anyone only obese in the last few years and gotten wls?

Scheduled for WLS in less than two weeks.  My biggest struggle is this:  at the workshops I attended everyone had a very similar story: overweight since teens (or before)...that's not my issue.  I dieted after pregnancies and got back to normal weight.  I was a size 12 from college until late thirties.  All of my weight gain (90 lovely pounds) has all been within the last five years and stemmed from a traumatizing incident which I treated with food.  Is there anyone else who wasn't traditionally overweight who would mind sharing their story and (hopefully) share their success with me?  

 

Thanks in advance...

90 pounds is probably above merely obese. What is your BMI? Mine was 39 when I first met with the surgeon. I started gaining in my late teens but didn't exceed a size 12 until well onto my 30s. I was a normal BMI a number of times over the years.  I was approved by insurance (per my insurance coverage) for WLS because my BMI was over 35 and I had co-mobidities (high blood pressure, pre-diabetic, sleep apnea, high cholesterol).  I've lost over 100 pounds at this point.

I wasn't obese as a child or teenager. I gained 80 lbs with my first child when I was 20 years old and have yo yo'd ever since. About 10 years ago I lost 125lbs by going to the quick weighloss center and paying a fortune. I got pregnant again and only gained about 25 lbs during pregnancy but over the years the weight slowly came back.

I was a size 8-10 until my thirties... then skipped up to 12-14's for a few years in my thirties... was about 170 when I had my daughter... gained 45pounds with my pregnancy and didn't lose an ounce afterwards... then got pregnant again and gained 25... (sat at around 225 for a while) struggled to lose some of that... then I went on a low carb diet... lost 50... to 180... maintained for a couple of years, with maybe a 10lb gain...

Then I quit smoking... gained... then I had a hysterectomy... gained... then my thyroid quit working right... gained...

found myself at 240ish...

Gave up hope... gained more... 

After that thyroid, losing was a joke. it about broke my spirit... then I started looking to WLS...

So I spent my childhood in a healthy weight category, my teens and twenties in a healthy (to slightly overweight per the BMI scales) weight category... did OK in my thirties (overweight BMI****il I got pregnant.

And here I am, almost 8 months after surgery, feeling great and so happy to report it's working great for me! (Keeping in mind, working great, also requires working hard even if it is easier than before I had surgery)

  While I get the desire to connect with people with similar story to yours I have to wonder what does it matter when someone gained weight?? 

Thanks all for the replies.  

Since I'm new to the forum I'm hopefully replying in the correct place lol.  I know one person asked why this mattered.  My only answer is that I don't have a history similar to almost everyone I've encountered going through WLS which automatically makes me wonder if it's the correct option for me.  I have always been a healthy weight until 5 years ago.  When I hear story after story of success (which is awesome) but the situations are so different from my own it makes me want to find others who have a similar backstory and know that it worked for them.  

 

 

I think it is a very good question and your answer is great.  This forum is fairly welcoming, don't worry about asking any question.  This is a big decision that only you can make.  I asked a lot of questions of a lot of people, some that people might not have understood why I needed that answer.  They all helped and I am very grateful for everyone who took the time to answer me and calm my fears.

I wasn't that big as a teenager but I was really really active. I didn't pack on the pounds till I stopped working as a full time Barn Manager and got pregnant.  Not being active was my killer.  Gained 100ish pounds!!

Had surgery about 7 weeks ago now.  Down a size and a half, 30+ pounds and doing very well.  For me it seems it was an excellent option.

However long we have been obese, we all have obesity in common. In choosing surgery, we are acknowledging that, for us, surgery is the best and most effective treatment.

It may seem that the majority of us were obese with a lengthy history of ill health for most of our lives, but there are plenty here who chose surgery before they were horribly sick from obesity. Some here will say they would have pursued surgery sooner but could not for a variety of reasons--finances, shame, misconceptions about surgery, etc.

 

Statistics show that if a person loses 50 lbs with diet and exercise, they stand a 75% chance of regaining all of that weight and then some.  If they have 100lbs to lose, that chance of regain jumps to 97%.  

You're definitely in the right place.

I know you are probably addressing it, (the rest of this post is written just in case-) you know that if you are treating your "hurts" with food, that doesn't change after WLS. It is very easy to out eat a surgery without any malabsorbtion. In 1 or 2 years, you will lose some restriction and there are foods that just don't "fill you up" but are high in calories-potato chips, cookies, sugary drinks, etc. that are just really easy to eat.

You may want to seriously consider counseling if you are not already in it. Serious one on one counseling, group counseling, whatever will help you. You may need to find a replacement strategy for that behavior if you haven't already. You may need medications to help treat anxiety and depression etc. I am hoping that you are in these and have already tried these meds if you needed them.

The reason that you see so many lifetime obese people going for WLS is because it is the treatment of last resort for obesity. It's not the i just got fat so let me get some surgery.....WLS is radical...it is life changing..and it should only be taken that way.

Good luck to you! WLS was the best decision of my life.