I feel as though I started this journey many years ago. I wanted to believe I could get a grip on my weight with each new diet, program, pill, therapy, exercise, support, and starvation gimmick i tried. I have been successful in most areas of my life. I graduated college and went on to get a Masters Degree. So the theory that I just couldn't follow something through to completion didn't fit. I had a great job, great friends and an active social life. But for all my successes, my weight continued increase and my efforts to loose weight were a failure.

I am now 63 and I have, I believe, been skating through life on my good genes. My blood pressure has only recently gone up as has my cholesterol. I have sleep apnea, and trouble with one knee from an old dance injury . All other health issues are just looming on the horizon. JUST? As a reasonably bright person I know that heart disease, diabetes, and other problems aren't just looming. They are well on their way to my life.

But, my final straw happened this summer when a dear, younger friend of mine passed away from type2Diabetes. Cynthia entered a hospital on a Wed. evening from a badly infected foot. On Sunday her leg was amputated and on Tuesday afternoon she had a blood clot that went to her brain. With her family and me by her side, she was taken off of life support on Wed. evening. Within one week my dear, wonderful, 53 yr old friend was dead from complications of Diabetes. I had to ask myself how much longer was I going to live with that risk of Diabetes looming in my future. Enough was enough.

I started investigating VSG last July. I only spoke to my cousin about it. Each time I had spoken to my husband about it he would always ask, "What if it doesn't work? Nothing else has". But this time was different, I was out of options and I started to say to my self, " what if it does work?".

5 months later,after jumping through 452 hoops, On Dec 30, 2014 I had sleeve surgery.

I'm only 21days post op. I've been so lucky. I had a fabulous surgeon, terrific post op care, and virtually none of the common side effects from sleeve surgery. I'm learning how to eat and drink anew. I'm doing well with my weight loss( but struggling with getting in enough Protein, Water and exercise). Though I've lost 25 lbs no one has noticed yet . Most importantly, I am confident in my new path. I have a long way to go and so much to learn.

Thanks to everyone who has posted on this site. I feel like we are all in this together. Good luck and healthy traveling on your journey to better health. Paula

Thanks for that post! Very encouraging. I too had been skating by with good genes. After spending a year losing and regaining the same 15 pounds, I had an epiphany back in July of 2014 that realistically, that good luck was going to end. It was not an "if" but a "when." Although I did not want WLS, I made an appt. and have not looked back. Surgery was November 19th. I am down 58 pounds and just thrilled. The only time in my life that I have gone through the holidays without gaining weight! I do have fears of not reaching goals but I try to put them out of my mind as that is counter-productive.

BTW- people at work started noticing the weight loss right about the 50 pound mark.

Thanks for that post! Very encouraging. I too had been skating by with good genes. After spending a year losing and regaining the same 15 pounds, I had an epiphany back in July of 2014 that realistically, that good luck was going to end. It was not an "if" but a "when." Although I did not want WLS, I made an appt. and have not looked back. Surgery was November 19th. I am down 58 pounds and just thrilled. The only time in my life that I have gone through the holidays without gaining weight! I do have fears of not reaching goals but I try to put them out of my mind as that is counter-productive.

BTW- people at work started noticing the weight loss right about the 50 pound mark.

Congratulations. My husband made the same remark. Less than 2 months later... He wants a sleeve.