Curious what the final straw was for you all? What finally pushed you over the edge and got you looking at bariatric surgery as an option? For me, it was chest pain. I was 36 years old, a single mom of a 5 year old, with a deceased ex-husband. I started having chest pain and had the frantic realization that if something happened to me, my son would be parentless (my parents would take him in a heartbeat...but still...). Soon after that I started my journey to a lap-band and eventually RNY. So, I'd love to hear your stories, how did you get here? (PS, my heart was fine, I think it was just God slapping my upside the head trying to get my attention)

Edited November 30, 201312 yr by SoccerMomma73

All the dieting to look better had failed.... then the health started going down... and the weight going up above my "NEVER will get over this" mark.... I started seeing WLS as a health measure, not a beauty measure... this got me going in the right direction.

Oh, I so identify you [Feedyoureye] about setting mental weight levels for "Never going over this weight".

How many times have I said "I'm never going over 200 pounds / 90kg" and then gone over it, and then some. The list it and said "Never again". But somehow the next conversation I having with myself is "I'm never going over 220 pounds / 100kg".

For me this one if the key moments behind my decision to have surgery (first time band, nice waiting for a date for a sleeve).

The thing that scares me most is wondering where it will ever stop? Probably when I have type 2 diabetes and I'm almost dead.

So, enough is enough. I hate the feeling if failure if yet again hitting a higher weight. I truly hope sleeve surgery can give be the tool to get back to a healthy weight again.

I don't allow pictures. My friend took one of me secretly to show on her phone when I called. Funny thing is, it's still on there and she makes me call her just so she can show people the difference between then and now. I love it, serves as a reminder of how far I've come.

I love this question, and the replies!

My aha moment is realizing I just couldn't do it on my own! I've tried most diets, and as an act of desperation even supplements that are risky. I couldn't exercise, although I tried countless times! I even did Pilates, and torn a tendon. Later I developed a bone spur on 2 locations on my foot, even had surgery on it twice.

The shortness of breaths, has always scared me with series of what ifs? I feared having a heart attack in my 30s.

I did not seriously consider wls until seeing commercials for it last summer. Initially it was a fleeting thought, then a what if I did do this? After discussing with my husband I made the appointment. Fast forward 6 months I am a week shy of surgery. I'm nervous, but it's something I've prayed about and feel is a good option for my health, and the well-being of my family.

I was originally approved for RNY. I chickened out at the last minute, and convinced myself I could get healthy on my own. I gave it a good, good fight and kept about 50 pounds off for a year. Then the clothes started getting tighter again. I was miserable, my self esteem was in the gutter, and my self-talk of disgust was something no one should do to themselves. I literally thought about food my whole waking day (what I ate, what I didn't eat, what I was going to eat, what I couldn't eat). It was vicious, when I think about it now.

I walked into my appt with the band doctor, not at my highest weight ever, but at my lowest emotional state ever. I explained that I was just so tired of dieting, and even though I was not at my highest weight ever (which was no where near where I felt my 'potential' weight could have been if I really let go), I was exhausted trying to hold back from gaining.

He said he could probably help. And he did.

Thank God.