What was the final thing that you encountered that made you say this is enough? I have had numerous.

1. Leaving a wife and 2 sons, Husbandless and fatherless.

2. Not being able to get on amusement park rides with my sons.

3. Not being able to take my wife to a concert, because i could not fit in a seat.

4. Avoiding restuarant,movie theaters and sports complexes with tiny seats.

For me, walking through a a department store and some little child looking at me like im a alien had to be one the hardest things.

Respectfully,

Joe

@xring3 my signature line sums it up. my lovely bride and I decided to spend some of the kids inhertance on ourselves. she is 8 pounds from her goal and I am 44 pounds. she is 3 1/2 months out and I am just over 2 out. funny how little food fill you up. when we go out to eat we tell the waitress to bring a to go box when we order. able to make 3 or 4 more meals with the leftovers.

Traveling to Paris- dream of a lifetime for me! My husband and I were with friends- another couple. Our friends wanted to go to the top of the Arc de Triomphe...... 284 stairs. I am the youngest of the 4 and the only one over-weight. I thought that I was going to pass out. My husband stopped many, many times with me on our way up. I was so embarrassed and mad at myself! We got home from the trip and I went to the first seminar that week!

I don't think I had just one straw but rather several that finally did it for me. I realized that while I had dropped 50 lbs over the course of a year, with a great diet and massive amounts of exercise. Life's schedule got in the way again.. battling depression etc.. weight came back on over time. I've probably gained back 30-35 of the lbs so far.

There are three people I care for more than anything in the world.

We all have our reasons.

Mine more than justify my decision to get this done.

Good luck all

Very much like gooddaybetty, my arthritis (stage 4 knee chondromalacia) and infertility I believe is wrapped up in my weight. We've tried for 2 years to have kids and I've always wanted a big family, 4 kids, and having watched all of my friends pop out kids with nothing we're up for IVF. THEN my nurse friend said i may not respond to the drugs because your hormones are tied up in fat (they are fat soluable), I looked into how to lose weight via lap band, found so many bad reviews about it but also found GREAT reviews about the sleeve and had my surgery 2 weeks later with Dr Quinones (he teaches the procedure to other docs & was a chief of surgery for 3 years, unlike most other docs).

I hated my photos - always couldn't believe that was me, GROSS!. Now I feel like my knees will last longer without all the weight and I have a good shot at IVF in April. I'm hoping for twins. Wish me luck everyone xx

I would like to personally, say thank you to everyone for having the courage to tell their pesonal experiences. When I told my story it felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders.

Respectfully,

Joe

Being almost 300 pounds. I kept telling myself if I didn't lose weight, I'm going to get bariatric surgery. For years, I told myself this. I couldn't let myself get to 300 pounds. So my top weight was 297.

Hi,

I think watching my dad struggle with his diabetes the later part of his life really clinched the deal for me. I didnt want to have to take insulin shots. The next thing would be that I would like to take pictures with my loved ones without being self conscious. I never want to take pictures with my boyfriend, my son, or anyone because of my weight. It's a bummer for them. A movie theater seat is getting close to being to small to sit in. Mostly I am doing this for my health and my future.

Hi,

I think watching my dad struggle with his diabetes the later part of his life really clinched the deal for me. I didnt want to have to take insulin shots. The next thing would be that I would like to take pictures with my loved ones without being self conscious. I never want to take pictures with my boyfriend, my son, or anyone because of my weight. It's a bummer for them. A movie theater seat is getting close to being to small to sit in. Mostly I am doing this for my health and my future.

I have developed a new health problem every year since turning 50 and decided that I needed to reverse this trend or I was headed for disaster. I am almost 5 months out, 50 lbs lighter, have normal blood sugars now, just eliminated one of my two blood pressure medications, and weaned my asthma medication. I feel very optimistic and happy about having a healthy future.

My biggest one was... being able to be there for my daugher. I am a single mother so she relies on me. Also, I have PCOS and eventually I want more children.

I have many reasons:

1. I have gained about 80 lbs in the past 5 years.

2. Every diet I have tried, I have barely lost anything and gained it all back plus some.

3. I cannot fit into any clothes I have.

4. Was always the skinny one. My sister has always been the big one. I am now the big sister as my sister has already had her sleeve and looks amazing!

5. My own health problems, heart, high cholesterol.

6. Something majorly wrong with my legs/calves from gaining this much weight, constantly in pain and now have plantar fasciatis.

7. Spending loads of money getting massages and other treatments to take away the pain from legs/feet and generally all over my body. (from the extra weight)

8. Being asked numerous times by different people if I was expecting.... totally the worst and most embarrassing thing.

9. To hopefully get me off all the different meds I have had to be taking over the past few years.

10. I want to look absolutely amazing for my wedding in April 2014. Tried to look for wedding dresses, but don't want to be the "fat" bride in something that hides me so people cannot see the fat.

11. Last but definitely not least, I want to be there for my kids as they grow up and to be able to "keep up with them" and not be winded or have no energy for anything!

I cannot wait to be sleeved in May 2013!

I’m sure I have a lot of the same reasons others do:

1. I have to think hard about whether a chair will hold me before I sit down.
   
2. I no longer fit into the clothes I like, and clothes for my size are not very attractive.
   
3. I had to buy a larger car than I wanted to because I didn’t fit into the one I liked.
   
4. The only place that makes riding clothes big enough for me has shut down.
   
5. I won’t fly because the seats are too painfully small.
   
6. I have sort of become a hermit because I don’t like to go out anymore.
   
7. I hate having my picture taken.
   
8. But I guess the last straw was having to put the best horse I have ever owned up for sale because I was just too big for him.
   

I thought about lap band about 7 years ago, but didn’t feel it was right for me, and didn’t want to consider bypass because the thought of a complete intestinal reroute was just a little too much, so when I heard about the sleeve, it sounded just right!

The horse hasn’t sold yet, so now I have a goal – lose enough weight to keep him and go back to riding him and hopefully progress to the top level of my sport.

It’s been a fast journey (well, after the 7-year delay when I didn’t get lap band). I made the decision in February, saw the doctor two weeks ago, got approved in a week, and will have a surgery date next week hopefully for sometime in April.

I relate so so many posts on here so here's a few of mine:

• Buying a new car and struggling to buckle the seat belt as my thighs are so big
  
• Plane seat arm rests digging in to me and making any flight ridiculously uncomfortable
  
• Buying clothes online now as I don't fit in 'normal' shop clothes
  
• Avoiding social situations as I'm paranoid people are talking about me and I'm now starting to realise that my butt doesn't fit in all chairs!
  
• Working up the courage to wear togs (bathing suit) to the pool last weekend only to hear a boy say to his dad "Dad, look at the fat lady"
  
• Talking my way out of a work trip to China simply because I'm worried about the seats in the plane and meeting the clients in China as an almost 6 foot tall obese blond girl (don't think I could stand out any more if I tried, haha). I'm missing out on an amazing trip simply due to my weight
  
• Realising that I spend way too much time and effort worrying about my weight and struggling about it and life's too short to be miserable
  

This is my first post here, however, I've been reading this forum for a few months. I'm so thankful to everyone here and now know I'm not alone and I realise that there is help out there for me

The final straw for me was:

1. I am 39 and single. I want children. But I need to be healthy to run behind kids. My current weight is 409lbs.

2. I love dressing up to look sexy when I go places. I wear a size 38. Those numbers alone is not sexy.

3. I love traveling. Fitting into seats is a major problem and embarrassment.

4. Walking long or short distances present a problem. I become short-winded. No decent man finds this irresistible.

5. I am tired having nothing going on in my life. Every holiday I see people visiting and going out. I don't want to go places alone. (dont mention climbing steps.) My many friends became few because of my settled lifestyle and Being overweight you usually stick out like soar thumb.

6. Its time for a change to come in my life. So my surgery is the third week in May. I have been changing my eating habits to make the transition easier for when I start my pre-op.

I decided if I hadn't gotten it off by 40 I was doing it. I spent the first half of my life overweight, I'm not spending the second half the same way. I turned 40 Feb 8 and had my appointment that same week. Getting the surgery April 17. Ready to start a new season of my life!