Why Did You Decide To Have Surgery?

Good Morning Yall, As I was doing my morning reading on all the boards I visit on OH, I came across a post on the main board about why people decide to have surgery.  So I figured I would post it in here, and see what my MD Group says....lol For me, I decided to have surgery for alot of different reasons but the one thing that always stands out in my mind is when me and my kids were all out at Target and I bumped into an old friend and we were talking.  Well we had both gained weight and was talking about that and my 4 year old (at the time) decided to put here two cents in and say "***putting her hand on my stomach***my mama doesn't have a baby in her stomach, its just fat"...we both started laughing, but deep inside that really was sooooooooooo humiliating for me.  I mean I couldn't really be upset that she said it because it was true.  In addition, I decided to have the surgery because of my growing medical concerns and the increase of weight over the years.  I have tried sooooooooooo many diets, and I lose some weight, but it always seems to come back.  I'm constantly tired, no energy, and the pain in my hips/knees/back just keeps me on the couch.  I want to be able to do things with my kids, go running with them, and basically just be with them as they grow up.  I just want to be a healthier person.  I want to nip in the bud now.  I love my mom dearly, but I don't want to have the problems she has when I get older. Well, so let me hear from the rest of yall! Teri

very good question, my dear. i resisted the idea of surgery for a long time, believing that i should be able to do this for myself. but when the only other option was get arrested so i couldn't eat, i decided to try surgery. but here are the other reasons: 1. i was 340lbs and gaining more every year. 2. I couldn't stick to a diet for more than two weeks. 3. I have PCOS and insulin resistance and studies were showing RNY would significantly help or cure the insulin resistance. 4. I want to have a child before I am too old. 5. I want to live my life instead of hide from it.

I have always been fat!  I can't remember a time when I wasn't.  One day I was in our local Verizon store and sat down on one of the benches.  I didn't realize how low it was and when I went to get up, I COULDN"T!  My knees just would not let me get up.  I actually had to ask another customer (who was very sweet about it!) to help me get up.  Right then and there I decided that this was enough! I was tired of not feeling good and being tired all of the time. I had thought about having surgery but wasn't sure since at that time I was uninsured and with a hubby on disability, just wouldn't be able to afford it.  But, I have a wonderful job with an awesome company and now have great insurance.  Sure, there have been some huge bumps in my journey but with the help of friends, a wonderful surgeon/friend and God, I was able to have surgery.  Next.......Deb

Hey T! As we discussed at lunch, I, too, was ALWAYS overweight.  In fact, my very first memory of kindergarten involves being teased.  It's profound in that I can still remember what I wore that day, too!!! Along with all of the limitations and illnesses associated with being obese, I just wanted to really LIVE.  For me most of all, but also for my family.  Particularly KB, I want to grow old with them, hell, I want them to take care of me when I'm REALLY old!!!  In July of 2005, we were in Ocean City, and I couldn't fit on some of the rides with them, and we were all so upset.  Next year was a different story, I fit and we rode everything!!!  It was such a significant victory for me that I can remember what I was wearing on THAT day, too!!!! Hugs, Tia

Wow this is a great question: I have also always been overweight; and my father always said one day it would catch up with me :  well about three years ago it did .  I had just turned 42 and went for an annual check up:  She put me on bloodpressure meds: I could no longer get away with saying my blood pressure was high because of " WHITE COAT SYNDROME".  About a week later came the phone call: come in I want to discuss your bloodwork.  Yes that was the you have Diabetes; lets try these meds and exercise and weight loss.  It scared  the hell out of me .  I tried the meds and diet ; lost 45 Lbs. and was told you don't have to come back for 3 months;  gained 20 back during that three months;  by the time 9 months rolled by I had gained it all back plus about 5 more.   My family and friends were worried: and finally  came the day I said I'm ready.  I called to set up the seminar:  the day before the seminar I told my parents I was going and  bless their hearts they both  went with me that night.  I was scared but DVR and Dr Mo  gave me such hope that night .  It was a long road  9 months from seminar to surgury; But along the way Mom was there at Dr's visits and support groups. I thank God for my best friend of many years who led me too this board.

She had the surgury 5 years before I finally took the leap; her two

sisters had done it as well before her.  I was chicken and it took me a long

time to decide to make this leap  but I THANK GOD everyday that I did.

 

Darla 

As for me, I have stuggled all my life with weight  I a came into the  world a 11 pound baby. As a child I was teased and called names.  I continued the struggle into adult hood and through the birth of my three children, son, and twins, a boy and girl now grown adults.  You name the diet programs, I tried them- Physican's Weight Loss, Weigh****chers, TOPS- Take of Pounds Sensibly just to name a few.  Non of the programs worked for me, or should I say the programs worked I just did not work the programs.  I had been researching gastric bypass surgery for years and was always scared of the open method with the NG tube and all and this turned me off and frankly I heard nightmares about the open style, so I vowed that when medical science found a better way I would give it a try if the medical insurance paid for it.   Last year I started having alot of problems with the start of diabetes, mobility and getting our of breath, I also was in a mind set I don't give a dam anymore and my weight plummeted up to 320 pounds the highest I ever weighed.  About that time, a friend from work whose husband was huge almost 500 found Dr. Singh who performed his surgery in November of 2007- I told my friend to let me know how he made out and if he had a NG tube for the surgery.  I tracked her husband's process over the next few months.  In January I called my insurance company and asked them if this is something they would cover and they said pending all requirements were met, they would.  I then went to the free Seminar at  St. Agnes in February the journey then began!!!

I guess my reasons for wanting the surgery at this moment is vanity with a secondary glance at my health...and I admit it...yes I am 265 lbs, but I dont "feel" like Im fat..Ive never bee teased when i was growing up because I havent been fat my whole life..in HS I was a size 9...after I had my first child I lost down to a size 7...I gained this weight from 1992 to now...When I look in the mirror I see an attractive 36 year old plump woman..But when I see pictures of myself, I think OH SHYT..is that how I look? I dont have any major health problems..Im not diabetic, dont have problems walking, my knees are fine...but I do get out of breath when I walk upstairs or up a hill..and that just kills me...and I know it isnt healthy..

I just want to be "normal"..I want to go into a restaurant and know I can fit in their booth..not look to see which side of the booth is bigger..and pray that my breasts dont sit on the table because I am soo squished...I want to go dancing and not have sweat dripping down my face and have to catch my breath after the first dance, I want to go to the beach with my daughters and enjoy myself..not just sit on the beach because my fat @SS cant get out of the sand without looking like a beached whale...I want to wear a skimpy drop dead gorgeous men salivating all over themselves pair of heels and dress just because I can...I want to put on a pair of jeans and say "damn I look good"...I want to ride amusement park rides and be able to breath at the same time...lol..some of those roller coaster rides killed me because I was packed in there so tight...I dont want to be the fattest person at my family reunions, at work, at a party...I want to have awesome mind blowing, tearing up the house sex...I want a man to be able to pick me up and do the deed standing up...LMAO...OMG>>TMI TMI...I could go on...but Ill save you all the misery..lol...

I was heavy from my teens on.  I was never a skinny kid but was never a fat kid either.  When I graduated high school I weighed 180 lbs.  Still OK to go to prom and have dates, but a bit self conscious.  Came back from college at 202 and joined WW for my 1st time ever.  Got down to 163 - never lower.  Gained weight back and held steady at around 200 plus or minus 10 lbs.  Met Jimmy, lost some weight, gained that back.  I was a bit over 200 on my wedding day.  Couldn't get pregnant and started gaining.  I was up to 255 (my highest) and did a liquid diet.  Got done to 159 (that only lasted a day) and got pregnant.  At my first gyn appt I was 168.  NEVER SAW THAT WEIGHT AGAIN.   Was in the 190's for a while but over the past few years just got heavier.  I NEVER WANTED TO BE A FAT MOTHER AND I WAS!  Did WW again here at work but just couldn't break that 200 lb. barrier - that was not good enough for me!  Saw others having wt. loss surgery but thought "that's not for me".  RNY scared me.  I was in the ICU working and this one woman kept coming back after her surgery with malnutrition, cardiac issues - she was a nightmare and that scared me off.  Heard about lapband and went to a seminar here at St Joseph's hospital with Dr. Singh.  That was last July. Weight crept up last summer and early fall and had finally had enough.  Was walking to school to pick up Ethan and heard a 2 year old comment to his mother "that lady is fat".  I had heard it before and so help me god wanted to whack the kids (OK, I'm scaring me now...).  Called 3 surgeon's, set up appts. and when I met Singh one on one that was it.  Weighed 247 at my consult and never got on the scale again until after my surgery.  Had surgery 2 months later!  Got on the scale this morning - I was 193.  Jimmy was 175 when I had surgery - I can't wait to weigh less than him.  Unofrtunately, he weighed 163 this morning (wanted to whack him too, but refrained). OK, I'm making me cry. Peace E   

Good Morning! I've struggled with my weight ALL of my life.  I've lost it twice and gained back more each time.  After having had back surgery, a hysterectomy and gallbladder surgery all within 13 months, I could not lose more than 19 pounds.  Each time I tried, I'd hit a horrible plateau, get defeated, eat because I was depressed...that usual thing that all of us have gone through.  Both of my parents died "early deaths" (my doc's terminology) from obesity-related diseases.  I didn't want to be a statistic without doing everything I could.  I've lost 45 pounds and hit a plateau that a small fill has not bumped me off of, but another fill next month should get me moving at a good pace again.  It took me 5 years to regain the weight so I'm not looking for an overnight miracle.  Still have 45 pounds to lose. Have a good day everyone! Terri

I too have struggled with weight for the majority of my life. I started developing some bad habits in about the 3rd grade and it progressed from there. Even all of the humiation of life as a huge person, did not motivate me enough. Food was always the soothing friend. I have always been able to diet for a period of time, but never able to sustain it. I resited even talking about surgery when my primary care brought it up, saying I was afraid of the anesthesia (never had surgery before this). I think I just was not ready. In 2006 when I was struggling with my latest diet (NutriSystem this time), I reflected on where I was in my life. I wasn't getting any younger. I was on more and more meds each year. I was declining oportunities to do things with family and friends because of the amount of walking, or stamina, etc., I was uphappy with my life. This was not how I wanted to spend the rest of my life. I wanted to get my life back. So I started taking the steps to pursue a change. Even though I had my fears as I went along, I found the steps just started falling into place one at a time as I worked toward surgery. I still have 44 lbs. to go until I reach my tentative goal. I too hit slow spots, but my determination has not wavered. It helps to pull out the before picture to remind myself of where I have been. Yes, my "fat" brain is still there and I have to tell it to be quiet from time to time, but I love the changes in my life. Including pre and post surgery, I have lost a total of 194 lbs. Debbie