Everyone: What was your turning point in your life that made you decide the wls route?

[arringtonc49 188]

My turning point for wls was my health. My ac1 was climbing higher, my cholesterol was getting higher,my blood pressure was getting higher and I had to be put on meds for these ailments. I had knee replacement on one knee and was told I need it on other knee.
I am 7 months post surgery and list 85 lbs. I am at my goal weight. Started at 220 lbs and now at 135lbs and still losing weight. I had blood work done and everything is normal. No more meds!!! My knees feel great!!! No surgery needed.
I am so Happy I made this decision !

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[BooBee66 104]

I decided to do it to see if my diabetes would improve or go away

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[BusyMom945 63]

My turning part definitely has to be my sister. I had been researching options for a couple years now. Especially after the birth of my daughter. Being morbidly obese and pregnant felt very wrong for me. I ended up feeling very selfish for wanting another child after putting on so much weight after the birth of my son. But my little sister took the dive and told me she began the process. I was really researching at that point and she was the breaking point for me. But I hate feeling so uncomfortable all the time. I hate summer because I feel like I sweat too much. I really would like to get back to a place where exercising feel comfortable. And most importantly, I want to set a good example for my kids. They need to see what a healthy lifestyle is- a balance.

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[jo 18]

I'm so looking forward to everyone's answers.
What made you decide to finally take your life back and have weight loss surgery? Was it for health reasons or for more emotional reasons? Was it one major incident or was a combination of things?
I will share my own turning point in the comments section.

My sugar levels were very high and I got medication and was not working! The pills that can work were not for me because I had pancreatitis...I have to do something!
I have the surgery and now I do not need any pills...my sugar levels are normal and I am 7 weeks from surgery.

[MommaScoggs 3]

Honestly, I have no desire to have the surgery. However, I have gastric volvulus and have no choice (and other than the volvulus, I am in great health with no heart disease, no diabetes, cholesterol is fine, etc.). I wish I wanted it, but instead I am very bitter at the lifestyle that will be forced upon me.

Sherry

Lap band placed 12/10

Lap band removed 05/14

Gastric bypass 11/17 due to gastric volvulus caused from lap band adhesions

[carlab 63]

Diagnosed with diabetes and insulin dependent immediately. High blood pressure and now high cholesterol.

5 years ago, I lost 75 lbs and it’s all back. I’m defeated.

Off for my psych evaluation today. Hoping for surgery in January 2018!

[Starsmore 60]

I don't know if it was any one thing. I lived with my parents well after an age that most do and I always told myself that when I moved out things would be different. I'd exercise, I'd make better food choices, I'd do what is good for me. That didn't happen. I've been out on my own for two years and while I did have some success with Weight Watchers and a personal trainer, it wasn't significant loss (only 35 lbs and that only due to the WW, once I quit that I started regaining despite still going to the gym) and it definitely wasn't lasting. Monthly memberships in both drained my funds and I had to stop. I regained what I lost plus 16 more pounds making my heaviest weigh in 397 (documented at 399 at doctor's office). I'm done. I tried this on my own, I need help. Is this where I insert health problems? lol put me down for PCOS and thyroid issues (Graves' disease to cancer to thyroidectomy/hypothyroid function)

It helps that I have a friend who is a year out from her surgery and doing well. I spent the morning chatting with her as I'm less than a month out from my surgery date and was freaking out. Talking to her calmed me down, helped me to refocus, and to get excited about this again.

This time in my life is about me. I am currently unattached, responsible only to and for myself (ok, and two cats), and if I can lose weight and find a guy, maybe I can think about a baby (provided my very bad reproductive system gets its act together)! Bring it on

The attached photo was taken at a niece's birthday party. That is my older brother on the left and younger brother on the right. Guess which kids have weight issues (I also have a tiny older sister)? I'd like to get this sorted to give my younger brother and mom some inspiration for their own lives.

[FlyFatA$$Fly 155]

I'm an airline pilot, and we have to get an FAA physical every 6 months . If you don't pass your career is over. I hit 40 BMI, and was just barely pre-diabetic. My FAA medical examiner ( who also had VSG done about 2 years ago) gave me "the talk". He said if I kept going I wasn't going to pass my flight physicals much longer, and my career would be over. That was the kick in the butt I needed.

[brightfaith 187]

I'd thought about surgery off and on for years, but I had always concluded it wasn't right for me--too much struggle and management for someone so depressed and too much restriction for someone with a difficult binge eating disorder. Over the last 18 to 24 months, my depression has been improving (finally after decades) and I've had much more drive to live a full life. At the same time, my mobility challenges due to weight and deconditioning and worsening diabetes complications have seriously limited how much I could actually lead a fuller life. I have great fear that they will cut my life very short. I've felt a great deal of dismay over that and little hope.

Then in June, I had an amazing opportunity to travel to Hawaii, and it gave me such joy, joy like I hadn't felt in some time. And at the same time sadness -- I wanted to do so much more. I ventured into the ocean at one point and there was a bit of a step down -- not much, and none of the others on the beach seemed to have any problem with it -- but I actually wasn't able to get myself back onto the beach, losing my balance, and kept being knocked over by the surf. A lovely woman came over to help me, for which I was so grateful. But sad...I want to be able to do something as simple as go into the ocean (and get back out).

And then I decided to re-look at surgery -- it seemed to me the most effective path for addressing my mobility challenges and diabetes is surgery. I've been down the "natural" weight loss road many times and have lost, 30, 50, 70, 90 pounds in the past just to regain and mire myself further in disordered eating. Surgery provides a much better chance for long-term maintenance of weight loss and just makes more sense -- I do not want to simply repeat the past. I cannot do that to myself again. So I got up my courage and decided to move forward.

[Marblicious 130]

At the age of 35 I started taking blood pressure medication as my blood pressure was out of control. At 40 I was diagnosed with graves disease. By the time I was 45 I had hit 140kgs (308 pounds) and had my thyroid removed. I remember seeing a doctor at the time who told me "It won't be long before you are 160kgs (352 pounds). I yoyo dieted for years never making much progress and always putting the weight back on plus even more. In the last 2 years my mobility has become more and more challenging, and travelling to Asia regularly for work was dreadful. In April, my doctor told me I was Insulin resistant with a score of 30 and my cholesterol was high. I am already taking medication for depression, blood pressure, thyroid hormones and Calcium due to damage when removing my thyroid I did not want to add Insulin and Cholesterol medication to my huge list of tablets. So I bit the bullet and saw the surgeon at the end of May. Surgery was 19th June and I can honestly say it was the most difficult decision of my life but also the best decision. I have lost 35kgs (77 pounds), my insulin resistance is gone and my cholesterol is back to normal. I have even started "old ladies pilates", which is so much fun.

For the person who is bitter about this being a forced change that you must do, I truely do understand how you feel. I was very resentful about this being the only way that I could lose weight and hopefully keep it off. Angry that it is happening to me and jealous of the people who can eat anything and not gain weight. Whilst it is not quite the same thing, I feel that I also had no choice. But I am living with the changes, and they are making my life better. And whilst my quantity is limited I am not missing out on food and am able to eat anything so long as I don't eat too much.

[vrm2bfit 35]

My turning point happen when me and my husband were trying to have another child and nothing was happening. Our son is now 6 yeras old and my weight has restricted me from enjoying so many things with him. I want to be free from what is holding me back (Weight), I'd like to continue on with our healthy lifestyle habits we have practiced and see what i can do with my body. Its was time for me to take me back!

[TooneyNinosMom 50]

I have two young girls, 9 and 2. When the smallest was 18 months I just realized that I might not be alive to see her become a mother herself. I had her at 35 and weight of 311. My sister in law had the surgery and was doing really great. It was time for me to be the mother I could be now and when they are adults.

[FluffyChix 17,409]

Honestly? It was just time. After yo-yo dieting since age 9, I realized it was my fat brain rationalizing so I could eat my favorite food drugs. I have a list of co-morbidities a mile long and am 6+ years out from hormone positive breast cancer. My oncologist has been encouraging me from the 5year survivor mark to get this surgery because it could make the difference between cancer coming back or remaining in NED (no evidence of disease).

I am now realistic that given my present anatomy, and a brain with a propensity to look for pleasure and gratification from foods, that I will always be fat and sick, and sick and tired without this surgery. I've decided I'd rather live a good life in whatever years I have left, than sit immobile in a chair, depending more and more on caregivers. I'm sick and tired of living to die and being in WTD status (waiting to die).

[heyvcom 22]

Hi,

My little sister had the sleeve, my MD tole me NO, so I watched her for 6 months and she was losing so much and feeling so good that I went to a different doctor and got the sleeve too!

[BDME 138]

I work in fashion and as much as this might be the most shallow reason why. I hated not being able to wear the things I was constantly around. I was and am a confident girl. I had pre diabetes and high cholesterol but no other ailments to think of. Then I was diagnosed with PCOS which answered the question why I would work out and diet and not be able to loose any substantial weight. So while driving I heard a commercial about lab band. I inquired, went to the consultation and the dr decided I was better off with the sleeve. I did not end up using that doctor because of insurance but I was blessed with an amazing doctor who is at the top of his field at the best hospital in New York. I was taken care of immaculately. Everything went so smooth and I couldn’t be happier 3 days post op