New here!

Hi, I've been a member of OH for maybe 8 to 10 years. I just found this forum and am happy to be a part of it.

My BMI right now is 59.3, down from 68.4. I'm 5' tall and weigh 303.4 right now. On May 5th I went to a seminar to find out about VGS. I decided that I was going to go for it, and that day decided to eat the way I would have to after surgery. In doing so, I've lost 47 pounds. I still have a few things to do to be scheduled for surgery but I'm reconsidering. I want to give myself another chance to do it on my own.  

I'll be reading all the posts...maybe it will help me decide.

Thanks all!

Fantastic progress pre-op!! It sounds like you've really made the commitment to this!! I fell into the trap of too many last suppers so didn't lose anything pre-op but didn't gain either. I really applaud your determination and I bet you'll have great success!!

Hi Robin!

I committed to revising my lap band to a RNY a few months ago and decided a few weeks ago to start sticking to my post-op diet NOW to see if I can do it. I'm losing weight pretty steadily and started to have doubts if I even need the revision. I discussed this with my husband, and he pointed out that MANY times over the course of my life I have tried dieting without success. He mentioned that I was motivated because I wanted to prove to myself that I would use this tool appropriately. Without the tool, I would not have as much dedication and be prone to falling off the wagon again.  (Not very motivational, is he? haha!)

With that being said though - I thought about it a lot and agreed with him. If it was as easy for me as sticking to a diet, I should be able to lose weight! Instead, I have dieted off and on for 20 years and been obese, morbidly obsese, and now super morbidly obese my entire adult life. I need this tool to succeed and drastically change my path.

With that being said - I wish you luck!  I'm in no way trying to talk you into having surgery, just sharing my own second thoughts on surgery and what made me decide to continue pursuing the RNY. :)

There are 2 big pluses for me; first, I've not yo-yo dieted. I did lose 100 pounds about 7 years ago but gained it back plus some after losing my mother, brother and sister in very rapid succession. The only other time I ever really dieted was when I lost 40 pounds on Atkins about 12 years ago. I of course gained that back. Second, I've been going to counseling for binge eating disorder since the first of the year and have learned to grieve and am learning to forgive. I feel better about myself in the last few months than I have in my adult life. I've talked over and over this with my therapist and husband and I believe that giving myself until next May is reasonable. If I stumble, that's one thing. I know (right this moment) that I can pick myself up and start over. If I have failed miserably during that time, then I'll go ahead with the surgery. I know that at this weight it's hard to keep off but I feel as if I should give myself another chance to be who I know I can be. Maybe this sounds as if I'm making excuses for myself. I don't know but I don't think I am. That's why I am here. I can't imagine you all will pull any punches. I nearly forgot the biggest plus of all. My husband. He's been more supportive of me in the last week than my ex-husband was in the 30 years we were together.