I thought it'd be interesting to hear people's lowest points before surgery that led them to the decision of having surgery. My lowest was being at an amusement park with my wife and son. They had a waterslide area and we decided to go on. The bottom of the steps had a sign that listed the maximum weight as 300lbs, which I knew I was around 320 at the time. I figured I could get by. We finally get all the way to the top and I see a giant scale ahead of the slides with red and green lights. My wife and son had to look on as the light went red and I had to walk my fat ass all the way back down through the crowded stairs. That really cemented it for me that it was time for a change and surgery was the right thing ahead for me.

Edited November 15, 20196 yr by ray81

I didn't have anything dramatic like that happen, mine was more gradual. I looked into the surgery several years ago and the insurance hoops I had to get through weren't worth it at that time. I looked into surgery in a few years after that and got anti'd by friends. This time, i'm not listening to anyone except my team and myself and am well on the way to having my surgery. Also, once I got to the point where taking care of myself personally was an impossibility, I knew beyond doubt that I needed a change. I mean, who but an obese person (or the disabled) can't reach their own feet???

53 minutes ago, ray81 said:

I thought it'd be interesting to hear people's lowest points before surgery that led them to the decision of having surgery. My lowest was being at an amusement park with my wife and son. They had a waterslide area and we decided to go on. The bottom of the steps had a sign that listed the maximum weight as 300lbs, which I knew I was around 320 at the time. I figured I could get by. We finally get all the way to the top and I see a giant scale ahead of the slides with red and green lights. My wife and son had to look on as the light went red and I had to walk my fat ass all the way back down through the crowded stairs. That really cemented it for me that it was time for a change and surgery was the right thing ahead for me.

I wish it didn’t take a major health crisis to wake me up. I went int diabetic ketoacidosis. Eight days in ICU. My heart stop and Dr’s revived me. Nothing like a second chance in life to force you to change.

Mine was a miscarriage... Of course, I'll never know what, if anything, caused it, but it made me realize that, if I want to have a kid and give that kid the best chance of success in life, I needed to fix my own health first.

well my breaking point came when i was taking 4 bp pills a day and 6 vicoden a day just to get through the day july 29 2018 feeling lots of back and leg and foot pain said enough is enough bp was still running 200/98 on meds and the pain was still there after taking all the vicoden now i take nothing except vitamins and feel so good bp is running 136/65 with no med s

Before I had my revision I had no idea there was a thing. I thought I would eventually make it back to my original weight (1998 302) Since nothing I tried was helping. Then came an issue where I developed gastritis, followed by an EGD which confirmed I was vomiting a bit of blood and that I had a fistula. My doc sent me to the Weight loss surgeon and that is when I learned about revisions. I am happy my DR. did this for me and I plan to take full advantage of my new start!

Mine was Being a single Dad and raising two teanagers while sitting in my office at 10:00 am and fell over out of the chair, Unable to get a breath and dizzy as hell, My office staff got me into a truck and to the ER that is only about a mile away.

I had been on a rough time losing a good friend who died in his sleep, and stress big time. It took a healthy dose of morphine to calm me down, 4 Nitro Hits to get my heart to slow down, and bags of IV fluid to get me Hydrated.

40 years of playing hard, Drinking and Stress led to 99% blockage of the widow maker! Off To the NCH Cardio Ward and in 5 days felt 25 again, But i got way to close to 400 pounds and it took a good look in the mirror and one simple question

Keep Playing hard and who is going to finish raising these kids? or get healthy!

Never been healthy or happier

Mine was being recliner chair bound, not being able to stand longer than 5 minutes, hard to wipe myself, hard to shower, asthma out the wazzoo, high bp, high heart rate, breast cancer remission, t2d, tons of meds, tons of chronic pain, tons of cortisone shots to the hips and back, not sleeping longer than 1 hour at a time, lymphedema in my left arm moving to stage III, on pain meds dailly, drinking daily to help dull the pain, and a staph infection in my foot that caused me to realize I needed the surgery my oncologist had been trying to get me to do for the two years previous to the foot infection. I would go weeks without going out of the house.

I had severe back pain and went to a new PCP. I said I wanted help with the pain and my weight and she recommended it. I, of course, said no way and waited another year. During that time my company started using my picture a lot on social media. When I was actually trying to hide my midsection behind a stuffed animal for a picture, I decided to take action.

I'd been worried for awhile about having a heart attack and lying on a table in the ER and having someone tell me there was nothing they could do until I lost at least 100 lbs. I also worried about dying and the funeral home having to search all over the state to find a crematory big enough for me.

I think my low point was when it had been almost a year since I had my heart attack I was then diagnosed with diabetes. My primary care physician asked me if I wanted a referral to weight loss surgery. That's when it hits me. I have to do something or I could die and leave my 10 year old son without me.

Being diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and being told I needed to have my gallbladder removed. I was 35 and my body was literally falling apart

14 hours ago, NYJenn said:

Being diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and being told I needed to have my gallbladder removed. I was 35 and my body was literally falling apart

Hey NYJenn - I've just looked at your stats and we're nearly gastro-twins! Roughly the same surgery date, starting weight and weight loss so far! (Although I'm 51 and you're still a spring chicken). How cool is that?! ?

My turning point was seeing a very obese woman in a mobility scooter trying to get up a steep hill. It looked like it wasn't going to make it. My first thought was - how is she going to get up that hill if the scooter breaks down? My second thought was - that's going to be me in a few years if I don't sort myself out. Scary stuff.

We went to Colombia earlier this year. I haven’t seen anyone in 4-5yrs. I had 4 kids in that absence. Lost about 60lbs before we went. Everyone- I mean everyone- was saying all these things on how fat I was . I was feeling pretty good about myself and realized I’m still REALLY big (80lbs over weight at the time) . I felt so embarrassed for my husband and my children - let alone myself.
When we came back I went off the handles like why bother I’m going to just be the fat one in the family for the rest of my life ?. Gained back the weight. Yo-yo’d for a bit and it really set in I need help. I don’t want to be the fat mom at my kids practices. I don’t want to be the mom that hides at water parks or turn down pool parties . I don’t want to be the mom too scared to go to the fair or amusement parks in fear of being too big . And ffs I’m only 30, I’m not ready to be immobile when I have a 5,4,3,2yr old.

2 hours ago, CapyCapybara said:

Everyone- I mean everyone- was saying all these things on how fat I was .

Is this normal in your culture? I would have poured them each a glass of STFU.

2 hours ago, JessLess said:

Is this normal in your culture? I would have poured them each a glass of STFU.

I’m the gringo ... so everything I do will be wrong. Plastics is HUGE in Colombia too so it might play a role into how I look to them. But, I am definitely the “Fat American” ... not for long though ?