Hey everyone, I weigh at,my highest 250 pounds, I have lost the weight on my own but gained it back & it's frusrating, my friend who has had gastric doesn't think I need this surgery, she feels if I've lost it before I can do it again. I kno I have 6 months,to think about this but despite being nervous about this I really felt this,would be a good idea for me, now I feel confused. Does anyone have advice for me.

I was 5'3" and 220lbs when I had mine done and it was the best decision I have made for myself. I was self pay so I didn't have to "weigh" a certain amount to get approved, but I was still obese with a BMI of almost 40. I had tried a number of times to lose the weight the right way with watching what I ate and exercising. I always had to work extremely hard for every pound lost, and I always gained it back, which made me feel like a failure. It is not the losing that is the hard part, it is the keeping it off. We have all lost the weight. If we could keep it off, none of us would be here! I was 31 when I had the surgery and I am so excited that I get to go the rest of my life not being fat. It makes me sad that I lived most of my life overweight (I have been overweight since Kindergarten), but my struggles are what made me the person I am today.

You are still young, so you do have time to think. You have to look deep and decide if you can really, honestly lose the weight on your own AND keep it off for a lifetime. If you answer yes, then start making the changes now and get on the right track. If you don't think you can, consider the surgery. It is not just about being thinner, it is about your health. I had no weight related illness when I had my surgery...in fact...I was in really good health (no diabetes, no high blood pressure, no high cholestrol, nothing). BUT, many of these diseases run in my family and I knew with my weight, I was a ticking time bomb.

Speaking for myself, I wanted a permanent solution. I didn't want something that could be reversed, for what, so I could gain all my weight back again. Good luck with whatever decision you choose, just make sure it is the right one for you, not for everyone else. Everyone will have an opinion, but it is your body, not theirs.

I was 5'3" and 220lbs when I had mine done and it was the best decision I have made for myself. I was self pay so I didn't have to "weigh" a certain amount to get approved, but I was still obese with a BMI of almost 40. I had tried a number of times to lose the weight the right way with watching what I ate and exercising. I always had to work extremely hard for every pound lost, and I always gained it back, which made me feel like a failure. It is not the losing that is the hard part, it is the keeping it off. We have all lost the weight. If we could keep it off, none of us would be here! I was 31 when I had the surgery and I am so excited that I get to go the rest of my life not being fat. It makes me sad that I lived most of my life overweight (I have been overweight since Kindergarten), but my struggles are what made me the person I am today.

You are still young, so you do have time to think. You have to look deep and decide if you can really, honestly lose the weight on your own AND keep it off for a lifetime. If you answer yes, then start making the changes now and get on the right track. If you don't think you can, consider the surgery. It is not just about being thinner, it is about your health. I had no weight related illness when I had my surgery...in fact...I was in really good health (no diabetes, no high blood pressure, no high cholestrol, nothing). BUT, many of these diseases run in my family and I knew with my weight, I was a ticking time bomb.

Speaking for myself, I wanted a permanent solution. I didn't want something that could be reversed, for what, so I could gain all my weight back again. Good luck with whatever decision you choose, just make sure it is the right one for you, not for everyone else. Everyone will have an opinion, but it is your body, not theirs.

your story sounds amaze, congrats on your weight loss. I completely relate it is what i have been going through forever, and i want to be succesful with this no matter which route i decide to take.

Do your research and start the process. If you change your mind, there's nothing to say you can't cancel at the last minute. But why waste time when you could at least be jumping insurance company hoops to get this done if that's what you do want in the end.

I was 242 on my day of surgery and I was 29 years old. My only regret post op is that I didn't know about this surgery when I was 20 years old, because I wish I hadn't spent so many years fighting against my weight, dieting and hating myself, just to gain the weight back over and over again. With interest!

Only you can decide what to do. I can say that I "only" had 107 pounds to my goal, but I never in a million years would have gotten here and maintained without my sleeve. Even with my sleeve it wasn't a fast journey - it took me seventeen months to get to goal. No way on this earth could I have stuck to a diet for that long. The sleeve was my answer.

Maintenance with it is a breeze if you deal with the emotional/head issues of being overweight while you're getting to goal. I weigh daily, and I have a range of weight I comfortably stay within, and very seldom do I need to restrict myself because I've put on more than I'd like. I eat like a normal person - I choose wisely most of the time but have days where I'm sloppy about it, too. It all evens out. And I don't really gain. In fact, I'm currently pregnant - almost 11 weeks - and have only gained five pounds, even though I was on hormone shots until last week. I still wear my sixes and my size smalls, though I admit that this baby belly is going to make me use Bella Bands to keep wearing them before too long. This has never happened to me before - in my previous pregnancies I was up twenty pounds in the first trimester with a single and with twins.

Anyway, only you can decide. I can only tell you what it did for me. There are very few people out there unhappy with their sleeves. And even the people that are unhappy usually wind up happy after they heal or get through their complications. We don't see very many people coming back here after a year talking about how they regret surgery. In fact, I'd be hard pressed to think of a single post like that I've ever seen.

Good luck, whatever you decide. For many of us, this was THE answer to our struggles.

~Cheri

First and foremost let me tell you not to let anyone tell you what to do or not do. This decison should all be based on what you feel most comfortable with.

With that being said, I am 24 years old, about the same weight as you, and have been dieting since I was in grammar school. I have lost weight and gained back much more reach time I diet. Personally I have a horrible time even trying to lose weight. I know this is the only sultion for me.

Never feel like you are too young to get the surgery. If it's what you feel is best for yourself then do it. You have 6 months to choose, so give it some time. Theres no need to jump into something you're not sure about and this surgery isn't moving anywhere.

First and foremost let me tell you not to let anyone tell you what to do or not do. This decison should all be based on what you feel most comfortable with.

With that being said' date=' I am 24 years old, about the same weight as you, and have been dieting since I was in grammar school. I have lost weight and gained back much more reach time I diet. Personally I have a horrible time even trying to lose weight. I know this is the only sultion for me.

Never feel like you are too young to get the surgery. If it's what you feel is best for yourself then do it. You have 6 months to choose, so give it some time. Theres no need to jump into something you're not sure about and this surgery isn't moving anywhere.[/quote']

Right on sister! actually you sounded just like my cousin...lol...love it!

Right on sister! actually you sounded just like my cousin...lol...love it!

I hope thats a good thing!

Very good!

Do your research and start the process. If you change your mind, there's nothing to say you can't cancel at the last minute. But why waste time when you could at least be jumping insurance company hoops to get this done if that's what you do want in the end.

I was 242 on my day of surgery and I was 29 years old. My only regret post op is that I didn't know about this surgery when I was 20 years old, because I wish I hadn't spent so many years fighting against my weight, dieting and hating myself, just to gain the weight back over and over again. With interest!

Only you can decide what to do. I can say that I "only" had 107 pounds to my goal, but I never in a million years would have gotten here and maintained without my sleeve. Even with my sleeve it wasn't a fast journey - it took me seventeen months to get to goal. No way on this earth could I have stuck to a diet for that long. The sleeve was my answer.

Maintenance with it is a breeze if you deal with the emotional/head issues of being overweight while you're getting to goal. I weigh daily, and I have a range of weight I comfortably stay within, and very seldom do I need to restrict myself because I've put on more than I'd like. I eat like a normal person - I choose wisely most of the time but have days where I'm sloppy about it, too. It all evens out. And I don't really gain. In fact, I'm currently pregnant - almost 11 weeks - and have only gained five pounds, even though I was on hormone shots until last week. I still wear my sixes and my size smalls, though I admit that this baby belly is going to make me use Bella Bands to keep wearing them before too long. This has never happened to me before - in my previous pregnancies I was up twenty pounds in the first trimester with a single and with twins.

Anyway, only you can decide. I can only tell you what it did for me. There are very few people out there unhappy with their sleeves. And even the people that are unhappy usually wind up happy after they heal or get through their complications. We don't see very many people coming back here after a year talking about how they regret surgery. In fact, I'd be hard pressed to think of a single post like that I've ever seen.

Good luck, whatever you decide. For many of us, this was THE answer to our struggles.

~Cheri

thanks @clk, one of my worries also was that i want to have children in the future and i dont how the surgery would effect that, also the thought of having staples in your stomach, could they pop out etc. just random questions that i will have to speak to my dr. about. but thankyou for your story

First and foremost let me tell you not to let anyone tell you what to do or not do. This decison should all be based on what you feel most comfortable with.

With that being said, I am 24 years old, about the same weight as you, and have been dieting since I was in grammar school. I have lost weight and gained back much more reach time I diet. Personally I have a horrible time even trying to lose weight. I know this is the only sultion for me.

Never feel like you are too young to get the surgery. If it's what you feel is best for yourself then do it. You have 6 months to choose, so give it some time. Theres no need to jump into something you're not sure about and this surgery isn't moving anywhere.

Thanks ashley