I have my surgery booked in 4 weeks time - it still feels too far away to be real in all honesty. My head was all over the place - am I making the right decision, am taking the easier way out ( I know it’s not!), am I being selfish spending such a large amount of money on myself ect ect. We had a family gathering last weekend, one of the first ones since Covid and lots of photos were taken. I saw said photos today. I burst into tears. I know and photo gate only reinforced that WLS is the right decision for me. I’ve been a yo yo dieter for as long as I can remember, I’ve been every size you can think of - but always always end up fatter than I started. Self esteem is non existent. I need to stop letting my weight control me and the quality of my life and decisions. Bring on 4th Sept.

When did you know, WLS was the right course of action for you?

I knew when I realized that my weight was standing in the way of me doing things I wanted to do in a meaningful way. Also...I checked my insurance and found they had started covering bariatric surgery.

I just realized that my weight and the way it made me feel we’re keeping me from living as my true self. My aunt knew how my weight was keeping me from wanting to do things and she knew someone who just got the sleeve and she introduced me to her. After seeing her success I started researching like crazy and made my first appointment shortly thereafter.

I knew when I was starting to feel unhealthy after being so sedentary during the pandemic and I wasn't even enjoying my food anymore, just shoveling it in. I had developed asthma and GERD in a short period of time and had gained back the last of the 100 lbs that I lost 6 years ago.

I had considered bariatric surgery a few times, but I was always too scared. Now I'm too scared of being unable to keep up with the activities I enjoy (travel and hiking) to not have surgery. But I'm still scared of surgery!

On 08/02/2021 at 17:16, lizonaplane said:

I knew when I was starting to feel unhealthy after being so sedentary during the pandemic and I wasn't even enjoying my food anymore, just shoveling it in. I had developed asthma and GERD in a short period of time and had gained back the last of the 100 lbs that I lost 6 years ago.

I had considered bariatric surgery a few times, but I was always too scared. Now I'm too scared of being unable to keep up with the activities I enjoy (travel and hiking) to not have surgery. But I'm still scared of surgery!

Me too! I have young children, 2 year old twin girls - and am so scared of surgery and coping afterwards - but then I think how much healthier I know I can be and I’ll be able to do so much more with them as they grow up and know it’s the right thing to do. But yes, still flipping scared stiff x

Ps - I am with you on feeling unhealthy. When is your surgery?

5 minutes ago, Squidgy101 said:

Me too! I have young children, 2 year old twin girls - and am so scared of surgery and coping afterwards - but then I think how much healthier I know I can be and I’ll be able to do so much more with them as they grow up and know it’s the right thing to do. But yes, still flipping scared stiff x

Ps - I am with you on feeling unhealthy. When is your surgery?

Just got my date! Sept 13. Hopefully you can have support from your family. I have my parents coming to help me for two weeks, but I don't think I'll need it that long. I can't imagine how hard it would be if I had kids!

I knew it when I decided to have it.

Good luck,

Tek

when I realized I probably wouldn't live to see my 60th birthday if I didn't get all that weight off pronto. I'd tried and tried and tried for decades (I had surgery at age 55). I always, always, always regained it. I was just spinning my wheels. So even though I kept telling myself I could do it on my own, realistically, I couldn't. I'd tried. Hundreds of times. I knew surgery was my only choice. And I'm SO GLAD I did it!!

On 08/02/2021 at 17:34, lizonaplane said:

Just got my date! Sept 13. Hopefully you can have support from your family. I have my parents coming to help me for two weeks, but I don't think I'll need it that long. I can't imagine how hard it would be if I had kids!

Thats great, let’s keep in touch. I suspect it won’t be easy but nothing worth it ever is:-) x

I knew that WLS was the right course of action for me because I have already tried everything else....I would lose like 30 pounds but than gained a 100 back within just half of a year. I started at 470lbs last December and I lost 70lbs to have my surgery, im now at 330lbs and it hasn't even been a year yet. I knew that if I didn't do anything, I would of stay depressed, still be experiencing a lot of back pain, and would probably end up in the hospital and, or dead. This has been the best decision I have made, it hasn't been easy but its been easier than it was being at 470lbs.

Edited August 2, 20215 yr by Kat L

I couldn’t lose a single kg of my menopausal weight gain which had put me 16kg over the highest I’d ever been in my life. (15kg in less than 6 months to my highest weight & then another 16kg the following year & I hadn’t changed a single thing in my diet or activity.) My feet ached at times, my fitness wasn’t great & I knew there were a lot of health complications in front of me if I didn’t do something.

Woke up one morning, said enough & made an appointment with my GP. About a month later I had my surgery. So glad I did it.

Good luck with your surgery.

I knew surgery was the only choice for me when my younger sister gave birth to her second daughter in February 2019. I was 389 pounds and my health had only been declining as the years passed. When I first held my niece I was hit with the realization that if I didn't do something then I wouldn't be around to watch her grow up. It broke my heart. I was only 31 at the time (I just turned 34 last month) and I was absolutely sure that I'd be dead before I turned 40 if things didn't change. I'd done numerous diets over the years and nothing worked so surgery was really the only option for me if I wanted to be around to watch her grow up as I'd been able to watch her sister grow up. It's one of the best decisions that I ever made for myself. And, since I made that choice, and made that change, my sister has given me my first nephew and my brother gave me another niece. I get to watch all three of my nieces (ages 12, 2, and 17 months) and my nephew (age 9 months) grow up without having to worry that I'm not going to be around for them. My family has always been my strength and has always helped pull me through the worst times of my life and the idea of not being around to watch the youngest family members grow up into these amazing and complex little people were what pushed me into making the choice for surgery. I'm grateful every day that I made that choice.

Hi, A while ago I went to a friends funeral in a small town in England. My friend had to stay outside in the hearse because him and his coffin were to big to get in and out of the church. Too fat to go to his own funeral. It broke my heart. I would not want my family to go through this. Its the ultimate fat shaming.

In the UK, During the pandemic, if you had some conditions you were told to stay home. I never went outside for 15 months. It was immensely hard. I got so depressed by it all. I gained 40 pounds and lost a huge amount of fitness. I would hate to loose my health to a greater degree and gain more weight . I have now been told I am diabetic and panicking somewhat. That oversized coffin is waiting for me in my mind. I am fed up with the whole idea of being a fat woman. I am over doing the Weight Watchers/ Slimming world they have way too much of my money already . I am ready to try another way

On 08/03/2021 at 11:36, summerseeker said:

Hi, A while ago I went to a friends funeral in a small town in England. My friend had to stay outside in the hearse because him and his coffin were to big to get in and out of the church. Too fat to go to his own funeral. It broke my heart. I would not want my family to go through this. Its the ultimate fat shaming.

In the UK, During the pandemic, if you had some conditions you were told to stay home. I never went outside for 15 months. It was immensely hard. I got so depressed by it all. I gained 40 pounds and lost a huge amount of fitness. I would hate to loose my health to a greater degree and gain more weight . I have now been told I am diabetic and panicking somewhat. That oversized coffin is waiting for me in my mind. I am fed up with the whole idea of being a fat woman. I am over doing the Weight Watchers/ Slimming world they have way too much of my money already . I am ready to try another way

Such an honest post - thank you for sharing. Onwards and upwards - and yes I won’t miss WW or slimming world either. I was reading the Bariatric bible and they make a reference to no longer being on a diet or counting calories - just a healthier lifestyle change, clinging to that. All the best with surgery can’t wait to hear how you get on x

I just felt horrible on a daily basis and couldn’t take it anymore. All
Of my previous attempts at keeping my weight down through the years didn’t work any longer. I was getting too big and the stress on my already arthritic joints was too much for me to be able to over exercise like I did previously. Gained close to 100 lbs in 3 years because of that. Best decision of my life and I don’t regret the surgery in the least bit.

Chiming in here. I knew it was time to consider it after I put on almost 100 lbs in the last 2 years. I lost about 70 lbs before and felt the best I had in my entire life. Sadly, I had my stints of gaining a little bit back and then losing it and then gaining more back. However I realized in the grand scheme of things, I was overall gaining more weight than I'd lose during crash diets. Fast forward and I did a diet bet with some friends of mine realizing I ballooned past 310 lbs and feeling completely out of control, especially in contrast with friends who's weights felt normal to me.

I then injured my knee pretty bad the beginning of 2021 and now have immense pain when doing any weight baring activities, even going up the stairs. I gained 20 lbs after injuring my knee as I couldn't do my walks for a bit. I felt so tired and sick. My legs were burning when I'd walk less than a mile. I got super depressed feeling like not too long ago I was running 2 miles a day during my big weight loss journey. Feeling like I have a useless body and 0 control has really been the lowest of the low.

I've had wls in my mind for most of my adult life but was too afraid. It's bittersweet that I needed to hit a rock bottom to go up but in a screwed up way, I'm glad I took a lot of time to think about it. I realized the pain and unhappiness I feel being uncomfortable in my own skin is much worse than a surgery and I view it as regardless of surgery or non surgical weight loss methods, changing how and when I eat will always be a part of the equation. The surgery is just the tool I've needed.. I just see all the pros greatly outweigh the cons.

There was a response in this thread that says nothing was harder than being 400 lbs. I'm feeling the exact same. I had my first consultation last month. I have my dietician and testing tomorrow morning and If I'm successful with my treatment plan, I'll be able to get the surgery after October 2021.

I'm scared SHITLESS (excuse my language) but I know this is the right thing for me. I'm ready to win the war now.