What was your moment that had you saying " I have to do something now". For me it was seeing a picture of me on vacation sitting a bench. I would never have thought I was that big. But pictures don't lie. I was at my highest. I first went to a dietican lost 40 plus pounds and proceded to gain over half of it back. Then I found the band. I have entered "onederland" for the first time in 30 years. I thank God for the band everyday..

Mine was going to the doctor for a routine visit and finding that I had a blood pressure of over 170 over 130! Yikes! That day I started seriously pursuing it, though I had been thinking of it before. That was in September this year and I have lost about 44 pounds (I think) since about October 10. Not super fast, but sure feels good, and my BP is below normal (because of the meds I'm still on). WOW!

It built up more gradually for me. I realised how tired I always was and how unhealthy I was feeling and with 40 fast approaching, I realised I was going to be one of those fat, frumpy out of shape middle aged women and my youth would be gone forever.

The "Oh My God" moment was realising just how futile and stupid dieting is and that weight loss surgery WOULD be my answer. That I COULD do it, there was nothing to stop me and all I had to do was be brave enough.

Since I have been banded, the changes I have had to make have been fairly moderate. It has REALLY shocked me just how much those little habits add up, you dont necessarily get to be fat by being a complete pig and eating three Big Mac's in a sitting. Just that extra couple of things a day adds up over the years.

Mine was more gradual. When I could no longer walk up a flight of stairs without having to stop to breathe. When I had to go up another size in pants. When my joints hurt so bad that I could hardly stand up. It all added up. I've only lost 32 lbs so far and haven't been taken off any of my meds yet but I feel Wonderful where as I was always tired before. :frown: It's only been 3 months and I can honestly say I would do it again tomorrow!

Edited December 30, 200817 yr by simone

Well, I had tried all the diets and could only manage to stay on them for a week, two if I was lucky...then what little I lost would come back on then some. I was so tired of being fat and went to see a dietician. I was able to stay on the diet she put me on for 3 days, yes 3 days. I was so discouraged and disappointed in myself. I knew something had to change. I had talked to my husband about the lap-band before, and after talking to a family member I brought it up to him again and this time he gave me the go ahead. I am so happy to have my band and my new life....no looking back now.

For me it was when I crested 220 again after staying under 200 for almost 1 1/2 years. I just couldn't handle another failure and always ending up higher than before.

My husband, God bless him, never said a word about my weight as it crept up over the years. He was always such a gentleman about it. He loved me no matter what I looked like. The "Oh my God moment" was one night, out of the blue, after I struggled to get up off the couch and moaned in pain, my husband started sobbing. Litterallly sobbing. I was freaked out. When I asked him what was wrong, he told me that I was such a beautiful person, and he loved me so much and it ripped his guts out to think that before long he was going to have to wheel me around in a wheelchair and watch me die young. I was stunned. It hit me over the head like a sledge hammer, that my weight didn't just affect me. I went to a seminar on Bariatric Surgery the following week. It took me 11 months and several appeals to get it approved, but I stuck to my guns and did everything necessary. My beloved husband couldn't be happier.

my oh god moment was tracking what i spend on fast food over a period of 2 months and seeing that I averaged over $120 a month in fast food on me alone. I was killing myself and i was not going to see my kids grow up. I was banded on 12/3/08 and to date i have lost 30 lbs. I have about 70 more to go and I am getting healthier by the day. I am glad I got the band and do not regret the decision i made.

My moment was more gradual and I started getting serious with looking at my wedding pictures a year ago and not liking any of them because of the fat, (and the "dress" I wore to make myself look good). I seriously did not want to share the pictures with anyone and never took them to work. I was tired of being tired and feeling yucky all the time too.The final straw was hearing a statistic that said overweight people automatically take 7-10 years off their life because of their weight. There I was with a new husband that I adored, and 5 children aged 26-13. I wanted those years so I could enjoy my family and grandkids some day.

I know our time on this earth is not guaranteed, but I wanted to increase my odds! My band is the best thing I've ever done for myself!

I had two of them. One was when I realized that my mom and sister had bypass and looked fantastic, why not me.

My second on was much bigger. I had breast surgery (cancer scare) and then the flu in the span of a month when suddenly I was not able to walk. I'd lost feeling in my lower left leg and color vision in my left eye and slowly deteriorated over the next month to where I was having to use a walker to get from one room of my house to another. I've been tentatively diagnosed with MS and realized that there was a possibility that DH would someday have to help me physically more and more. I could not and would not subject him to physically trying to move a 300plus pound woman.

Talk about motivation, LOL. BTW, I'm much better now and other than numbness in my toes and some balance issues I'm doing great. I'm even able to drive again.

Everyone definitely has an ah ha moment, it's interesting to read what everyone has to say.

Christy