Why I am doing this... Why are you doing this?

[SnohoGal98296 371]

SnohoGal I sent you a pm but I don't know if it went through. If you don't get it, let me know

Nothing in messages. But I haven't checked my email yet, maybe it went there, I don't remember how I set that up...

[SlowlybutSurely 73]

I turned 49 back on October. I decided to have the weight loss surgery (Jan 2014) because I had been overweight since high school and I figured if I hadn't lost it in 30 years, I refuse to turn 50 this year at 200+ pounds but I also knew that I wouldn't be losing it without some major intervention. Just a couple of months ago, I finally tipped the scale at 300+ and that was the straw that damn near broke my back (heart). I didn't have any co-morbidities other than really bad knees but I just needed to change because my physical being was beginning to affect my mental and emotional well-being and that was completely unacceptable. My insurance don't cover bariatric services so I had to do the Mexico route and self-pay but I'm hoping it will be one of the best investments I've made in myself other than my education.

[SnohoGal98296 371]

Nothing in messages. But I haven't checked my email yet, maybe it went there, I don't remember how I set that up...

Just sent you a PM, let me know if you receive it ; -D

[lojensen57 2]

I was walking down the diabetic road, have sleep apnea,get tired climbing one flight of stairs, Blood pressure creeping up, difficult taking care of some basic needs, tried almost every diet out there spending thousands of dollars only to lose weight and gain it back plus. I want to keep up with my grandson and to be around when he graduates (he is 4). I want to enjoy my life and live longer! Had the gastric sleeve on 1/13/14 and glad I did.

I did it for myself.

Hi Everyone,

I go by SnohoGal98296 - I have been visiting and posting for a few months now. At first I was lurking to learn about your experiences and your pre and post surgery successes and failures. I also wanted to learn if you had the same experience as I have and if those experiences helped lead you to weight loss surgery.

I did this research to determine if WLS was for me - and through this site, my outside research of specific surgeons and my own family who have made the leap for themselves and are very happy, I have made the decision to get weight loss surgery, specifically the sleeve.

I am just in the process of determining which bariatric surgical center at which I will spend my hard earned money. I am self-pay, well employed and well insured, but with a WLS exclusion. As this is a huge investment for me I have closely examined specific reasons why I want this procedure. Below is my list (I apologize in advance for any TMIs :-D):

I have tried nearly every diet on the planet - I am 45 years old and first realized I was overweight when I was about 10 years old. Here is a list of diets I have tried over the past 35 years:

Lowfat / Nonfat
liquid VLC diet (I snuck my Dad's Optifast in the 6th grade)
Jenny Craig
Weight Watchers
Acupuncture
Hypnosis
Grocery Diet (Lean Cuisine, etc)
Starbucks Diet
Subway Diet
Atkins
South Beach
Medically Supervised Optifast
Medically Supervised High Protein / Low Carb (I was most successful here)

Here are my physical observations since my last diet and regain, I don't make this list to complain but to remind me why I need to be proactive for my health, in no particular order:

I am 5'6", I started my last diet at 275lbs, I lost around 50lbs. and was feeling pretty darn good about being in the 220's. I thought I could lose more and keep the weight off and did for almost a year, unfortunately the diet was too hard to maintain and I ended up gaining back the 50lbs. plus another 20lbs. Actually I am fluctuating between 295 and 298. At my first surgical consult their scale, fully clothed in the afternoon, said 302lbs.

I have finally eclipsed the largest size of my favorite work slacks - Lee "khaki" style slacks. Their largest size is 24W. I wear 24W in other brands but not in Lee anymore.

I have been on two business trips since October and on both occasions I had to ask for seat belt extenders, (funnily enough on the USA based airlines but not on the Japan based airline).

When I bend over to tie my shoes I feel starved for oxygen, I often need to prop my foot up to reach. I am unable to wear my favorite pair of boots anymore, my calves won't fit anymore - and they are men's boots.

I have resorted to fastening my bra before I put it on because my arms don't bend that way anymore.

I have a few creases in different areas of my body that get raw and irritated if I get sweaty. I have had to have prescription yeast infection treatments for these areas. Needless to say I hate to sweat now, in fact it makes me itch.

I barely fit in my son's car and the seat belt is fully extended when I fasten it. It is close in my car - but I have few inches there yet.

Some public restrooms stalls are too small for me, I have to use the handicap stall to have the space to reach, if you know what I mean (sorry TMI).

At a recent meeting at work, the chair I was sitting in broke, snapped underneath me with a loud crack and I barely caught myself before tumbling over backwards, and I yelped! My only relief from complete embarrassment? A normal size guy broke his chair too, a short while after mine did.

When I go to bed at night, I have to sleep with 2 or more pillows because I can't lay on my back without my own neck flesh choking me, I also need the pillows to sleep on my side due to my body is larger than one pillows width from the mattress surface.

I have borderline high blood pressure.

I do not have type II diabetes, although my surgical consult reminded it hasn't been tested in a couple of years.

Climbing the single flight of stairs at my work, walking between buildings, or trying to keep up with my family while we are on walks causes me to be out of breath.

Walking or standing for more than 20 or 30 mins makes my feet and back hurt so badly that I have to sit down. Cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year was excruciating. Doing normal housework is now a workout.

My hips brush the armrests of my office chair, not too small yet, but close. There is a woman at work who had to have facilities order her an XL chair and everyone knows about it.

Regarding my family -

My husband is truly supportive, he backs me 100%. My 17 year old son wonders why I can't diet and exercise more. My daughter really hasn't weighed in - I believe she supports me. I have a cousin who weighed over 440lbs. when she got the lap band, she got down to 300lbs and all weight loss stopped. After her band failed (i.e. broke internally, she didn't regain very much) she got a revision to RNY and has begun loosing again. Her son just got banded this year and has lost over 150lbs. and just got engaged. I feel comfortable within my own family with this decision.

Regarding work -

I have told my Boss and she supports my decision but I will only tell my coworkers on a person by person basis. Some will understand and support others just don't need to know.


So these are some of the reasons why I have decided to get weight loss surgery, what are some of your reasons?

[SnohoGal98296 371]

I hear ya on the "spent thousands of dollars" thought, I was thinking this while driving home last night, I bet I have paid the equivalent cost of weight loss surgery in all of my past dieting!

[KatieOkieDokie 171]

I think I can take your reasons copy, and paste and claim them as my own! It reminds me so much of the many reason's I had it done! I started out at 450, and I'm down 185 lbs. It is amazing, and well worth it! You are making a good decision. Your son may not understand right now, and he may be really scared. But in a year from now he'll understand, and he'll be happy also. When he see's you healthy, not living on pills, and doing things with him you haven't been able to do.

[SnohoGal98296 371]

I think I can take your reasons copy, and paste and claim them as my own! It reminds me so much of the many reason's I had it done! I started out at 450, and I'm down 185 lbs. It is amazing, and well worth it! You are making a good decision. Your son may not understand right now, and he may be really scared. But in a year from now he'll understand, and he'll be happy also. When he see's you healthy, not living on pills, and doing things with him you haven't been able to do.

Thanks Katie,

I do worry about him, but I think you are right :-D

[C_Stuff 1]

Snohogal...I have been lurking on this site for a while now and your post has finally brought me out of hiding. You pretty much just wrote out my whole list. I am going to copy it on the days where I question if this is the right thing for me to do. Hugs

[SnohoGal98296 371]

C_stuff,

Hugs back at ya, this is a big move and meaningful for a lot of us. Thank you for saying that my post helped you, and here I was trying to help myself! LOL

Welcome to the fray, the more you post the more you get out of it. There's a lot to learn from both other newbies and the wise old timers!

Warmest Regards,

SnohoGal98296

[CrazyJaney 775]

This is one of my most favorite threads of all time. The pure honesty hits me square in the chest. It's the first time in my entire life that I see I was never really alone. So many threads on this site make me feel that way but this one especially as I could have written it word for word - broken chair and all. There are so many reasons why I'm doing this. My health that is starting to fail (you can't outrun the inevitable). For my wonderful boys. So I can travel. So I can zip line with my kids (my 8 year old asked me yesterday if I'd do that with him when I "get better"). Because I want to ski again so very badly. Because my much older husband is now disabled and I'm terrified my kids will be without a capable parent. Because I would love to not have sleep apnea. Because I have pain in my feet/knees/hips and back nonstop. I'm just done. food isn't love. Food is fuel. I can't do it on my own. Having this site and you wonderful people gives me hope. Hope is such a refreshing thing too!

[SnohoGal98296 371]

Jen,

I can hear your mantra (like how I decided that for you?-because it rings true) in my head and I want adopt it.

"food is not Love. food is fuel"

You should put it in your signature! ( if its not there already, sorry can't see signatures on the mobile app.)

Edited February 3, 2014 by SnohoGal98296

[CrazyJaney 775]

Jen, I can hear your mantra (like how I decided that for you?-because it rings true) in my head and I want adopt it. "Food is not Love. food is fuel" You should put it in your signature! ( if its not there already, sorry can't see signatures on the mobile app.)

You are right! I'm totally gonna do it. It might become my first tattoo eventually too. I'm glad you pointed that out! Thank you!