I loved me whole heartedly all 287 of me. I'm a beautiful woman with a heart of gold. I do all I can to help others and my family. I have 5 beautiful kids 2 are 17, 1 is 10 and our twins are 6. Our oldest is possibly on his way to one of our countries greatest schools Princeton, Yale or Harvard and the rest are all in gifted and talented classes following their big brother!

My husband never once has said anything negative about my weight and has never loved me any less in our 22 yrs together. As a matter of fact he is the cook in the house and always made my plates for me (I'm in retail management and out of the house often). He'd always stacked it up like I was a line backer prepping for a game! (I love football) Lol secretly I think he likes me bigger.

So if my life is so great with no complainants why have the surgery? If I love me as is why change the game now?

My heart my heart my heart

I get heart palpitations and I have been on medications for years and even had heart surgery 5 yrs ago... Nothing has helped and the palpitations were getting worse putting me at risk for a stroke... So it was lose weight or another heart surgery with a pace maker...at 35!?!

Nope nope nope I'll try this weightloss thing again THANK YOU, I had the band in 4 yrs ago for the same reasons with nothing but complications.

So that's my story how about you?

BTW I go for my follow up in a week to see if my heart is getting any stronger now that I'm down a couple lbs. 55 actually lol a couple. My Dr wants me at 180 and I'm at 232 right now.

Keep me in your good thoughts please

I have toyed with surgery ideas for almost 15 years... Always said I wanted to wait til after I had a baby, always felt a little squeamish about the RnY procedure.... And never in the right emotionally supportive place.

A year ago, I was holding my six-month-old daughter, thinking about how hard it is for girls in school, being called names, teased for any extra pounds, and what kind of message she'd get from a 400-pound mother saying "awww honey you're healthy!" I thought about how I'd been seeing my psychiatrist for a year and am comfortable and happy with the care I am receiving... And I thought again about all the obese mothers who have "chubby" little girls... And I thought... "I'm ready."

And I looked it up, saw that Sleeve Gastrectomy was now available, liked that idea, and called a surgeon.

I saw my surgeon 6/10, weighing in at 392 lbs. I was miserable, I couldn't tie my shoes, I couldn't breathe well...

My surgery was delayed a bit because on 6/11 I was in a car accident and broke my leg ... I needed to get better and be walking again!! We were self-pay, and my surgery was 2/10/14.

I'm down 75+ pounds and I feel sexy and happy!! Aiming for 170. .

Best of all, I'm getting in shape, getting more fit, and when my little girl grows up and has trouble at school, it'll be a healthy mother who tells her she's a healthy little girl.

That is WONDERFUL! Great job on the weightloss so far! I'm sure your little girl will have a wonderful role model to look up to.

When I was 11 my friends got taller and I got fatter. So for 40 years I've always been the husky, chunky, sturdy, girl.

I'm not sure I have ever felt comfortable in my body - I took a lot of emotional abuse as a child, mostly from my family because of my size.

My husband is very fit and healthy and has loved me for me - but I decided I was missing out on a lot. I want to be fit enough to run (i don't know if I really WANT to run but I'd like to be fit enough to do so). I want to buy clothes from a regular store. I want to look in the mirror and be able to smile at me. I want my knees not to hurt going up and Down stairs, My most of all i want to FEEL GOOD.

Every person is different and everyone has their own story - great question

I so went thru the same thing when I was younger!

My knees are thanking me everyday lol. I'm sure you'll reach your goal and get to 'run around' freely

I have not had surgery yet, but am finishing up the last of all the pre op requirements. I expect a date will be set any day for surgery. I am doing this because 13 months ago I was told by a cardiologist that if I didn't quit smoking and lose weight, I have a life expectancy of 8 years. It took 7 months before it sunk in enough to quit smoking and a 30 pound weight gain following the smoking cessation. Three months later, I made my first appointment to see the surgeon. I am doing this to live! I have already wasted one year, I refuse to waste more.

Congrats on choosing to LIFE! It is a blessing and I'm sure you will succeed.

They told me not to have my twins as it would put too much stress on my heart....Well I obviously didn't listen how could I refuse such a gift...it did put a great deal of stress on me but I have listened to everything else 100% and hopefully next week I can tell you it was all worth it! The surgery of course cause my kids are definitely worth any day I may have possibly cut short

For me I have been married to a wonderful man for over 25 years, raised 5 kids and as you all know ALWAYS looking out for and doing for the family. With me and the hubby being empty nesters, it gave me the reality check I needed. Have a closet stuffed with clothes from size 14 to 20 because of the dreaded excuse...I'm going to get back into those! Who am I kidding when the 20's are tight. Over the years I have tried several diets and WL plans. Lost 30, put on 40. Loose 50, put on 60... So on and so on! Putting on socks and shoes have been more and more problematic. I can't walk up the stairs in our house without my knees hurting and being out of breath. Even considered remodeling the master bath because the tub has gotten almost too small. Most recently after years of refusing to get on a scale... I did! And, O...M...G!!! That was it... The heaviest I have been EVER! Realized then the reason my hips ache, the need for a king over a queen sized bed, etc. Not to mention I love my husband too much to check out early because of weight and weight related issues. Called both our insurance carriers and neither one affords coverage over any of the WLS. So, taking the bathroom remodeling funds and a few extras from here and there and, scheduled for 5/24. I am planning to spend the next 25 years living! My husband, kids, future grand kids and ME are all worth every penny!

I want to see all 5 of my kids grow up. I'm 37 and I realized that it was time for me.

6 yrs ago, I lost my 46 yr old husband and was left a 40 yr old, 200 lb widow. I grew up the fat kid, grew into the fat teen, and was even a fat bride. While my husband supported every weightloss effort I made, he loved me regardless.

After 2 yrs of a deep depression, a gain of 50 lbs (yes, 250), I woke up one day and decided to "start over" again. While I didn't see love happening anytime in my future (I was scared if I did love again, I'd always compare him to my 20 yr marriage), I had hope that I would find love again.

So 4 yrs ago I moved 3,000 miles away where I didn't know a soul, 2 mths later had lapband surgery. Started dating again (online cuz I didn't know anyone) when I was down to about 180 and a little more confident. Met my share of "chubby chasers". One lunch date actually asked me if I was still ovulating! Can u beleive that? Also asked if I could have my lapband removed. Met my current husband of 2 yrs at about 175. Had revision surgery 9 mths ago cuz of a slip. I'm now at about 149-151, on any given day.

SO I guess the reason I had wls was to gain the confidence to find love again. I was blessed twice in my life. ACtually, 3x, if u count a 100 lbs loss in the blessing!

It is so refreshing to hear all of your stories about mates supporting you, etc. I'm afraid that my story is not so fairy tale like. I was in a very difficult marriage and my husband was diagnosed with a personality disorder 6 years into our marriage., There were so many ups and downs that the stress caused me to eat and that is the way I dealt with my emotions. Over the last 5 years my weight went from 144 to 212. Along with the weight gain came sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a hiatal hernia and GERD. WTH? Who new being fat would lead to all this. I'm only 5'1 feet tall so it has caused a strain on me and I just feel horrible most days and fake my way through it. Well after being told that all I do is sit around and eat cupcakes all day and told that I was not sexy anymore, I left my husband and decided to take control of my life. I am turning 40 tomorrow and wanted to find myself again and get back to the person I recognize and not this stranger I stare at in the mirror everyday. Surgery is scheduled for 5/12 and I AM SO EXCITED! I wish everyone here luck!

Happy birthday early cherry and good luck with your sugery.

My reason for surgery was to avoid a long list of family health issues. I'm the 7th of 8 kids. In 95 my brother dropped dead of a massive heart attack at the age of 34. My mother had a stroke at 40, heart attack at 56 and passed away at 72 from her 3rd heart attack. My brothers have pacemakers or stents. My sisters are diabetics and take multiple meds for other problems. I'm 52 and have no medical issues but these are my genes. I decided now is the time before something happens. I was sleeved on 3/19. Down 30 lbs including what I lost with preop. Hit the 3 weeks stall and scale has not moved in 2 weeks. If it weren't for this forum, I'd be freaking out about not losing. Good luck to all and thank you.

Edited April 25, 201412 yr by Thindeprived