I have been prone to obesity most of my adult life. I have dieted so many times I cannot even remember. Alot of times I was very successful and lost tremendous amounts of weight in very short periods. But as you all know the routine......I would get overconfident once I reached my goal weight and I would quickly gain it all back and some. Five years ago, I was in fact very far along with yet another diet and feeling pretty good and healthly and out of the blue......wham........I had a MI. (myocardial infarction) My heart stopped from a blocked artery. I got zapped five times in the ER........as in dead!!. Well......I'm writing this...... so

......they were able to get me back. I had a stent placed in the blocked artery and have been on a zillion pills ever since. OH, and here's the kicker. The Doc of course said I had to continue to lose more weight. So......with one death under my belt and the next one looming.......what do I do.......gain weight of course. Lots of weight. Do I care? Of course I do. What can I do about it......All pill diets are now off the table and the new cardiac meds seem to make me gain even more. No matter what I attempt......I'm less successfull than ever before. Every appointment with the cardi-doc is a lecture to lose weight. You'd think dying would be enough modivation. It most definitely is, but I am lost and fail early on with any diet attempts. My quality of life sucks. I am bigger than anytime in my life and now I feel like every minute that bomb is ticking and I won't be able to stop it.

If I'm going to die from being obese, then I might as well go "all in" . Fear and risks of surgery are no longer an issue to me. I have made up my mind that no matter what the risk of surgery, the pain or any undesirable lifestyle changes.........I'm dead if I don't do it. So, no more thinking I can do it myself at some future point...........there is no future if I don't do it NOW.

I've been to the seminars, the docs, office and read everything I can get my hands on. I've decided on the sleeve and started the approval process. I found this forum and I hope to be calling on you' all very soon and posting my progress. Right now, I just dream of what my life can be as I read all of your success stories. Regardless of the people that say I should just lose the weight now on my own and the surgery is too risky. Fact is......I haven't. I don't know why. So if this is what it takes......if once done I will have no choice but to change.....then so be it.

Thanks for letting me vent.......Somehow all of you are the only ones I think might understand......even if I don't.

If I'm going to die from being obese, then I might as well go "all in" .

I was at that same point in my life when I decided on surgery back in December. I even wanted a DNR on file in case something went wrong on the table. If it wasn't going to work, I didn't want to wake up.

Good luck. This surgery is a life changer - for the better. It gave me the control over food I've never had.

Thanks for sharing all of that! I never had anything life threatening but knew I didn't want to live anymore because I was so disgusted with the way I looked and was embarrassed to go anywhere.

I got all the same responses.......why don't you just lose it on your own, you've done it before.... If only it were that easy- I WOULD have kept it off. I took it off and put it on 5 times.

I am happy to hear that you are getting the sleeve. I think you are going to be overjoyed with the results. I am 7 months out and I have to admit it's not without effort (to keep losing) BUT there is NO WAY I can consume the food I used to. IMPOSSIBLE! And now I can go out without hiding behind my husband.

I am happy you are alive and looking forward to hearing about your progress. All the best to you!

There are plenty of physiological reasons why losing it "on your own" doesn't work very well. The fact that you did it so many times makes it harder....your metabolism was probably shot. Either way, the so called "risks" of WLS are negligible compared to the risks of staying obese, even for the average obese person. Someone in your shoes...even more so. You are definitely doing the right thing. Of all WLS's I believe the sleeve has the best ratio of high success/low complications. So really, you're odds are very high of success. I'm always a PM away for questions or moral support. Good luck and I love your shirt...I have the matching shorts. That's how I got my name.

RECYCLED - damn glad you are here. And anyway I can help, let me know. This surgery has been nothing short of a miracle. Two weeks post-op, I was off all blood pressure medications. I'm not starving all day every day. A small amount of healthy food makes me feel full. I'm finding what I put into the diet/exercise of this surgery is exactly what I am getting as far as results. You are in the right place for lots of information and support. Kudos to you for taking charge.

God Bless You!! You are so doing the right thing. I've been a nurse for over 20 years and I saw what obesity does to people, including myself. The risks involved in WLS is so slim it's a no brainer to go with it! I wish you much luck, love, happiness and a brand new life. We are all here for you our dear sleeve sister!!! Keep us informed!

. We are all here for you our dear sleeve sister!!!

Sleeve sister..........cmon......I'm not that big of a sissy. I thought the bike would be a clue. For the record, the name is Bill, and thanks for the support. BTW, my wife lives in Cape Coral.

Omg!!! Ok I mean brother!!! I didn't see the picture because its so small on my phone!!! Now I'm embarrassed!! Hahaha! Sorry!!! And wow! Small world! Cape Coral is a pretty nice place especially if you grew up in Ohio!! Brrrrrr!!! Are you a Floridian too????

Btw!! hi Bill! I'm Marcy! If you are local I'll be glad to mentor you through this journey. I'm 5 weeks post op and down 38 lbs. THRILLED!!!!! It was pretty easy for me.....I'm lucky!!

Omg!!! Ok I mean brother!!! I didn't see the picture because its so small on my phone!!! Now I'm embarrassed!! Hahaha! Sorry!!! And wow! Small world! Cape Coral is a pretty nice place especially if you grew up in Ohio!! Brrrrrr!!! Are you a Floridian too????

Yep, I live in Miami and my wife lives in Cape Coral. Works out great. LOL. I visit CC quite often, and would very much like to follow up with your progress when I'm in town. It may take a few months yet for my surgery approval. So I guess I would be supporting you.. At least cheering you on.

Wow! I had my surgery at Cleveland Clinic Weston! Dr Samuel Szomstein was AWESOME!!! If you haven't picked a doc yet I highly recommend him. I was back to work after 1 week and no complications at all.

Wow cross state marriage....guess you can't get on each others nerves that way. Do you ever come to the Cape?

Cool I need a sleeve brother.....I only have sisters!! As you well know by now! ????