After months of tormenting myself over making a decision I finally decided to move ahead with VSG. Everyone is supportive. I just started telling the friends I trust and while they are supportive and encouraging, they also respond with "but you're not that big!" I'm tall so it's easy to hide my 240 pounds but really, I wear a size 3x and I'm sick of it. My BMI is just over 35 but I have severe sleep apnea so my insurance will cover it and I qualify. My OSA is so bad that my machine is at such a high pressure I have to tape my mouth shut with medical tape. I am moving forward and my friends are supportive, especially after I tell them how much I weigh and the sleep apnea part, but it's weird because I've always heard how big I am, now I'm too small? I am trying to be rational about this....the benefits outweigh risks etc etc. I guess I was surprised at how shocked they were that I'd go the WLS route. I would love some reassurance from people who have similar stats to me - or know people who do - that at the end of the day they are happy with WLS. I also have to admit to that part of my thinking that says maybe if I just try one more time.......(like that will ever work). Again, my friends and family are supportive. It's just their shocked reaction that's got me...

I hear the same noise from friends my BMI is 38 I am 210 and only 5 foot 2. I have thought about having WLS for years but kept putting it off due to all of their coments. The truth is I havent and cant lose the weight on my own. My health is starting to become seriously affected by my weight and Im sick of sitting on the sidelines of my own life!! I know I will never be a super model thin but I want to be able to move in this world! My advice is to go for it. This is YOUR life!! Tune the nay sayers out and only tell people that you know will be supportive!

I heard the same....my bmi was just over 35 when I started...I unintentionally gained some weight a month after, but was still under my surgeons general patient profile. 6 weeks out and I am SO glad I took the plunge!

Listen to your heart, not others opinions

It's your life! The quality of life greatly exceeds other people's opinions. I wish you the best of luck on your journey and hope that your friends can accept the decision you've made for your health.

I'm 5ft 10, started at 250. BMI 35 point something, I think? Can't remember. It's on my ticker.

That wasn't my highest weight. I think I was 265+ at one point. I, too, carried my weight 'well'.

Their reaction is probably a knee-jerk, because they might potentially see surgery as too 'drastic'. Consequently, people often go for the 'Nooo, you're fine.. ' kinda thing to sway you into a more 'acceptable' solution. Although its an 'acceptable' solution for their comfort zones, its not necessarily for us.

I did it. I'm now wearing UK size 12's - US size 10's.

Although the first couple of months are a bind, the stalling is annoying, I wouldn't change it. The freedom it gives you is quite humbling.

I don't recognise myself in the mirror. But what I do see from time to time in the mirror and on my clothing labels, makes me gaze in wonderment.

I can run now, too. How cool is that?!

Wishing you the best of luck

When the nurse was doing my check in at the hospital on my surgery day she actually tried to talk me out of surgery because "your not that big". I wanted to tell her off. I had lost 40 pounds pre op. My decision for surgery was between my doctor and I not her. Also I was obviously big enough because it was covered by my health care.

Hi

I'm hearing it too

I'm 5'5 243 BMI over 40

You would never know it ... I've been lucky to carry the extra weight but I feel it

And getting the band next Friday.

Shellief,

I hear you loud and clear, and I heard those same words from great friends. But don't let the words of others steer you away from the truths you know in your own head. We want to believe people when they are being kind to us. There are a lot of well-meaning people out there, but they don't realize that they might be causing you to think twice about making a radical commmitment to your health that will dramatically improve your life quality (and possibly quantity!).

LipstickLady post a great topic recently in Rant & Raves called "I thought I was (fill in the blank), but I was just fat." Check it out. It's stunning how we deceive ourselves to make the pain of obesity more tolerable. But wouldn't it be better to have a healthy mind AND body, rather than just a soothed mind? How about wearing nothing but a sexy lingerie to bed instead of that wacky cpap mask? Or just wearing NOTHING?

Best wishes!

Im not tall, 5'3 on a good day, and most people wouldnt of guessed I weighed 225 lbs or had a bmi of 40. I couldnt lose weight by myself either, and had sleep apnea, high bp, and digestive problems. Now im 65 lbs lighter, no more sleep apnea, digestive probs, and I only have mild high bp. My life has improved 100 %, no question about it. Your friends may be "shocked" at your decision possibly because most people dont know the 1st thing about WLS. If you had said "dental surgery " or " heart surgery" to make your life better, they would'nt of been so shocked maybe. Do what YOU need to do to get a healthy body and a happy life ! Good luck ! And........ the old saying " A tiger doesn't lose sleep over the opinion of sheep." says it all !

Not as tall but I have a Bmi of 45 and weight a pound shy of 250. I've had 2 friends tell me I'm not that big and all I need is a little exercise and I'll be able to drop this weight in no time. Little do they know, my knees have started hurting after work I'm only 29, a few years ago I did modified P90x for 6 weeks and never lost a single pound. I'm sick and tired of being as big as I am and I would love to one day do us modified P90x without feeling like I'm about to die.

There is quite a lot if stuff on here about lightweights! What the? I was considered a light weight - who knew? My BMI was only 38! Only! Apparently lightweights have a tougher time losing! Also, I was OLD, and apparently OLD people have a tougher time losing! My surgeon initially set quite a high goal weight. He didn't actually tell me this weight, it's just that I am very good at reading upside down, even script. (This comes in handy when dealing with Bankers, Lawyers and car or insurance salesmen). I am convinced surgeons set high goal weights to make their statistics look better! That said! It might be easier to deal with a higher weight goal at the beginning when it is all so overwhelming. Personally I did not have this major surgery to still be overweight. I wanted to be normal!

So here are my stats:-

Highest weight - 106.1kg/234lbs. June 5 2013. BMI 38

Surgery weight - 97.7kg/215lbs. August 7 2013

Current weight - 57.9kg/127.6lbs. May 29 2014. BMI 20.8

Height - 167cm/5'6"

Age. I turned 60 on April 28th. Had my birthday in Mumbai at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and flew to Israel that night.

Exercise - wear a Fitbit and aim for 8000 steps per day plus do a bit of cycling.

I guess I am now at goal! And at 10 months out I am still not considered a veteran!

PS. I live in Australia.

I am 5' 5" and I was 210 at the beginning. I worried I wouldn't qualify either, and had to make sure my BMI stayed at a 35. I was a tight size 16, and I hated it. 1X tops were getting tight. My "muffin top" was more like a bundt cake. I had high bp, high cholesterol, high blood sugars, asthma, OSA, atrial fibrillation--you name it. People told me I didn't need it, but I went with my gut (quite literally, actually) hoping it would improve my health, and it DID! Every one of the issues I mentioned are gone. I am still diabetic (as I have auto-immune diabetes), but my blood sugars are a breeze to control. And I don't hate looking in the mirror anymore to boot. All those people who said I wasn't big enough for surgery are amazed at how I look now. And I am so thankful I had supportive doctors who said the surgery was worth a try. For now, it has virtually halted my litany of auto-immune "syndromes" that seemingly had no cause and no cure. Best decision of my life.

LMAO @ "Bundt Cake"

I have a BMI of about 39 and when I went into my surgeon required pulmonary appointment, the nurse said "Why are YOU having weight loss surgery? You're so beautiful!" I just rolled my eyes and said, "It has nothing to do with "being pretty". Once you take my blood pressure you will see WHY I am having weight loss surgery".

After my reading of 149/94 she shut up. Funny thing is, she was very overweight. It seems the most criticism I get are from overweight/obese people when I tell them I am getting the surgery! What is THAT all about??

I just made it, I am 5'4", I weighed 216 and my BMI was 35 and I was totally cleared for surgery. I am 2 yrs post op and feeling great. Do what YOU want to do and of course what the insurance company will pay for. This was the best decision I ever made !!!!.

I am 5' 5" and I was 210 at the beginning. I worried I wouldn't qualify either, and had to make sure my BMI stayed at a 35. I was a tight size 16, and I hated it. 1X tops were getting tight. My "muffin top" was more like a bundt cake. I had high bp, high cholesterol, high blood sugars, asthma, OSA, atrial fibrillation--you name it. People told me I didn't need it, but I went with my gut (quite literally, actually) hoping it would improve my health, and it DID! Every one of the issues I mentioned are gone. I am still diabetic (as I have auto-immune diabetes), but my blood sugars are a breeze to control. And I don't hate looking in the mirror anymore to boot. All those people who said I wasn't big enough for surgery are amazed at how I look now. And I am so thankful I had supportive doctors who said the surgery was worth a try. For now, it has virtually halted my litany of auto-immune "syndromes" that seemingly had no cause and no cure. Best decision of my life.

Wow! I have Autoimmune issues as well,

Didn't even cross my mind WLS might help! Thanks for that piece of info.