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

[IncredibleShrinkingMe 24]

In the country I live in now, if you call emergency services for help, if you have a special medical or safety concern, a message flashes up on the screen. The message alerts the call handler and dispatch that the person at this address may have a special concern that may mean other agencies need to be involved in the call or be notified. I took a call one day to find the man at the address was flagged up as weighing 23 stone or more. (322 lbs) Anyone with that weight might need additional crew to attend the scene to help carry them, and may need larger or reinforced equipment to get them to hospital in an emergency. This might cause a delay, which is why emergency services are warned in advance. At the time, I weighed 22 stone. I was 14 lbs away from possibly facing a life-threatening delay if something ever happened to me. That realisation scared the hell out of me.

The final, final straw though is the realisation that I was avoiding meeting people I had not seen in a long time (or to meet them face to face after making friends online) because I was self-conscious about my size. I am normally a confident person, but realising that I was shutting myself away from the world because of a sense of shame about who I am...

Booked a surgery for mid-July. Absolutely over the moon!

[Beth's WLS Journey 29]

The last few times when I flew, I needed a seat belt extender. I hate that. The last time, I hit the flight assistant button as people were boarding and she brought me an extender without even asking what I needed. I looked at my husband and he looked at me and I was so ashamed and felt horrible. Enough is enough. I made an appointment that week to start looking into WLS and now I'm starting all the pre-op apps and tests.

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[theantichick 2,204]

In addition to all the things that had been building up for years, I had three things that happened in rapid succession that made me decide that this is the choice I needed to make.

1. Diagnosed with auto-immune arthritis.

2. Had to leave my dream career (ER nurse) only a couple of years in because of a combination of overweight, out of shape, and the arthritis.

3. Topped 300 lbs (that had always been my "I'll never let myself get that fat" weight)

Since the auto-immune affects so many things, I asked my rheumatologist what she thought, and she said I should do it without hesitation. That was the confirmation for me. Then my rheumy referred me to someone within her clinic group and I really liked her, so I'm now doing the insurance hoop dance. Targeted surgery date early August.

[Diana_in_Philly 1,426]

Photo taken of me with oldest daughter headed to junior prom in April. I'm always the one taking photos. I was mortified when I saw it. And I've felt like crap the last few years.

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[duckydoom 128]

Finding out that I had a fatty liver, and I'm facing cirrhosis even though I'm a teetotaler. I've not been able to keep up with my husband and our dogs, and I'm constantly fatigued and sore from carrying around the extra weight. My endocrinologist and my hepatologist both are heavily pushing surgery, and I can't keep weight off on my own at this point. I want to be able to be healthy and stick around long enough to have a long and happy life with my husband. Considering the surgery hasn't been a light decision for me, but pursuing it can save my life.

[StephBradlee 21]

Everything hurts all the time. My joints, my back, and my feet ache on the daily. Between sleep apnea and GERD I am afraid the next malady will be a heart attack or something else related to my poor physical condition. I'm afraid to die and leave my family alone to grieve over a stupid death that might have been avoided with better health. I only get this one life. I don't want to miss any of it.

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[karine76 82]

I'm sick of paying for fat girl clothes. which is 3 times the price of regular clothes in many stores around here regulare dull t-shirt can be 50$ in these stores. and I just want to be able to look in the mirror and stop saying that I look like pig and no one will ever want me. I want to love myself again.

[magoosmom 115]

Going on insulin before I even turned 40. Being on 3 different blood pressure medicines and not being able to miss a single dose without feeling the effects. Realizing that I felt hopeless and so discouraged that I didn't want to even try another diet because I had failed so many times in the past.

[wyominggirl 30]

Losing my brother in law and sister in law to cancer in a short span of time. I need to be there for my nieces and nephews and can't in my current health situation.

[UsernameTaken 283]

Paying so much extra $ for clothes at LB and it still doesn't look neat...

My last business trip I had to ask for seat belt extension on the plane in front of my boss which was very embarrassing...

Having hard time putting shoes and being out of breath after little effort.

[Kyn13 215]

So I'm almost 29 and this is the list of things that made me want to do this. Now I know some of this is gonna be tmi or whatever but if it helps just one person to not feel alone or helps push them to finally go through it it's well worth it.

So I can't do anything I love

Horse back riding

Running

Volleyball

Softball

Bike riding

Roller skating

Sitting at a booth in a restaurant

Wearing cute clothes that don't look like an old couch fabric or that I didn't have to order

Not being able to be the mommy I should be to my son

Volunteer fire fighting

Now here are the things that aren't so pleasant to admit to or hear

I can barely put on my own socks

9 times out of 10 I can't tie my own shoes

I cry all the way home from work every night I pull a shift at the hospital cause my feet are in agony

No Dr will help us have a second baby

I have to wear sanitary pads because my bladder leaks without notice if I suddenly have to pee

No matter how often I shower and wash I still feel like I have a smell

I can't shave my legs as well anymore

I also can't shave my lady parts alone anymore (thank god for a loving spouse! !)

I hate that my boobs sag

I used to be healthy I was a size 12 leaving hs and then it all went to hell I'm really just fed up with it all. Especially going into my closet and trying on everything I own but I'm too fat and they are all too tight

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[Panda Chai 14]

Hi everyone: Reading all of these stories is so inspiring.

Im 55 years old and have worked in the same industry for 33 years. I worked tirelessly for a promotion that I truly deserved and when the time came, I was passed over for someone tall thin and young. Sound common....but I heard a rumor that "I didn't look the part" to head up a corporate America position"....I think it was the last straw. As the years have gone by I have let me self go. I am not as active as I used to be, I struggle with stairs, and sit on the couch way too much. I needed to make a change and my surgery is 6/28....this is for me!!! and I can't wait.. Good luck to all of you.....

[NeedaBreak4Me 1,755]

My final moment when i decided to do something was after i gained weight after being at goal for 6 years and having my band removed, hence gained weight.

I was standing in front of a full length mirror... i looked at myself and my body and actually thought i was ugly... i realised at that moment that i no longer loved myself.... i was critical of every feature.

I would look at my face and think i was no longer pretty

I would look at my stomach and sigh in disgust

I would decline catching up with friends because i did not want them to see what i had become

I stopped going out and doing things i enjoyed out of fear of judgement

I stopped doing my hair, nails and make up because i thought it was no use

I didn't participate in life anymore because i felt i had no life in me left

I hated that i had come so far only to go back to where i started

I felt no one would love me

I thought i would die alone as no one could love me.

Omg i am actually in tears...

But thank god i woke up... i did this because i love me... i am beautiful inside and out, i am a good person, i am intelligent, kind, honest, thoughtful, and have so many good qualities.

Yes, i am unhappy about the outside, but the inside is good .. i just needed to do this because i did not love me anymore.... and no clothing tag size or number on the scale could fix that.

Im sorry, i am just really emotional right now.... this is the first time i have ever said these things out loud...

[Christinamo7 4,041]

I'm sick of paying for fat girl clothes. which is 3 times the price of regular clothes in many stores around here regulare dull t-shirt can be 50$ in these stores. and I just want to be able to look in the mirror and stop saying that I look like pig and no one will ever want me. I want to love myself again.

1. I know you do not look like a pig.

2. there are those who would want you even if you did (you don't)

3. you are worth it. you are worth loving. I promise. if you can't say it to yourself yet, look in the mirror and say my friend Christina says I am worth loving and she is never wrong.

that being said there is not one aspect of my life that is not improved with WLS, and I wish you the same success.

[Applebootom9 164]

@AussieGirl81:Amen to that! you are just who you say and believe you are now its time to match the outside with that beautiful inside once again. I know exactly how you feel. It does get better as Christinamo stated WLS does make life better.

Wishing you the best through this new journey.