Kind of a poll!

I've had drs suggest WLS surgery to me for the last 5 years. I always thought I could do it myself if I just had more "discipline". But, my health really started to deteriorate in the past 5 years. I got breast cancer, high blood pressure, I was pre-diabetic. Both my parents are in terrible health and they are only 61 and 62 years old (I'm 44). Neither of them can walk unaided, my mother has congestive heart failure and has had 2 kinds of cancer, my dad has type II diabetes, high blood pressure and so on. I feel sure this was my future. Finally, my knees started causing me great pain. An Ortho knee doc told me that I needed to get 100 lbs off or I'd be in a wheelchair in the next 5 years. He suggested WLS and I took it seriously this time and did what I needed to get approved. I cannot describe how great I feel at losing 95.5 lbs! What a difference! I still have a long way to go, but, the great thing is, it feels doable for the first time in my life! Lori 384/288.5/170

My husband and I had been trying to get pregnant since 1999. We'd done all the fertility tests, and every doctor kept telling me that if I lost the weight, I would definitely have a better chance. I ignored it, and thought that since I wanted it so badly, I would be one of those people that miraculously got pregnant. So, two years ago, I went to my first WL seminar. I was too scared of failure at that time to commit to the program. I continued to have high blood pressure and Diabetes, and one day, my PCP said that she wasn't as worried about the hypertension and diabetes as she was that I was so young and I had so many years ahead of me to develop all the complications that go along with the diseases. That did it for me. I was barely able to control the problems I had, and I could not imagine adding more problems to it over the years. So, now I'm waiting for my 1 year anniversary to see if that family is still in the picture for us. If it isn't, we'll be just fine. I am so happy to be getting my health back!

I was searching the internet for yet another weight loss miracle. My PCP was not very helpful - he was of the "put your fork down" school of thought so I was doing some investigation. As I was searching, I came across the American Obesity Association and started reading one of their studies. It talked about how women who gain weight in a certain time of their life have higher risks, women who carry weight in a certain way have higher risks, etc. I learned about Lymphedema, which I don't have and had never heard of, but by reading about it, realized my paternal grandmother suffered from, and my dad, to a lesser extent. In addition, I found myself at 29 years old, having to scoot down the stairs from my bedroom in the morning because my hips, knees and ankles hurt so bad. My BP was getting up there, too. For me, it was a process, not one defining moment. In fact, I didn't even realize that I qualified until I ran into this website. After I realized I DID quailify, I never felt so fat in my life... Weird, huh?

For me, it was a couple of things. First - I was only 27 years old and I had to carry around a pill case just to remember to take all of my meds. High blood pressure (by the way, when I went to the doctor this week, my BP was 100/68 ), diabetes, severe depression, etc. My eight year old and 2 year old didn't deserve to have a mommy who couldn't even get in the floor to play with them because she couldn't get back up. Second - my brother graduated from the VA State Police academy and of course, the cameras were pulled out to commemorate the moment. I saw the pictures and burst into tears. Who was that fat chick in the photos. I started researching soon afterwards and in February of this year, I met with my PCP to discuss the possibility of WLS. She referred me and the rest is history!

I was tired of being tired all the time. Diabetes was out of control. BP was creeping up, and when my faithful old size 20's started getting to tight and little. I knew it was time. I had seen several people go through it with great success. I am sad to say I was approved last year in December, but chickened out, but by May, I knew it was now or never. I really am glad I did this for me.