Hello! I just joined and am so happy to find this group! I've been a yo-yo dieter all my life and, at the tender age of 52, had almost resigned myself to the unhealthy up-and-down cycle. My tipping point was reading the new Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines that came out in Sept 2020. There it was, in official black and white: Obesity is a disease, NOT a choice/lack of willpower/laziness. It was an eye-opening moment for me, and the more I read, the more empowered I felt. I've since joined several WL organizations and forums, and the shared support has been both heartbreaking and invigorating. I've found my people!!

I'm interested to know what made you decide on WLS? What was your tipping point?

On 5/17/2021 at 12:54 PM, wlh75 said:

My breaking point was just a few weeks before my 46th birthday this year, I had emergency gallbladder removal surgery & 2 weeks later I found out from my surgeon that I have an overly fatty liver & am in the 50% obese category.
I got a start on my 3 month process that my INS requires & have my sleep study & One more dietitian appointment before scheduling surgery. I'm nervous & excited.

I know just what you mean. I’m 60 and the older I get the more pills I get. All because of weight. I short my frame can’t take this weight. The weight has to come off and the pills gotta go. Period.

My tipping point was this pandemic. I previously saw weight loss surgery as 'cheating'. However, during the pandemic and preparing for life after pandemic, I did all the things: quarentined, socially distanced, only necessary outings/travel, and vaccine. Why was I looking at weight loss like this? I should do all the things - and that doesn't make me weak, that makes me wise! I got over the story I was telling myself in my head in regards to weight loss surgery and became proactive, just like I did with pandemic related mitigations.

I had multiple food allergies as an infant and toddler and became a chubby kid with a mom that restricted my eating. At age 7 my mother committed suicide and I began stealing candy from the local drug store. I hated vegetables, loved carbs, cheese and fried foods. I was alternatively rewarded and cajoled for my eating.

I managed my weight in early adulthood by doing 500 calorie a day diets and staying active. I gained 80lbs with each of my pregnancies, and stopped nursing my second child early so I could do a calorie restrictive diet. I got down to almost normal weight, then started gaining, weighing 280 lbs in my mid thirties. I divorced my husband, lost some weight, started working out. Decided I'd just get comfortable being 50-60lbs overweight and was for fifteen years. By the time I hit my 50's I was steadily gaining, then losing (no carb diets, doctor supervised diets, calorie restricted diets, personal growth programs - because certainly there was something wrong about me that I could fix!) I was depressed, borderline diabetic and took meds for blood pressure, thyroid disease, fibromyalgia, PPI for reflux and used a CPAP.

I gained an additional 40lbs during the pandemic because I literally decided I would eat anything I wanted - and I did. Shortly after the first of this year, I realized I was constantly thinking about dying. The only future I saw was of my continual decline. I could see no way to interrupt the path of my life. Then, I saw a post of an acquaintance on Facebook who had VSG four years ago. She looked fabulous and seemed so happy. I contacted her and we met for lunch. I began to consider surgery and started doing my homework on it. When my insurance turned me down, I again reached out to my friend who had gone to Mexico to have hers. She offered to accompany me if I decided to do it. I discussed it with my kids. I met with my doctors and told them what I was thinking. They all supported the surgery, although one was concerned about me traveling for it. I researched the surgeon, found Bariatricpal.com and read some of your stories. I journaled and wrote about my big why, and I began to have hope for my future. I started to imagine my life without the shame and fear around eating and food. I called everyone I knew who'd had bariatric surgery and asked them about their experiences. Finally, I called my Facebook friend back and told her I was committed. I paid my deposit, scheduled the surgery and I haven't looked back once.

Wow! I'm so excited to find you all! I've been struggling and yo-yoing for years. Almost every time I meet a new doctor, one of the first things they ask is if I want to consider WLS. I've always said NO. I really thought I could do it on my own, and I have, several times, but always gain it back and more. Now my knees are bone-on-bone and I am in constant pain. My quality of life stinks and I hate not being able to do even the most "normal" things, like clean my apartment, walk up stairs, etc. I now work at a hospital and have good benefits and noticed on our website that they are offering a virtual info session on their weight loss surgery options. So, I signed up! I found this website by searching about alcohol after WLS! lol . I have a goal for 2023, to do a Mediterranean cruise. I went on one in 2016 when I was about 30 pounds lighter. I was able to walk and get around, but I know it would have been so much better if I wasn't so heavy/morbidly obese. I want to go back and see the places we missed (I travel with my daughters) and I know if I don't get this weight off, I won't be able to do it.

Edited June 8, 20215 yr by Lose to Cruise
added content

My tipping point was concerns about blood sugar, and being pre-diabetes. Some photos of me looking bigger than ever, I didn't even recognise myself and was in disbelief for ages, sealed the deal.

Oops. I meant to include my tipping point - COVID! I work at a hospital and experiencing covid here was beyond difficult. Depression was overwhelming and every day I went home and crashed. On weekends, I binged on pizza and lots of junk food. Now that my family and I are vaccinated, I want to live life again. I want to be able to do things and not cry about being in pain constantly. ?

I would say that my tipping point was losing about 70 lbs on keto, and then regaining all (plus more) back and seeing just how much better i felt when i was doing what was right. I know that keto wasnt sustainable and after talking w/my therapist and reading online, i decided to pursue surgery. i know it wouldnt be an easy way out, but it has made me return to how much better i felt and know that i can keep going. i just moved apartments and i managed to pack and move most of my person stuff and i didnt feel like i needed a week to recoup.

and you had mentioned eating out. It's soooo difficult for me bc i enjoy eating out with my friends (esp now that covid restrictions are being lifted and we're all vaccinated) but i still have to be wary. Order apps for entrees (or find a good friend that would split their entree with you!) and maybe a side of veggies. Order only water and absolutely STOP when you're full. i get these weird hiccups when i'm full and they're very loud and embarassing so i try to avoid pushing myself.. plus, it can always be lunch the next day!

I don’t have a BMI over 40 and I am “only” 215lbs. That’s a lot of weight for me. Ive had Rheumatoid arthritis since I was 17 (I’m 43 now) and all these medications and up and down depressing anxiety fits made me put on 80lbs. I had tried everything to lose the weight to no avail. Exercise is getting hard for me and last summer I barely could hike up a mountain. I couldn’t breathe and my knees almost gave out.

There are so many things I want to do and I never thought WLS was an option because I was told I wasn’t “heavy enough”. But between the RA and my family’s history with obesity I went on a journey that started with helping my anemia first. I got a hysterectomy in March and now I am period free. Next I went to a clinic that does both surgery and medical weight loss. He explained he would do everything he could to help me and ordered tests. He told me that my quality of life and my joints would benefit greatly from WLS. I knew this but still thought I was not eligible as autoimmune disease do not count towards your approval.

He ordered a sleep test and it turns out I have sleep apnea which has me getting an excellent shot at approval.

I feel humbled and blessed to have this option. So my tipping point was last year and it’s been a slow crawl but I’m here waiting for a surgery date.

For the first time in a long time, I am hopeful.

On 06/10/2021 at 18:46, MandyLou said:

I don’t have a BMI over 40 and I am “only” 215lbs. That’s a lot of weight for me. Ive had Rheumatoid arthritis since I was 17 (I’m 43 now) and all these medications and up and down depressing anxiety fits made me out on 80lbs. I had tried everything to lose the weight to no avail. Exercising is getting hard for me and last summer I barely could hike up a mountain. I could breathe and my knees almost gave out.



There are so many things I want to do and I never thought WLS was an option because I was told I wasn’t “heavy enough”. But between the RA and my families history with obesity I went on a journey that started with helping my anemia first. I got a hysterectomy in March and now I am period free. Next I went to a clinic that does both surgery and medical weight loss. He explained he would do everything he could to help me and ordered tests. He told me that my quality of life and my joints would benefit greatly from WLS. I knew this but still thought I was not eligible as autoimmune disease do not count towards your approval.



He ordered a sleep test and it turns out I have sleep apnea which has me getting an excellent shot at approval.



I feel humbled and blessed to have this option. So my tipping point was last year and it’s been a slow crawl but I’m here waiting for a surgery date.



For the first time in a long time, I am hopeful.

Best of luck!

My tipping point was March of this year, about two weeks after I had my gall bladder surgery. I was sitting on the couch, bored out of my brain because I had a 5lb weight restriction and I couldn’t do anything I wanted to do. I realized that if I didn’t do something, this was going to be my life in the future. I didn’t want that, so I looked up the local clinic and away I went. Surgery scheduled for July 13 now and I’m getting all my ducks in a row. Trying to finish my house remodel before the date—extreme nesting, you might call it.

My husband is very active, and I was previously very active too, but over the years as I gained weight, I could no longer keep up with him. He and a friend went on a week-long mountain biking trip and while he was away I started plotting my plan to be able to do the trip WITH him the following year. I called a surgeon, and was able to get in for my first class within a day or 2 of my call. When I picked my husband up from his trip, I told him all about my appointment and that I was going to have WLS. He was (and still is!) so supportive and so excited for me!

OH yeah...the next year, we went on that mountain biking trip TOGETHER!!! It was during Covid, so we had to modify the route (campgrounds closed), but we did it!!! I looked super cute in my biking outfits too! LOL!!!

Hello. Going for consultation next Monday. I have been approved for surgery and blue cross blue shield has my case opened for 1 month now. Wondering how long will have to wait for surgery?? Any thoughts??

When insurance added coverage…

My tipping point: My butt being too big for some seats or clothes, not feeling sexy often, body discomforts, lower self esteem/confidence, not sitting on my husband's lap anymore, not getting on top when being intimate with my husband, health risks, health problems, not wearing a bikini/ belly shirts, my son poking at me and saying " mom you have a big butt and big stomach", being at my current weight of 333lbs!!! I am soooo OVER it!!! I can't believe I did this to myself. My yo yo diets did not give long term results, it is time to get professional/medical help. I am happy and grateful for the opportunity to get gastric bypass surgery soon!

My tipping point was learning I was pre-diabetic and my BMI over 40. Also not wanting to go clothes shopping with my sister or friends because I couldn’t buy anything at the stores they shopped at. So glad I finally made the decision to do something ?