Hey all! New to the forums and getting set with my process for Bariatric surgery. I feel like it's the best choice for me for many reasons, namely it's time to stop lugging an additional person around. I am seriously nervous though, a coworker who recently had the sleeve procedure done had leakage issues and was put in the ICU. What keeps you moving through the butterflies and nerves? What is something if you're post op you'd have done differently in the beginning stages? And for fun, what are you looking most forward to on the otherside of surgery? For me, one of the things I'm most excited to see is when I can shop in a different section of the store. I've worn women's sizes since grade school, it's a whole new world and I figure I'll bawl like a baby when it happens. At any rate, thanks for obliging me!

I finally decided to do this because I lost my dear brother in February. He was heavy but not morbidly but he died with an unhealthy lifestyle either way. I loved him and he was a great person and I decided there is no way that I'll be dead at 61 if I have anything to say about it. I've always been big but the day before my son was born I lost my mother(also a fluffy girl who went too early) so I really gained between the grief and post partum. I ate my way thru then both. So i gained another 100 in the last 20 years. I just want to ride roller coasters again and have fun

I am looking to be healthier and, perhaps, to live long enough to see my youngest grandchild "launched" in whatever way she chooses to launch. She is 6 and I am 63. I am diabetic, have high blood pressure, have hypothyroidism, and I stand 4' 11". It will be a slow weight loss, but the health benefits should happen fairly quickly.

my final straw was a culmination of MANY factors. First off, i realized at 38 years old i was taking around 15 pills a day, all for ailments that were directly related to me being obese. no other reason, other than i was fat. enough.

Next, i got to a point where i could not to anything i needed to at work or at home. i was doing enough at work to be productive, but not even close to the level i had when i was in shape. at home, i could only sit in a chair and watch my kids play. couldn't do anything with them, just watch.

Next, i realized that i had a serious food addiction. i was eating more portions than my husband, i would wait until he went outdoors in the evenings to Water flowers and such, and then eat even more!

Next, several doctors told me that i was killing myself and if i didn't take it seriously, i would not be here in 10 years. i had developed this cough that i just assumed was like an asthma type thing (self-diagnosing nurse). post op i found out it was a serious issue with my heart that would have eventually caused heart failure...it's totally gone now!

Next, I realized that i wanted to LIVE, not just exist, but really enjoy my life. there are so many things my family and i want to do together and there wasn't a chance of ANY of it before surgery.

Lastly, I realized one day that i needed to do this for ME. i had been so busy taking care of my kids, family, work, etc for so long I had completely lost sight of ME. now i make ME a priority every day with exercise, planning my eating, etc. I feel incredible. i'm only 6 wks out but have lost 35 lbs already.

I have already had my surgery too, and have no regrets. Primary reason for surgery was I wanted to stop watching everyone live their lives while I was drowning in my own. I have no real advice for helping with the nervousness. I know that I was pretty good up until I dressed out for surgery. I began to get very very nervous.....so the anesthesiologist have me something to calm my nerves. But that of course was the day of surgery. I know one of my fears was not walking up after surgery, I was very worried about putting my parents through pain should I have not made it all over wanting to lose weight. All-in-all, it worked out.

You just have to stay to course, remain positive and follow through with what you believe to be the best for you!

Wish you the very, very best!

This is so awesome! Much of what I've come to understand about this community is so fantastic. You're all so supportive, which in the world we live in is saying something to begin with. The nerves come and go, as I suspect they will through out the process. However, for the first time in my life I'm making a choice to be a priority. I'm a people pleaser by nature and find I'm often shuffled to the bottom (if I make it at all) of the list. I've always been heavy, as I said women's sizes since grade school, up until a couple if years ago I was comfortable as I was, but as I moved through turning 30 and beyond my body doesn't heal as quickly from my athsma and allergy related issues, my joints ache, and I who have loved to be in the center of everything through photos, adventures, and the like have started to pull back. It's just time to accept that all the diets are not for me, and start working on me. I'm excited (and nervous) to start the process but I'm really glad I get to do it with all of you!

Just a culmination of events for me.

I had started the process when I got really sick last October and my BP drugs were making my asthma worse. I was put on omeprazole and I was starting a new eye medication for pre glaucoma issues which didn't work well because of asthma meds. So culmination of all that.

That said I was still in the maybe I can do this myself. I don't need this convo in my head. When in may my dad got really sick and had I not taken him to te emergency room he would have died.

He has everything I have or is it the other way around? I see him at 73 have all my symptoms and I'm 43. I couldn't wait I decided then and there that I was getting like him but much much earlier in life.

It was because he was fairly fit until age 60 that he was able to keep the problems at bay to 73 I am way not fit. I was seeing myself I that ICU bed at 50. And then to think my kids would not have a mom. I lost my mom at 9. I can't allow that to happen to them.

Nope no chance. Sign me up. Done !

40 pounds down.

My decision was brought on by a few things...

One I lost my father in November after a year long struggle with lung cancer, He never took care of himself and through the eye's of a child (myself) I watched him over the year's struggle with Sex, Alcohol and Depression. So after I lost him there was this feeling of mortality and the need to do something about my weight, turn thing's around and give myself a better quality of life for as long as I have left.

The other going force in my journey is my family, I have a 4 year old daughter that desperately wants a sibling and despite our constant effort over the past 2 years no such luck..Found out I have PCOS.

Other then all that I'll be turning 25yo Halloween, I've been obese most of my short life and I think it's time for me to start enjoying the body I've been given and quality of life..

One thing I look forward to post-op is not sweating like a pig all the time, doesn't matter if it's winter, spring, summer or fall I'm constantly hot or have the feeling of overheating.

My decision started with the suggestion from my PCP in June 2013, stating in order to get healthier, I needed to lose . I'm 58 and currently hover around 255. My weight my entire life has been a roller coaster. Even though there had been times when I lost 30, 40, 60 lbs. on my own and kept it off for several years, this last loss of 50 lbs. a few years ago has been creeping back on. As I've gotten older I have become a more "complicated patient" and have a number of diagnoses which should improve considerably following surgery. Initially I tried the medical weight loss program at the Center, but really wasn't working it and losing weight. That Doc suggested I consider my PCP's original recommendation. Gradually I started talking with everyone at work who I knew who'd had WLS and seeing what their experiences were like. Fortunately, one of my co-workers had the sleeve and her starting weight was close to where I'm at. At the time we talked she was about 18 mos. post-op and had lost 90-100 lbs. which was very encouraging to me. Everyone of my coworkers said they would make the same decision if they had it to do over. After that, I just started making all the necessary appointments myself and now I'm waiting for my appt. with the surgical dietitian. I don't know if I'll need to see her a second time before they send my paperwork off for insurance approval. I was thinking that I might be having the surgery sometime in October, but earlier this week my husband and I found a 14 day cruise that we want to take in December and I've decided to wait until after the cruise to have the surgery. The cruise isn't about the food, but since I don't know how I'll be feeling and adapting in the weeks following surgery, I'd rather not set myself up for possible, unnecessary pain or any other issues. I've waited this long, a few more months shouldn't make much difference. Since May of this year I have been drinking Protein shakes (Unjury) for Breakfast and lunch and have been slowly losing weight. I did this on my own to see if I liked the stuff and to start changing my lifestyle in preparation for post surgery. I can empathize with your feelings of anxiety and what ifs. I've had my share along with questioning why couldn't I lose the weight on my own as I have in the past. The reality is my body has changed, I'm older and not as active, and given my age my PCP said he felt this was my best hope of losing the 100 lbs. in order to improve my health. I feel like I'm just rambling now, so I'll stop here and just encourage you to stay strong and focused; educate yourself on every aspect of the process; avoid negative Nellies; and don't second guess yourself. You've made the right decision for you and that's all that matters. Best of luck!!

I feel gross. I don't want to feel gross anymore.

My story is very similar to so many of you. My PCP had the nerve to tell me that I was mobidly obese. I was so upset over that, totally in denial. I have to take 3 diferent types of BP meds, on the CPAP and I have arthiritis in both knees and in my back. At the age of 39, my body is way older than that. I have 5 wonderful children all under the age of 10 and a husband. I want to be there for them for a long time. Anything, which I think it the ultimate of them all. I HATE MY BODY!! EVERYTHING ABOUT IT! Enough is enough!

My WL journey started in 2012. I felt it was time to take care of myself, which is not easy to do with a full household. It starts now, this month I will make a permanent change in my life.

August 26th, here I come!