At what point did you finally get fed up enough to make a change in your life and do WLS? My breaking point was when I had an opportunity to go rappelling down a tower used to train the Army how to fast rope out of helicopters. I am scared to death of heights. But with the encouragement of some great instructors at the Air Assault school I rappelled down the rope that was several stories off the ground. Talk about having a 'I feel like a bad ass' moment. I didn't realize that anyone was taking pictures of this event. So months later I showed up to a work function that I was being recognized at. My parents even came for the luncheon. When I walked in there were a bunch of pictures blown up, poster size, of different individuals who were being recognized doing various activities at work. Well one of them was a picture of my fat ass coming down the rope at the rappelling tower. Talk about embarrassed. Th lady who put the event together came running up to me excited about the picture because she 'wanted to capture the moment that I was really empowered.' (She doesn't have a mean bone in her body so I know her intentions were good). I just wanted to crawl in a hole and die. I couldn't even keep my parents away from the picture cause you had to walk by it to get to the event. It was in the moment that I decided I never wanted to have my moments of success overshadowed by my weight.

So what was your moment?

I was not hurt badly. Really just one leg went down. It was pretty bruised. I was very embarrassed. You would have thought a bunch of 4 and 5 year old would have laughed their heads off but they were so concerned and not one laughed. But I vowed that I would never put myself in a predicament to embarrass my daughter again because of my weight.

I was not hurt badly. Really just one leg went down. It was pretty bruised. I was very embarrassed. You would have thought a bunch of 4 and 5 year old would have laughed their heads off but they were so concerned and not one laughed. But I vowed that I would never put myself in a predicament to embarrass my daughter again because of my weight.

When I graduated from nursing school we had a pinning ceremony. After we all marched in, a classmate (about the same size of me) sat down and the chair legs bent in four different directions! I felt so embarrassed for her ! The worst part is that some people laughed. I think that's sorta cruel to laugh at someone's humiliation :-(

My breaking point was Aug 3, 2013. It was my birthday and my husband who HATES roller coasters had surprised me with a day date to a theme park where after 7 years of marriage and begging he was finally going to ride some with me. We waited in line for what seemed like forever only to get on the ride and I couldn't fit! I was holing up the ride, people gathered trying to see if I could pull a little harder if it would close. I finally gave up with everyone staring and whispering as I took my walk of shame off the ride. Worst, most gut wrenching and embarrassing day of my life and my husband felt awful. The following Monday I called Dr. Colquit's office and got the ball rolling. I CANNOT wait to take on that same roller coaster again this year for my birthday. I'm having the sleeve in just 15 short days!

I went thru a divorce and lost 75 pounds. Still heavy at 180 but felt awesome. Told myself I would never put that weight back on. Fast forward, remarried, happy, and the weight slowly crept back on. My breaking point was not when I could no longer wear my beautiful wedding and engagement rings, but when after over a year of not wearing them, my wonderful husband wanted to get them resized for me for Christmas. That was it. I was 230 pounds. I am now 220 and on preop liquids for surgery on 3/28 and doing something so I can lose it and never put it back on again. My first NSV is to put my rings back on!!!!!

Edited March 23, 201412 yr by GettingBackToNormal

I went thru a divorce and lost 75 pounds. Still heavy at 180 but felt awesome. Told myself I would never put that weight back on. Fast forward, remarried, happy, and the weight slowly crept back on. My breaking point was not when I could no longer wear my beautiful wedding and engagement rings, but when after over a year of not wearing them, my wonderful husband wanted to get them resized for me for Christmas. That was it. I was 230 pounds. I am now 220 and on preop liquids for surgery on 3/28 and doing something so I can lose it and never put it back on again. My first NSV is to put my rings back on!!!!!

So excited for you to reach your first nsv! I'm sure it will be here before you know it!

Breaking point... Hmmm, I'd say that it would have to be that moment when I thought to myself that I would rather DIE today then keep living the way I was.

I have been thinking about it for years and seeing myself in pictures was too much so I was NEVER in any photos with my kids! We were looking through pics one day and my daughter said something about me not being in the pics and I realized, my daughters were gonna look through these pics one day and think I was absent in their lives because I was always the one behind the camera out of shame!! I am being sleeved in a week and a half and am looking forward to lots of pics this summer with my girls!!

I have been overweight my whole life as well. I had jaw surgery 14 years ago and lost 60 pounds because my jaw was wired shut. So of course I gained that back. Lol.

I guess most recently it has been a couple of things. I have an autoimmune disorder which I know would get better with weight loss. I also have worked with a LOT of celebrities and I like my work and don't wanna be the awkward fat girl at the party. And finally, my daughter. My 18 year old daughter is a model. A real life, gets paid to take pictures, has an agent, stops traffic Model. And I don't wanna be following her at an event bringing up the rear her fat, dumpy mom. I did that through childhood as my gorgeous moms fat, dumpy daughter. People tell me all the time that my daughter looks just like me, how could she? How could she? I don't see my beauty like I used to. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I will hopefully be sleeved first week of May 2014.

I am still not sure I have a breaking point?

All I know is I want to live longer than my own mom did. She passed at age 43. I am 43

Last 6 months I've been really sick with various diagnoses and this is the journey.

Some days I feel it's not real yet. I don't have a surf date yet but all steps taken and paper work as at the insurance.

So many factors, but breaking point was being wingman for skinny friend ... She's beautiful inside and out, and I love her dearly but I feel like an elephant next to her yet I am invisible to people especially men. We are both recently single and people say oh I have the perfect man for her... No one suggests any of those men for me and I know the main reason is because I'm fat! And it's all my fault!

That, and having to ask for a seat belt extender on an airplane for the first time. Talk about shame!

I have a couple all happened in a 2 week span: i had a friend that asked me where my wedding rings were, if my marriage was ok... I kept telling her everything was fine... She kept pushing and I finally had to tell her that I was too fat to wear them... She stopped prying

Going to my grandmothers funeral and the first words my Aunt said after not seeing me for 20 yrs (after 3 babies) wow never thought you would have gotten so large you were always so petite and athletic ... It was brutal, I almost didn't go in the first place because I knew I was the only person in my family that has gained so much weight. And I was ashamed

My mother having 7 strokes( at one time) all related to her unhealthy lifestyle.

25 more days and It's my day!!!

My point was when my knees and back started hurting constantly and I was up to arthritis medication to manage it... at 32. I took a hard look at myself and decided that I wanted to be able to walk without assistance when I was 42. And the only way to do that was to get the weight off NOW.

I come from a fat family, on my moms side, and my dads side was always slimmer including my younger sisters, so when we would go to things with my dads family I always felt awkward and ugly even though I am beautiful (in the face, lol). I've always been bigger and I finally hit 300 and I looked terrible. I managed to lose 30 lbs and then gained back 10 and I hate the way I look. I watched my mom lose almost 100 lbs the natural way and she looks amazing! I have been looking at this surgery for years and finally decided that since 2014 has been such a tough year for me in my marriage that I was going to do something completely for me to feel better about my life and my health. I'm tired of being the fat daughter, and the fat sister and I have such a bad history of health in my family, I want to live for a really long time and live well.

Edited May 14, 201412 yr by MistyAnnMoon829

I have always contemplated it, especially a year or so after I had my son in Feb.2006.

But what really did it was two things...

#1. I was in a pretty bad car accident 2/21/14 and it messed up my neck and lower back. I have bulges from my L3 to my S1. Also a few in my neck. All my Doctors have said, I need to slim down.

#2. My son, Brent, has Aspergers and is of course a very honest child. He has brought up my weight and asked me why I'm so big/fat. I always keep in mind that he is autistic and i don't take much offense. But on my Daughters 4th birthday (4/28/14) my evil B!%<# of a mother in law, had the gusto to say to my son , " it's lucky you take after and look like your dad, you don't want to be fat and UNPRETTY , like your mother!" My husband was soooo angry... It was all I could do not to slap the begeezus outta her. By the way my son looks and does take after his mama! Just, skinnier of course! But, that was the final straw. I said to myself "regardless of anybody's opinion, I'm beautiful either way, but it's time to show that "Witch" who's boss!"

I'm doing this for me and my kids! Mostly me!!! The scheduling wait is killing me

At the beginning of the school year, they always take pictures of each grade level team and hang the pictures in the front of the building so that when parents and students arrive on the first day, they know what we all look like. I remember I turned to the side and sucked everything in thinking I had successfully tricked the camera into me looking slim.

WELL...when the pictures were posted a couple days later, I was mortified. I looked (for lack of better words) like a sausage stuffed in a casing 3 sizes too small. My eyes were sunken into my fat and even though I'm wearing a relatively loose shirt, you can see EACH AND EVERY roll clearly through the fabric. My upper arms are thick and meatly and my entire forearm is so fat that my bracelet's don't fall down to the bottom of my wrist, but sit comfortable held up by fat three inches from the start of my hand.

For the first time I saw myself as the rest of the world did...FAT. And it hurt. Everyday from Sept - October, I had to look at that picture of myself each time I came into the building. On Oct. 31, I couldn't take it anymore and made an appointment to attend a WLS open house. And the rest, is history. :-)