Everyone: What was your turning point in your life that made you decide the wls route?

[Ausgirl5 23]

Lots and lots of little things just kept piling up. Then we got a new surgeon at the hospital where I work and he did a lunch and learn session to introduce himself and educate us about what he does. ( We had not previously had a bariatric surgeon)

He spoke for an hour about what he does and how it works and why it works and who should have it. I spent the hour alternating between tears and disbelief. He could have been talking about me! I now tell him it was his audition and I was sold. 4 days til surgery and I can't wait to start the rest of my life

[Christine330 6]

I had reached my highest weight ever after my grandmother passed away in 2013. I was 330 lbs at 5'3". I didn't even realize it until I went for my annual gyn exam in the summer of 2015. (Before that, I was maintaining at 280.) When my Doctor very bluntly told me since I just lost my job it would be the perfect time to have gastric bypass. I was shocked and hurt. I couldn't wait to get out of there. Nevermind the fact you can't collect unemployment if you're unable to work like due to major surgery! So cut to 2016, I've been suffering from low back pain since my early 20's but now it's gotten so bad I have to use the scooter at Walmart to go shopping or my back will seize up and my left leg and foot will go numb with pain. I rely on my mom to help me shop too. I'm so tired of being stared at and laughed at. Enough is enough, I talked to my PCP in December and he was very supportive. I went to Dr. Giovanni's seminar and made an appointment on April 27, 2017. I weighed 293 lbs. I was turning 40 on August 6th and on September 19th I had gastric bypass! I weighed 255 that morning. It has not been easy, trying to get in my Protein and fluids is so much harder than I thought it would be. But I'm off my blood pressure medicine and I'm losing weight so quickly. Tomorrow it will be 4 weeks since my surgery and I'm down to 234 lbs.

[Leese_A_New_Life 58]

On 10/8/2017 at 4:13 PM, GlowingGal said:

I tried all the fad diets, would lose 20 pounds, then hit a plateau. I eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, drink lots of Water, but continue to put on the pounds. Of course, my discouragement led me to eat unhealthy foods to "comfort" me. In February of this year, my PCP suggested I consider WLS, but I didn't think it was an option because I didn't think my insurance would cover it. I suppose I should have read my benefits better. I have high cholesterol, sleep apnea, and GERD. I am in higher education and have more than enough degrees to advance my career, but seem to get passed up for those promotions. So to answer your question, the turning point was a combination of gaining an additional 25 pounds in a few short weeks, feeling miserable all the time, embarrassed about the way my body looks (I'm attractive from the first chin up), and the co-morbidities that hold me back from living the life I deserve. I started my liquid diet today and look forward to 3 months from now when I have healed from the surgery and created some sort of normalcy for myself. I'm tired of the appointments, prep, and worry of what to experience immediately after surgery.

I have a similar story to yours and can very much relate to what you are saying about higher education. I have my BS degree in Exercise Science and am about to graduate in December with my Master's in Public Health. Here I am at nearly 300lbs and I feel I am discredited or looked over bc "how can someone obese know anything about public health,health prevention, and being healthy" I eat organic, gluten free, and dairy free (most of the time), don't drink soda, love Water, making Protein Shakes, and juicing!! My diagnosis of Hashimoto's disease makes it nearly impossible for me to see quantitative results, which got very discouraging. Then I gained 25 lbs in the last 4 months and saw a full length picture of myself and yikes! Like you said it was the combination of events that led me to my decision. Best of luck to you on your journey!

[xoxococojay 842]

I have been overweight for as long as I could remember. Like most of us here, I would go on crazy diets, or severely restricting diets and lose some weight, but I would get sick and then fall back into old habits. Every time I would work out and get into a good pattern, I would end up sick as well. I had an extremely hard time giving birth with my son and had Hellp syndrome. Finally, I lost all the weight from that and was under 200 pounds for the first time in 10 years. I started to get chest pains and was told to stop exercising until they figured it out. The weight crept back on even though I was eating in moderation. Finally, they determined nothing was wrong with my heart. The past time, I joined the Y and I ended up in the hospital with pleurisy. They gave me dilaudid for the pain and it caused a vasovagal reaction and I went into cardiac arrest and died for 3 minutes. I found out through this experience that I have lupus, hashimotos thyroiditis, and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. Pretty much a syndrome of autoimmune diseases. I was told that I would never be able to lose the amount of weight that I needed to naturally. So weight loss surgery was suggested and I got into a great program that takes it very seriously and considers it a lifelong lifestyle change. I read a lot of books and blogs and vlogs and posts on here. Finally, while I know due to my thyroid I may never hit my goal weight, I will be a lot healthier and my joints will feel a lot better. Surgery is tomorrow and I am so excited to start this new journey.

Wow that is so moving. Congrats on taking your life back. I'm wishing you all the best and a safe recovery tomorrow.

[xoxococojay 842]

My sugar levels were very high and I got medication and was not working! The pills that can work were not for me because I had pancreatitis...I have to do something!
I have the surgery and now I do not need any pills...my sugar levels are normal and I am 7 weeks from surgery.

Yay!!! Congrats on not needing your meds anymore. So proud!

[xoxococojay 842]

My turning point for wls was my health. My ac1 was climbing higher, my cholesterol was getting higher,my blood pressure was getting higher and I had to be put on meds for these ailments. I had knee replacement on one knee and was told I need it on other knee.
I am 7 months post surgery and list 85 lbs. I am at my goal weight. Started at 220 lbs and now at 135lbs and still losing weight. I had blood work done and everything is normal. No more meds!!! My knees feel great!!! No surgery needed.
I am so Happy I made this decision [emoji23]!

Sent from my D6708 using BariatricPal mobile app

That was so inspiring. I'm glad you've already hit your goal weight too!

[xoxococojay 842]

The moment that I started down this road was after I started having several health issues some of which my doctors could not even explain. I currently work as a Medic/Firefighter and was struggling with maintaining my weight as well as having to get new uniforms and was outgrowing those way to fast. I needed to get this under control, I lost my father due to problems that were related to his weight as well as issues acquired in Vietnam. I had to do better and had already tried quite a few diets and I actually was OVER the yo-yo weight loss/gain and trying the newest diet fads. I was sick and tired of being ashamed of my weight, or taking pictures with my shirt off, I was tired of barely fitting in a airplane seat, I was tired of not being able to get on amusement park rides due to my size. I was tired of sitting out on life and missing out on fun things with the family because I am ashamed of my weight. At one time I was down over 100 pounds and running a 5k in less than 27 minutes so I knew what it was like to be fit, I desired to go back to that point and get healthier. After trying another diet and gaining the weight back I decided to try this route and even though I am only a little over one month out from my surgery date I know that I have made the right decision and know that I am on the right track. I know I have this and am giving it everything that I have so I can live a longer happier life without the health issues that the excess weight brings with it!

I can totally relate to this. Great post! Thanks for sharing, i'm so glad you're on track and healthy.

[xoxococojay 842]

I work in fashion and as much as this might be the most shallow reason why. I hated not being able to wear the things I was constantly around. I was and am a confident girl. I had pre diabetes and high cholesterol but no other ailments to think of. Then I was diagnosed with PCOS which answered the question why I would work out and diet and not be able to loose any substantial weight. So while driving I heard a commercial about lab band. I inquired, went to the consultation and the dr decided I was better off with the sleeve. I did not end up using that doctor because of insurance but I was blessed with an amazing doctor who is at the top of his field at the best hospital in New York. I was taken care of immaculately. Everything went so smooth and I couldn’t be happier 3 days post op

It's not shallow. I think secretly everyone wishes they could fit into super cute clothes.

[xoxococojay 842]

Honestly? It was just time. After yo-yo dieting since age 9, I realized it was my fat brain rationalizing so I could eat my favorite food drugs. I have a list of co-morbidities a mile long and am 6+ years out from hormone positive breast cancer. My oncologist has been encouraging me from the 5year survivor mark to get this surgery because it could make the difference between cancer coming back or remaining in NED (no evidence of disease).
I am now realistic that given my present anatomy, and a brain with a propensity to look for pleasure and gratification from foods, that I will always be fat and sick, and sick and tired without this surgery. I've decided I'd rather live a good life in whatever years I have left, than sit immobile in a chair, depending more and more on caregivers. I'm sick and tired of living to die and being in WTD status (waiting to die).

I love this!!! Thank you so much for sharing and being so open. Love all your posts btw. I'm proud of you for making that decision! And congrats on 5 years of being cancer free.

[xoxococojay 842]

Thank you all for sharing. I realize this is a touchy emotional subject for most of us. Everyone had great responses and i love how open everyone was to sharing. I think many of us can relate to your reasons for deciding to go down the wls route. Best of luck to everyone on your journey.



I just realized that i totally forgot to post my own reason (which seems so minor and insignificant compared to everyone else). I chose the weight loss surgery route because a switch went off in my head one day. Long story short: my office had just moved into a new secured building and the elevator was broken. I had to go up 7 flights of stairs with my laptop bag and honestly i was so out of shape and out of breath that i thought i was going to die. To make matters worse i wasn't by myself i was walking up with a co worker twice my age and twice my size and he was just fine. In that moment, i realized it was all down hill from there health wise and i had to do something to get the weight off and keep it off. I honestly just felt like it was to much weight for my frame and i didn't want to have other health problems or pain.

I just wish i had done something about it sooner. I think because my weight never affected my self esteem, i chose to ignore it for so long. I needed that moment to be mentally ready for this journey.

[njgal 535]

Thank you all for sharing. I realize this is a touchy emotional subject for most of us. Everyone had great responses and i love how open everyone was to sharing. I think many of us can relate to your reasons for deciding to go down the wls route. Best of luck to everyone on your journey.



I just realized that i totally forgot to post my own reason (which seems so minor and insignificant compared to everyone else). I chose the weight loss surgery route because a switch went off in my head one day. Long story short: my office had just moved into a new secured building and the elevator was broken. I had to go up 7 flights of stairs with my laptop bag and honestly i was so out of shape and out of breath that i thought i was going to die. To make matters worse i wasn't by myself i was walking up with a co worker twice my age and twice my size and he was just fine. In that moment, i realized it was all down hill from there health wise and i had to do something to get the weight off and keep it off. I honestly just felt like it was to much weight for my frame and i didn't want to have other health problems or pain.

I just wish i had done something about it sooner. I think because my weight never affected my self esteem, i chose to ignore it for so long. I needed that moment to be mentally ready for this journey.

No such thing as insignificant. If it gets you thinking, then it’s good!

[xoxococojay 842]

No such thing as insignificant. If it gets you thinking, then it’s good!

Aww thank you!

[JohnnyCakes 593]

was tired of being fat.

[GrrlAnn 177]

For me it was being declined for extra life insurance based solely on my BMI. I had been working out and eating right for a straight year and losing maybe 10 lbs! That threw me off the fence and into the surgery. Best decision ever!

Sent from my XT1585 using BariatricPal mobile app

[ctdan 35]

Was thinking about it for 2 years, then this past Jan I finally broke the 300 barrier and I found I needed a pillow to lay on the floor to play with my daughter.

5'10 Sleeved 9/25/17 HW: 309 SW: 278
CW: 253 GW: 190