Good morning! I have done so much research over the last couple of days and spoken with a close friend of mine that had wls a year ago...probably drove her bonkers asking so many questions! But I would love to know what was your decision maker? What was it that flipped your switch to talking about it and following through with it?

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For me it was I needed to do something!!......and I did like you, I did a lot of research and then I went to a seminar done by my surgeon. After that my decision was made, and I started the ball rolling.

That was in March of 2016. My surgery was May 16, 2016 and I have not regretted my decision for even a moment. I have never felt better.....So far I've lost 72 pounds and will be at my goal weight before I know it!!

For me it was I needed to do something!!......and I did like you, I did a lot of research and then I went to a seminar done by my surgeon. After that my decision was made, and I started the ball rolling.

That was in March of 2016. My surgery was May 16, 2016 and I have not regretted my decision for even a moment. I have never felt better.....So far I've lost 72 pounds and will be at my goal weight before I know it!!

I am so flustered with weight loss. It doesn't seem to matter what I do I seem to just gain weight... I'll lose 10 and gain 12 and lose 5 and gain 3... I feel like an embarrassment and failure to my children. I'm lonely in the love department. I have 0 confidence. I don't know. I feel like this is going to be the best decision of my life.

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I think you'll find a lot of folks here on this site were right where you are prior to surgery......I know for me it was certainly the best thing I ever did for myself!!! Good luck to you!!

I am so flustered with weight loss. I don't know. I feel like this is going to be the best decision of my life.

This is not to say that you won't do well with surgery, but for you to say that you don't know [something] and feel that surgery will be the best decision seems like setting a trap for yourself.

Having realistic expectations and a grasp of the realities of surgery and what follows are foremost, along with having confidence in one's ability to follow through successfully.

Surgery means taking action and making changes. It is not a passive affair. Just as you've lost 10 and gained 12 in the past, it is possible either not to lose weight or to lose and regain after surgery. If you don't believe me, look at Chris Christie -- not a surgery success story. Making wise food choices and planning meals is imperative. Exercising regularly is important.

Losing weight and keeping it off are pretty straightforward matters. The mental and emotional aspects are trickier. You can do well if you get yourself to the place where you tap your confidence in your powers of follow-through.

I am so flustered with weight loss. I don't know. I feel like this is going to be the best decision of my life.

This is not to say that you won't do well with surgery, but for you to say that you don't know [something] and feel that surgery will be the best decision seems like setting a trap for yourself.

Having realistic expectations and a grasp of the realities of surgery and what follows are foremost, along with having confidence in one's ability to follow through successfully.

Surgery means taking action and making changes. It is not a passive affair. Just as you've lost 10 and gained 12 in the past, it is possible either not to lose weight or to lose and regain after surgery. If you don't believe me, look at Chris Christie -- not a surgery success story. Making wise food choices and planning meals is imperative. Exercising regularly is important.

Losing weight and keeping it off are pretty straightforward matters. The mental and emotional aspects are trickier. You can do well if you get yourself to the place where you tap your confidence in your powers of follow-through.

Thank you. The I don't know wasn't not knowing something... It was a statement out of frustration. I am confident that I will succeed. I love exercising and I don't really eat badly. My biggest downfall is cheese and vegetables... I like few vegetables... I'm just tired of not being able to exercise because I can't breath or my knees and ankles hurt so bad... I refuse to put my body and wallet through all of this to fail at it.

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@@mcnabb85 I would suggest to continue your research, attend a seminar with a local Bariatric Center of Excellence and learn as much about WLS as you can. It's a tool to help you lose weight but you need to change your lifestyle and do the work. I went back and forth for several years - always deciding I could do it on my own (I didn't want Bypass and didn't know about Gastric Sleeve), I didn't want to give anything up, and I was "ok" with being fat (or I told myself that anyway). The past 2 years have shown me I need to do something drastic and quickly! I have had health problems one after the other but the joint issues are what tipped the scales for me. I was 47 years old and figured if I didn't lose weight soon I'd be in a hoveround by 50 (if I was still alive). I realized that I wasted 20+ years thinking I could lose weight on my own. I'm doing this for myself though - not because I am ashamed or embarrassed. The best part of this process for me was the therapy I had for 3 months. I feel like that has given me another tool in my toolbox for successful post-op living! I'm hoping for a surgery date with in the month.

Congratulations! It's just a combination of everything for me. I lost weight a few years ago... Around 50 lbs. My confidence was through the roof and I was sincerely the happiest I've been in my whole life. But I was taking about 15 pills a day and spending 200-300 a month. I could not keep affording that... It was so expensive! But that good feeling I had.... I want that again.

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For me that moment was just tried of struggling everyday doing simple tasks. I finally had enough, and knew I had to make drastic changes.

The straw that broke the camel's back for me....I saw a picture of myself...and cried.

The straw that broke the camel's back for me....I saw a picture of myself...and cried.

The same happened with me and solidified my decision. I was holding my newborn great-niece and had to ask her Mom not to post it on social media. I could not believe how GIANT I was!

A very nice woman I know --who is also morbidly obese -- told me she had saved me something she'd received in the mail, that she thought I would like. Then handed me 2 catalogs of high end plus size clothing. And my first thought was, 'I don't want to wear clothes in these sizes ever again.'

And that started the ball rolling.

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I was tired of being uncomfortable in my own skin. I'm only a month post op but can't wait to be comfortable in a bathing suit, wearing a pair of shorts or something other than black all the time. I want to be able to walk down the aisle of an airplane without having to turn sideways. I want to be able to comfortably paint my own toenails or be able to bend over while still being able to breathe. There are so many things that contributed to my decision but mostly, I just want to be able to do normal things easily. I've done every diet imaginable and they were never sustainable. I needed the extra help to contribute to my success.

I was tired of being uncomfortable in my own skin. I'm only a month post op but can't wait to be comfortable in a bathing suit, wearing a pair of shorts or something other than black all the time. I want to be able to walk down the aisle of an airplane without having to turn sideways. I want to be able to comfortably paint my own toenails or be able to bend over while still being able to breathe. There are so many things that contributed to my decision but mostly, I just want to be able to do normal things easily. I've done every diet imaginable and they were never sustainable. I needed the extra help to contribute to my success.

I relate to all of it. I also have a beautiful best friend who is like a size 2 and always tells me I'm a big beautiful woman and I know She means so well and believes it to her very core but for once I would love to not be the big one.

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