will lose the weight this time and keep it off forever.

I can't believe your husband thinks he is being funny. I would nicely talk to him and tell him how much this hurts. Then sock him if he does it again >: -)

We as americans make such a big deal of beauty without understanding that it truly is Who you are not What you are that makes the difference. Please, if your husband continues to "support" you in this manner find yourself a good friend and see if they will support you. I think that support makes all the difference in the world -- the correct kind of support!

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Losing/gaining; losing/gaining again; gaining/gaining.

My husband had VSG 22 months ago. He has lost 140 lbs. He now weighs less than me. My BMI is 36 and I only recently discovered that I could have VSG with BMI of 36. I am in the process of scheduling surgery and hope to have it by the end of March. My husband was self-pay and he said it is the best money he has ever spent.

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I went dove hunting with my husband and father this September and I had to sit in the UTV the whole time. When I tried to follow them on foot, I was huffing and puffing and almost had heatstroke. I'm also very tired of living in the bed.

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This makes me quite emotional actually..

The moment I realized it was time to do something about my weight for good was this Christmas. It is a tradition to go shopping the day after Christmas with my mom and sister. It hit me hard when I realized I am no long "store" sizes. I had to watch my mom and sister try on clothes all day while I sat in the chair in the dressing room lobby. I even picked the largest sized shirts to try on a few times and was let down every time. I couldn't even stand to look at myself in the mirror. I cannot wait until I can get control...

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    • LeighaTR

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    • Doughgurl

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      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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