You need to consider a lot of factors before choosing to get weight loss surgery, and many of these factors can make you hesitate to get the surgery. If you have not had weight loss surgery, which of the following is preventing you from getting weight loss surgery? If you have already had the surgery, which of these delayed your procedure?

• Your insurance does not cover it and it costs too much.
• Your primary care doctor is not supportive.
• Your friends or family are against the idea of weight loss surgery.
• You are not sure which type of weight loss surgery is best for you.
• You are afraid of complications or side effects from weight loss surgery.
• You do not know if it will help you lose weight.
• Other - please tell us below!

Please mark your answer and then explain it in the discussion below!

I was not sure if it was the best for me. 2004 10 years ago an ortho surgeon suggested I look into bariatric surgery with Dr. Kelly. At the the time there was not many choices to be made back then. Since I have lots of exposure in the Operating room caused more fears. So I held off and many years later I joined the behavior track rather than the surgical track. Still scared but up till now my co-morbities caught up with me that my knees need replacing!! So I now have no choice but to do this surgery so I can do the knee surgery. Been out of work since April. I wished I had this done ten years ago! It would saved me a lot of headaches! I feel more confident now than before cause I know it's more prevalent now than ever before. So now with all this I have a chance to recover and get back on track with my life!

I was not sure if it was the best for me. 2004 10 years ago an ortho surgeon suggested I look into bariatric surgery with Dr. Kelly. At the the time there was not many choices to be made back then. Since I have lots of exposure in the Operating room caused more fears. So I held off and many years later I joined the behavior track rather than the surgical track. Still scared but up till now my co-morbities caught up with me that my knees need replacing!! So I now have no choice but to do this surgery so I can do the knee surgery. Been out of work since April. I wished I had this done ten years ago! It would saved me a lot of headaches! I feel more confident now than before cause I know it's more prevalent now than ever before. So now with all this I have a chance to recover and get back on track with my life!

I wish I could give you a crystal ball so you can see how much improved you will be. The best I can do is tell you that I finally gave in and got banded in January of 2013 for the same reason as you...I needed both hips replaced and both knees. I had to lose nearly 70 lbs. before even being considered a candidate for surgery. I lost the weight in six months, had the surgery two months later and now...one year after both hips replaced, I am nearly normal again. Yes, I still have issues but I no longer need a cane or wheelchair assistance. I can walk without needing to sit down every few minutes, I can climb, bend, swim, everything. I can do almost everything I want and I have my life back. I even have avoided replacement of the knees as I've lost more than 140 lbs. and my weight is no longer a stressor on my knees. This can be your future so think of me as your future and know that it is all possible for you. Good luck!

I wish I could give you a crystal ball so you can see how much improved you will be. The best I can do is tell you that I finally gave in and got banded in January of 2013 for the same reason as you...I needed both hips replaced and both knees. I had to lose nearly 70 lbs. before even being considered a candidate for surgery. I lost the weight in six months, had the surgery two months later and now...one year after both hips replaced, I am nearly normal again. Yes, I still have issues but I no longer need a cane or wheelchair assistance. I can walk without needing to sit down every few minutes, I can climb, bend, swim, everything. I can do almost everything I want and I have my life back. I even have avoided replacement of the knees as I've lost more than 140 lbs. and my weight is no longer a stressor on my knees. This can be your future so think of me as your future and know that it is all possible for you. Good luck!

. Thank you for the crystal ball predictions ! Like you, I have degenerative hip disease so that means it will be down the road. If I lose 150 lbs ( half of me) the weight certainly be off the hip joints which mean I may not have worry about that. Also I have disc problem and that too I hope it will be relieved as well. Certainly the knees needs work. It really sucks and so painful ! You know the feeling ! I am excited to go into a new chapter in my life. Thanks again for your feedback. I appreciate it!

A friend died after having a bypass several years ago. It's a type of procedure that they dont even do anymore and she had other health conditions that contributed to her problems, but it still made an impression that won't go away. I'm just finally at the point where i am more afraid of not having the surgery than i am of having it.

Hi for me it was the side affects, then I realize that if I did not have this surgery the side affects of dying fro my comorbilities out weigh everything, Now I am loving life and the new healthy me and wish i had done it earlier but it was meant for me to have this surgery and I am loving the new me.

I have to admit, the potential for lifelong complications from malabsorption of nutrients post-RNY is a concern to me, But the biggest concern I have is that I will find a way, to put the weight back on post-op leaving me all the complications without any of the benefits.

I didn't have weight loss surgery because I have known many folks who regained the weight if they didn't diet and exercise after surgery. But dieting and exercising works to lose and/or keep off weight without surgery. So I chose the latter!

I had no idea what options were available or if I qualified or if my insurance would cover any surgery. I have a friend who had bypass surgery and between talking to her and research on my own, I knew surgery was my solution. I had even resolved to self pay if it came to that. Fortunately my insurance agreed to pay for the sleeve surgery even though their site said they would not. I'm a

very lucky person. It's been 3 years and I still think it was

a Miracle and appreciate it every day.

Edited February 1, 201511 yr by Miz Z1

I chose other after finally deciding that diets were not working for me--and this was this was the best way for me to lose weight. It has been the best decision I ever made about my weight and health!!

I am afraid of all the excess skin and not being able to afford plastic surgery.

Other: My insurance approved but my manager is dragging his feet about giving me time off work, even though I discussed it with him months ago, due to other employees being out. I'm not eligible for FMLA yet so it doesn't seem like there's anything I can do.

FEAR

I was afraid of rerouting my anatomy. I was afraid of surgery in and of itself. I waited a very long time to get my gastric bypass. I even cancelled my first surgery. When my fear of dying from obesity and related diseases (diabetes, hypertension, yikes!) became greater than my fear of the surgery, I went under the knife. It saved my life.

Apparently I did not learn my lesson about letting fear hold me back. Karma has a way of coming back to us! I was forced to face my fear of surgery again. I really wanted plastic surgery. My dream was to have Dr. JF Capella do my body contouring. I was so thrilled when I finally had the appointment with him in 2007. I began saving money. And when I had enough saved for my surgery... I did not go through with it. I kept saving money, though. I saved for so long that I had twice what I needed. Still I did not get my surgery. FEAR!

Finally in 2013 a set of synchronicities happened and finally I had my plastic surgery. In some ways it was the best thing I have ever done for myself. After that I vowed to never let fear hold me back again. And I have been living into that promise, living life fully and doing things I never would have done before because I'd let fear hold me back. Its been freeing.

Edited February 24, 201511 yr by My Bariatric Life

I was in law school trying to lose on my own.. Which if anyone knows the stress with law school it didnt work. So now im on a year vacation from school and working at a place that has good insurance. Having it with kaiser is easier because the requirements are simple. So now im able to actually take the time to get it done.

My main insurance has been IHS, who also employs my primary doctor who was not supportive.

I wish I could have done this years ago, when I knew I needed help. With my new job, I got a better insurance company (Blue Cross Blue Shield, gov) which paid most of my surgery and is very supportive with my aftercare. They are paying for my gym, and host some online coaching programs I use.

Oh, yes, I also found a new primary care provider who is supportive. My diabetes was getting worse, and all my other health issues could be tracked back to my 54 BMI. Once I knew the insurance would cover it, I decided to go forward, and let nothing stand in my way.

I chose "Other" because .....go ahead and laugh, I thought surgery would be the easy way out. Just get the surgery and Bang! you lose weight. No discomfort, no sacifice......yeah, I was wrong.

Edited December 15, 201510 yr by Blamo