Was there a pivotal moment that made you say I’m doing this?

[GreenTealael 24,850]

Trying to choose, between 2 types of brain surgeries, 1 eye surgery or a spine surgery...
I readily chose this path

[amandamellor18 37]

I decided after my GP told me he didn’t see any other way to lose the amount I needed to others than WL surgery. Tried the diets, pills, etc - you know the drill. I was turning 50 and I was tired of failing and being obsessed with how heavy I was. It was all I thought about - that and food lol.
THE best decision I have ever made. I have energy like I did in my 30’s. My cholesterol and the rest of my numbers are like a 16 year old, said my doctor.
My surgery was 5/31/18 I was 5’2” and 220 lbs, today I am 134 and I couldn’t be happier

[starladustangel 269]

It was my mom. She is having vsg next week and one of the things she said was she wanted to play with her grandkids. 2 of those grandkids are my kids and I can't play with them the way I would like. It hit me that if I didn't do something now at 38 I would still be yo yo dieting when I am her age. I knew my insurance would cover it because my coworkers had done it. I called my insurance and found out what I needed to do and signed up for a seminar

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[Recidivist 1,141]

On 2/14/2019 at 4:48 PM, amandamellor18 said:

I decided after my GP told me he didn’t see any other way to lose the amount I needed to others than WL surgery. Tried the diets, pills, etc - you know the drill. I was turning 50 and I was tired of failing and being obsessed with how heavy I was. It was all I thought about - that and food lol.
THE best decision I have ever made. I have energy like I did in my 30’s. My cholesterol and the rest of my numbers are like a 16 year old, said my doctor.
My surgery was 5/31/18 I was 5’2” and 220 lbs, today I am 134 and I couldn’t be happier

I have a very similar story, Amanda. I started thinking about doing this three years ago and actually met with a doctor at that time--but I kept thinking I could lose this weight on my own (and I'm sure I could, because I have lost and regained the same 60 pounds multiple times over the past 30 years).

Fast forward to 2018. I was having a physical and my doctor said I needed to lose weight. I am 59, and he told me that at my age there was very little chance for me to lose a meaningful amount of weight and keep it off without surgery. Then he said that if I didn't have the surgery, I had about 10 to 12 more years before having a massive stroke or heart attack. That did the trick!

I will admit, however, that it will be nice to board a plane and not have everyone looking at me and thinking, "I hope the fat guy isn't sitting next to me."

Edited February 16, 2019 by Recidivist

[Lolo 2020 236]

I am very active , spin and yoga , and ride my horse in 3 day events which include cross country jumping . At 238lbs my poor mare and I could not make the time and my fiancé told me last May I was the fattest person riding . I said enough and headed to the doctor . Sleeved in December , in 190’s and floating down to hopefully the 160’s as goal . Best thing I ever did !

[DanaC84 1,116]

Mine is health related but in a round about way. I’ve had high bp, diabetes, high cholesterol, Migraines, the list can go on and on but you get the idea. But that was my every day life and I was complacent about it. One night when all the kids and grand kids were over I was making dinner. At the time I had a granddaughter that would hardly eat anything other than Mac n cheese. While reaching to the back burner to stir another pot my pinky was up against the boiling pan. I didn’t feel a thing until it was already a 3rd degree burn. That was my ah ha moment. I had no idea my nerve damage had become so severe in my hands and feet from my diabetes . I’m not sure I can reverse any of that damage but I’m sure praying that it’s halted.

[Emma2.0 38]

My moment was when I couldn’t buckle my seat on a flight and being too embarrassed to ask for a seat belt extender. So I sat the whole flight with my arms across my belly in hopes the flight attendant wouldn’t notice. I also haven’t been able to play and chase my 9 year old like I use to. I have gained 45-50 lbs since May 2018 due to bipolar medications. Now I am the happiest and most content I have ever been in my whole adulthood. So I am ready for my outside to match how good I feel on the inside.

[JaDa1972 9]

It was 2 things that happened within a week of each other. I work on the fifth floor and we had an emergency drill which I had to go down 5 flights of stairs ( I actually thought about staying behind on the 3rd floor and hope no one would notice). All I could think about was if this was a real fire not only would my life be in danger but anyone trying to help me would be in danger because of my weight! The following week (December 2018) I had to go to my daughters college graduation for her bachelors degree . It was an indoor stadium and I could not fit in the seat. I had to squeeze myself side ways, half hanging out of the chair and praying that the seat didn't break. I was in so much pain by the time my daughter got her diploma that the tears were for my pinched legs and not so much for the special moment and I was so glad when it was over! I promised myself in that parking lot after taking the most horrible pictures that by the next year for her last graduation I will fit in the seat!

[AutumnG 26]

I walked in a popular 5K in June 2018. I was actually training myself to run it, but it didn't happen that way.

I'd taken a picture with my participation medal, and the picture was posted by the photographer on a website so that people could go and grab theirs if they wanted. Before I was able to get to the website, I got a notification that someone Id met at the race that morning posted the pic and tagged me on FB. When I saw the picture, I broke down in tears. I was angry that the girl posted it because it seemed weird for he to post a picture of ME, but I was disgusted at the way I looked. I tried so hard to find good in that picture and I just couldn't.

That did it. I was 100% tired of being big.

-AtA

[mrs_brontosaurus 12]

My moment that really solidified this choice for me was when I had to take my son to the hospital. He was six months old and suddenly got sick. I had to take him to the children’s hospital. He was miserable and he was crying and being walked around helped him calm down a bit. I could barely do it. I have gotten so heavy that my hips, knees, and back ache. I am so fat that I couldn’t comfort my baby as good as I should have. I don’t ever want my weight to impact my children so I’m doing something about it. It’s a big commitment and not something I’m taking lightly. I need to do this, though.

[Sheribear68 3,200]

Mine was 2 events that happened within a couple weeks of each other.
Back in 2009 I was diagnosed at the age of 40 with TNBC, which is automatically a stage 3 and is mandatory chemo.
After a year of chemo and radiation (guess who actually managed to GAIN 40 pounds while on a year of chemo-yup, this girl) I decided that I was never again going to get cancer.
I fought so dang hard for my life and knowing that the #1 risk factor for cancer is obesity, I vowed to lose weight. And I did.
I spent the following 3 years running 10-15 miles/week, going to the gym, hiring a personal trainer, and religiously logging food and eating under 1600 calories/day.
I lost 40 pounds in those 3 years.
Then I got laid off of my job, had a a death in the family and loads of stress. Regained the 40 pounds in under 8 months.
Fast-forward to January 2018.
I went in for a mammogram and I had several enlarged lymph nodes, so my oncologist was convinced I had lymphoma.
Also in January we had a family girls trip to universal Orlando and I fully had to sit out of half the rides because I couldn’t fit.
Okay so I didn’t have lymphoma, but that scare along with the family trip convinced me something had to give.
I still took many months talking to health care professionals and doing my homework and making sure I was truly ready to make this leap, but on 2/6 this year I was sleeved.
Since then, I’m down 20 pounds. And down 35 overall from when I started.
HW: 259
SW: 244
CW: 223
GW: 150
Height is 5’6.5

[Lolo 2020 236]

Congratulations - ur an amazing survivor !!i know u will get where u need to be , and most importantly happy and healthy !

[ShrinkingMichael 21]

Had my big moment trying to play tag w my 4-ur-old granddaughter at a park. Way too quickly I was indeed and dizzy. Dawned on me that my love affair w food needed to end—and that I loved my grandkids more and wanted to be alive to see them grow up and to have an ACTIVE part in their lives. I’m 5’ 11’’ and started at almost 370 a year ago, sleeved in Aug, and am at 280 now. Love exercising and feeling good! First plane trip since weight loss coming up in a couple days! No regrets, want to lose 50 more.

[NZR 21]

I fell down one night into my hand and the shock smashed my elbow in about a dozen pieces. It was a simple fall which I am sure would not have had the same result had I been smaller. No doctor will admit that though, but that was the final straw that made up my mind.

[JessLess 1,163]

I’ve had a lot of friends who have had various types of WLS and as a yo-yo dieter I’ve thought about it for years. Then my degenerative disc disease became serious chronic pain. I sought out a better PCP to talk about the pain and my weight and she recommended WLS. As a health at any size activist and feminist, I said “no way.” Then I read about Roxanne Gay’s surgery. My back got worse. I started representing the company I work for at conventions and they put my pictures all over social media. Pictures where I was usually trying to hide my middle. One more friend got a VGS and lost 100 lbs. I talked to her and met with the surgeon shortly after.