Hi am new to this, and need help. I am 30yrs old and a mother of 4, my weight is 320lbs and this is the biggest I have been. I have tried to lose wait many times the lightest I have been was 195lb at 18. I have not not been under 200lbs in 12yrs, and in the last 5yrs my body has really started to breakdown. I don't have any medical illnesses but I have A LOT of back pain n joint pain I can barely walk without out being in pain and out of breath. The pain brings me to tears.

I know if I don't change my live ASAP that I won't be able to walk in the next year, because of all the pain I am in.

So know that I have finally told myself this is the only way to save my life I am scared to go throw with it. I know I NEED this surgery is not a WANT for me because I don't want to cut my stomach to go throw pain but I NEED to.

But am I ready to give up foods I love so much I know food is what got me here, but am I truly ready? I don't know am scared am confused, am lost and feel hopeless.

Am scared if I do this life changing thing and still fail, still not be able to control myself am scared I won't even pass the pre op and won't be able to do the liquid diet and to lose my deposit.

I want to just do it close my eyes and jump, but I don't know if that is the right way to go about it or not.

If anyone can give me advice I would really appreciate it, and am sorry if this doesn't make sense.

Hi, and welcome to the forum. Don't do what I did and wait until you have a stroke.

Here is my favorite thread. It shares 1, 277 reasons why the rest of us took the plunge:

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/219831-what-was-your-final-straw-that-broke-the-camels-back/?hl=%20final%20%20straw

I can relate. I started the surgery journey at 320 lbs. I was TERRIFIED to do it. Scared of failure. I was scared the surgery wouldn't work for me, or that I wouldn't be able to make the life changes I needed to make in order to succeed.

I'm two months out now, down 60 pounds, and starting to feel really really good! Eating the proper food isn't hard at all. Avoiding the wrong food is even easier. Once in awhile I'll think , " pie sounds good", but then I think of how sick it would make me and that craving is gone in a flash. Dumping or having an upset stomach sucks, so I don't even want to eat the bad things. I've become so intune with my body that I can feel the energy flow when I eat a healthy meal. That's an addictive feeling.

Everytime I put on a piece of clothing and it's loose, or when I get a compliment on my weight loss, it's motivating. That too makes sticking to the new eating plan easier.

I have two kids and a husband, they eat what I eat. If I'm having plain Greek yogurt with fresh fruit for Breakfast, then so do they. If I'm having spaghetti sauce with zuchini noodles, then they do too. I don't cook two different meals for everyone, we are all getting healthy together. This too helps ease things along.

The surgery can be painful, the recovery a little slow, but just get past the first month and things will get easier. You can do it. You can succeed.

@@choicemun It sounds like you have reached a decisive point in your life. I was in a similar situation. I had been heavy, to varying degrees for years. I had finally reached my highest weight ever and was facing type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and other health issues so I decided to act now and save myself.

Any surgery has risks but I believe the risks of being obese and all the health issues that go with it far outweigh the risks of weight loss surgery. Recovery takes a little time, and everyone's experience is different, but for me it was well worth going through.

The last thing I'd mention to you is that the surgery is only a tool to help make the weight loss journey successful. It takes a commitment on your part to be successful. You must commit to following the pre-op and post-op eating programs. You must commit to a program of exercise. You must change your eating habits and lifestyle in order for it to be effective long term. Surgery does make that easier but you have to make a commitment to success. If you do so, you'll be happy with the results.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply, means a lot.

Am ready to finally change my life, am ready to not be in pain anymore am ready to start living my life. I feel like I haven't really lived in the 30yrs I have been on this planet.

And the journey begins!! ????