Why we choose surgery ...

I am in a posting mood in this rainy sunday... I just read Amy's post about finding it difficult to choose having the surgery. I thought we could help her and other newbies who are struggling with this by posting our own reasons to choose it.

Ok, I'll start...
 I have been obese all my adult life, and always been at ease with it. I was able to do sports, work full time ( mostly standing and walking) , raising my kids, etc... I have never been ashamed of my weight, I was always around 275 lbs, and having good health. I didn't see why I needed surgery, since the weight had so little impact on my life ( or so I thought...) Then I hit 40, had a fall, hurt my knee. Discover that my knee is full of arthrosis, cause by all those years of obesity and that I needed knee replacement, but I am too young and too heavy. Have been immobilized for a feww months because of my injury, I have gained weight and reached 320 lbs. Wasn't able to walk without aid of a cane, wasn't able to work, wasn't even able to do my own groceries. I used to be very independent, and couldn't accept that. And I was really near diabetes, already having high blood pressure and sleep apnea. I then realize how much my weight has used my body. I want to live a long and healthy life, seeing my kids grow, and being able to live a full life. I also realize I was depriving myself from going on airplane, or seeing shows because I was too large. It had to stop.  But without being able to exercise, how will I be able to lose 170lbs?? So I started researching about surgery, went to see the surgeon, thinking about the DS. But he explain to me this kind of new surgery, the sleeve and I liked it, because it had no malabsorption, so no long term vits, and the stomach fonction is almost intact. I also like the fact that if that doesn't work, he can transform it in bypass or DS. So I could take the chance that this surgery will work and don't need the other part.
The rest is history... Had my VSG feb 2 2010, 94 lbs less and it is not over yet, really happier, can walk without cane, return to work, can move, walk, shop... no diabetes and almost noHBP... Wonder why I haven't done it before...

If anyone wants to share, next...

Here's my version of a similar story:

I've been a fat kid since grade school, was obese as a teen and became morbidly obese at 25yo approx. My quest to lose weight has begun when I as about 14yo. I've tried some foolish things (like fasting, liquid proteins diet) and some not so foolish ones (a few other diets, joining high school athletic club, joining health clubs, supervised training with coach and nut, etc). None of those methods had long-term success. I usually lost 20some pounds and gained them back (with intererst...) a few weeks or months later. Over the years, I've been in contact with lots  of people who had bariatric surgery but always secretly thought that surgery was for losers...ant that I could succeed at losing the extra weight by myself...

Tired of facing failure, I gave up trying to lose weight about 12 years ago (I was then 33 years old).  I had made my mind; I had accepted being 300some pounds for the rest of my life. A few months later, I met the lady who became my wife, and started a family.  Apart from very severe sleep apnea, I never had any other major health problem. Everytime I visited my GP, she mentionned the possibility of losing weight via surgery. I finally put my name on Hopital Laval waiting list  (in 2006 if I remember well), saying to myself that I could always put of surgery when my turn would come...

In August of 2009, my wife, kids and me wen to "Les galeries de la Capitale" and my 4yo daughter asked me for a (indoor) rollercoaster ride...So we went but did not get to ride because the safety device would not lock, due to my...size!

This event has been a turning point! I then realized that bariatric surgery was the only way out...It was a chance for me to live a longer healthier, happier life and stay "here" to see my two kids grow up. One month after the rollercoaster incident, I got "the" phone call from Hopital Laval...Can you guess what my answer was???

I got biliopancreatic derivation on november 26th 2009, had no serious post-op complication.  I now am 120 pounds (and still counting)  lighter, got rid of my CPAP machine and got a new lease on life!

We often talk about how slim people judge those who have bariatric surgery as taking the easy way out... But I was like you,morbidly obese and judging those who had surgery as people with no willpower to diet and exercise... " I will lose weight by myself"... was my motto... Well, kept going higher and higher...I then realize that it is quite impossible to lose so much weight even if you have all the willpower in the world...And that surgery is not an easy way out, but is the only way out ( at least for me!)

It took me a very long time to realize that I had passed a major "point of no return"; I had become too heavy to have the possibility of exercising enough to possibly lose weight...and that's where surgery is the only possible way out...Why didn't I get that sooner???

Here's my storty too.

I started getting overweight by the time I was 8 years old. By the time I was 20 I was well over 200 lbs.
And like many others I just kept trying different diets and joined gyms. I never lost more than 30 lbs and of course gained it back. 
About 5 years ago I started hearing more about  bariatric surgery and started looking into it more and more. I choose the VSG for the same reasons Diane mentioned, no malabsorption, the vits and can be revised.
I decided to do it because I want to be able to go anywhere and fit anywhere. I wanted to be able to play with my kids and see them grow up.

Cindy

At 5 years old I am the heaviest child in my kindergarten class. As the years went on I remember always being the heaviest but also the tallest at that time of all the girls in my class.(I am only about 5'6" now,so not very tall at all.) When I got into cegep I got into weight training as a way to try and lose weight and it was actually working for a while (dieting continuously as well). I think my lowest weight at that time was 170 or so.

I met my boyfriend/husband when I was 20 and the weight started coming on rapidly. We ate out alot and the relationship was emotionally abusive which led to complete physical abuse once we were married. I got pregnant at 26 and continued to gain the weight steadily. The abuse started as soon as we married and escalated and continued for 4 years untl I left him. The damage though was already done. I've always been a very strong and positive person and I think that that went a long way in helping me start my life again with my daughter.

My ex husband died of  a massive heart attack about 6 years ago...high cholesterol, HBP,
sleep apnea, excessive drinking and smoking added to him losing his life at the age of 38.

I don't drink or smoke and have no cholesterol problems and no sleep apnea. What I do have though is diabetes and HBP as well as major problems with my knees.

I decided 5 years ago to start this journey. I educated myself and like Diane wanted the DS but decided on the VSG for the same reasons. I was originally referred to Dr.Christou (that was 4 years ago and no call yet). Decided to try with Dr.Ganeau after speaking to Derek on this forum.

I saw Dr. Garneau Dec.09 and am now on the "waiting list" for the operation.

Some uneducated people will say that this is the "easy way out"...but all I'll answer back is once you educate yourself on WLS as I have then come back to me and I'll be more than happy to discuss it with you.

My only regret is not having decided to do this sooner...but then again I believe that this is my time and my journey now.

xoxoxo

Here is my reason why I opted for surgery.

My weight struggles have been a problem of mine my whole life. I have always been the bigger kid and I guess I just continued living with it. In 6th grade I wore L/XL and had a size 34 pants. Come my high school graduation I was 250lbs wearing 2XL shirts and a size 42 waist. Fast track 5 years later I was 350 lbs and with a 46/48 waist. And here I am 3 years later sitting in at 400+ pounds. During my 24 years of life I have tried many diets out there. Atkins, Slim Fast, Bernstein, Weigh****chers, Herbal Life, etc... I have also done the gym thing, the nutrionist thing, the portion control thing. Nothing worked long term. I lost anywhere between 10 to 100 pounds with all these things but nothing fit my lifestyle. Nothing was really the right choice for me. I always have the thought in the back of my mind telling me "it's because of your genes Derek, live with it" and for 24 years I have been living with it. But the thing is, I'm not very happy the way I am right now. I may be lucky because I don't have any serious health problems but if I continue on this path who knows what might happen? A stroke or a heart attack at 25 is not very healthy. Diabetes? Not interested. My grandfather died of a heart attack at the age of 36. His brother died at the age of 51 of a heart attack as well. My dad is 100 pounds over weight. Uncle 1 is 120 pounds over weight and Uncle 2 is 140 pounds over weight. Aunt 1 is 80 pounds over weight and Aunt 2 is 140 pounds over weight. My grandma is about 80 pounds over weight and my cousins are all obese or morbidly obese. Not a great track record eh? My biggest motivation for me was my future. I don't want to get married looking like a big guy because I don't feel the way I look. I want to look sexy in a tux. I want to be able to wear what I want and go in any store to buy what I want. I've been with my g/f for close to 8 years now and she loves me for who I am and I truly love her for that. The least I could do is be healthy for her for the rest of our lives. I want to be healthy for our kids that we want to have one day. To crawl around and play ball. To run and play with them. To show them how to skate. To be there for them until graduation, until they get married and until they have kids of their own. I want to live to be eighty. I just want to be a better person and feel better about myself. I had never heard about WLS before last January. I was watching TLC and they had a show about a Half Ton man or something like that. I started looking into WLS and I found this website. It certainly wasn't a hard decision to make to want surgery. Every article I read pointed me here. All the stats showed me that WLS was the right decision and the only thing I could do to help me. So I started reading and I started calling. I finally got my consult on April 28, 2009 with Dr. Garneau in Mtl and here I am a year and a couple later waiting for that call. I've had a full year to think about and to educate myself even more. I am more then ever ready for that day to come. I think this will be the best decision I have ever made for myself in my entire life. I couldn't be more proud of myself for opting to go this route. I can't wait to be sleeved! 

Derek

Your stories are so thought provoking,heart wrenching, and yet full of hope.They all touched a core inside of me and I want to thank you for sharing them. My journey is not unlike most of yours as I have also been obese all my life. I grew up in a situation where I felt invisible most of my young life. I coped by added layers to feel protected and yet made me miserable inside. On the outside I was outgoing and very involved in social activities and life in general. Nothing stopped me and like Diane I was able to do many sports despite my weight. I had friends and a relationships. My dieting started at the age of five when my doctor advised my mom I needed to lose weight. From then I did every diet out there and was successful at losing weight just not keeping it off. Today the professionals are more knowledgeable in understanding obesity but we are still in the dark in understanding its complexities. It isn't just a science formula of calories in calories burned. Like many of you I yoyo'd and put on way too many more pounds than was healthy. In my thirties I decided that was enough self sabotaging and stopped dieting all together. I didn't add pounds but I didn't lose any either. I was ok for a few years but then I realized I wasn't happy with myself. I was starting to understand things more profoundly and wanted to continue to move forward. I also was tired of the feelings of self hatred and loathing from failing at weight loss all my life. I was tired of feeling so small and invisible in such a huge body. Tired of being the biggest person in the room. Just tired.....There was also health issues creeping up like HBP, aches and pains in the joints, difficulty standing for long periods, etc. When I first researched wls it was in its infancy so I was scared and hesitant to try it. As the years passed and studies emerged I felt more confident in the surgery and started doing more research. I chose the RNY procedure as I didn't want to risk to have a second operation if the vsg failed. Also, at the time the research showed a higher long term success rate with rny. I also felt safer knowing that my stomach still stayed intake even though they made a new pouch and that the surgery was reversible if I needed to revert it someday. I didn't have that option with the vsg. So I started the referral journey and quickly realized that I was going to wait a very long time on a waiting list. Didn't want to wait any longer. I was ready NOW! So I started looking for private surgery options. After many nights figuring out a budget and financial options available to me I decided to self pay for my surgery. I got an unforeseen medical diagnosis while doing my preop testing( cardiomyopathy due to a viral infection) and had to put off surgery for an unknown period of time. That was one of the scariest and most depressing moments in my life. I felt so lost and hopeless for a long time. The medication made me even more tired and lethargic and unable to work. So, when I got the medical approval to move ahead with the surgery I didn't lose any time. Two weeks later I had my appointment! Best investment I ever made. Will be paying off my surgery for three more years but I have no regrets! I am finally feeling like I am coming into my own after 45 years and that is priceless. It took me a long time but I got here and I think I will be successful because it took me a long time to figure this out. Nothing is stopping me from achieving and maintaining this wl.
x bren

Thank you all for posting your stories! You are all an inspiration to us beginners.
I am having such a hard time with this decision myself. Mostly because everyone in my family is against it (comments ranging from you don't need it to you just lack the will to diet).
Went to my GP to get a referral, she didn't want to give me one... had to go to another doctor, waited 2.5 hours for her to tell me that she didn't think I needed it (this just by looking at me, didn't even open the chart).After I insisted and she looked at my weight, height, BMI she said ok, and gave me the referral.
Did you guys have the support of your families? how did you go about convincing them?

 

Well,  I didn't tell anyone until I had seen the doctor, and was on the waiting list. I told my family that I wanted to have surgery and everyone was happy for me because they all knew I wasn't able to live like that anymore... Wasn't even able to walk... Except my husband and one of my kid... My husband said it won't work, you'll have complication, try to do it by yourself...etc... And he is obese too! He said that HE will lose weight with exercises and HE will not need surgery! He even try to make me fail when I did the pre-op diet, buying me Mc Do and tempting me... And my kid was afraid that I won't be the same mother anymore, as he always knew me like that...   But I went through and now, my husband is on the waiting list for the VSG!!!  And my kid is very proud of his mother. So do it for yourself, don't listen to the others when you have made the decision you want to change your life... Sometimes they are anxious for you, they don't know what to except. But when they see you happy and healthier after, they realized it was the good thing for you! That is my experience anyway...