WLS Decisions
I posted this as a response to someones question on the main message board. I am very proud of how far and by how much I have thought about WLS. I wanted to share the way I feel with other pre-ops, and those still searching for information. I hope this helps.
I heard from people all the time that I wasn't really 'that fat', 
and that all I needed to do was exercise and diet. Everyone remarked how well I hide my weight,
etc. I have heard it from everyone from my husband to my PCP. I never told anyone before how much I weighed. I never felt that I was really overeating that much, but the pounds kept rising. I tried tons of diets,
joined a gym (they robbed me!), and wasted tens of thousands of dollars on every diet,
and weight loss gimmick out there.
Nothing worked. I was getting more and more unhealthy, fatter and fatter, and most of the time had no energy.
I was depressed,
and fed the pain my obesity caused with more food. 
Finally I knew I had to do something about it,
and started to look into wls.
I was so scared at first! 
They were going to do what to what 
and put what
where? I'd only be able to eat what 
and I'd be full? What were the complications? I could die? 
I had to weigh the risks of the surgery
versus the risk of staying obese, and becoming sicker and sicker as I grew more obese. It was no contest,
and I made my decision. I went in for my surgery a week ago today.
Does it hurt? Yes. Was I scared? Hell yeah! Am I still nervous about what could happen? Yes. 
Am I frustrated by being on a more restrictive diet? Yes. 
Do I miss eating all the unhealthy junk I used to eat? Yes. But Am I sorry I decided to have wls? NO.
Everyone has to make their own decision on this.
It is not up to your friends and family 
to decide how you must live out your life. They must learn to support your decision, whether they agree or not. They do not live your life. I do not live your life. Only you do, and so you must (to paraphrase Al Roker) search your own heart and make your decision. 
No one says it is easy to come to this conclusion.
And for those who say
that wls is the easy way out, they are full of bunk!
It is extremely difficult to make this life-altering decision, and then live with it.
Was it selfish of me to want to live a healthier life? No. I want to be able to be around for everyone around me for as long as possible. I want to be here for my husband,
my family and for my children someday.
Don't they want me to live long and live well too? Of course they do. I don't think of this as selfish, or self-less, for me its simply necessary.
I was and still am proud of myself for taking control of my own destiny.
I used to be a little disappointed that I couldn't lose weight the 'old fashioned way' like some people can. But the difference is that I DID do what I COULD do.
Now I am able to admit to anyone who wants to know how much I weighed at the beginning of my journey. I weighed 240 pounds, at 5'5. I suffered from asthma, infertility, reflux 
, joint pain, Degenerative Disk Disease (which is exacerbated by my excess weight), had difficulty sleeping
, and dreaded many family, and social situations .
I am 25 pounds lighter than when I started, 
and it is gone permanently! 
This is more than what any other diet and exercise program, pill, or gizmo could ever do.
I am looking forward to meeting friends,
and meeting new people. I can't wait to go out and celebrate my new life everyday!
I am still an early pre-op. I have only just begun to lose a little weight, and have quite a ways to go still.
But I wake up every morning excited and more energized. 
I vigorously await to see what each day holds! I have not used my asthma meds or my reflux meds since the morning of my surgery. I am already getting healthier! I look forward to enjoying my life. I feel that my life has so many more possibilities, and options.
I cannot wait to explore them all!
It is NORMAL to feel anxious with trying to decide what to do, if anything at all. WLS is not for everyone. It is a personal and emotional decision to make. Proper planning and preparation makes this and any transition easier. Good Luck! Yvonne
PS: Sorry If I come off as preachy! 
and that all I needed to do was exercise and diet. Everyone remarked how well I hide my weight, etc. I have heard it from everyone from my husband to my PCP. I never told anyone before how much I weighed. I never felt that I was really overeating that much, but the pounds kept rising. I tried tons of diets, joined a gym (they robbed me!), and wasted tens of thousands of dollars on every diet, and weight loss gimmick out there. Nothing worked. I was getting more and more unhealthy, fatter and fatter, and most of the time had no energy. I was depressed, and fed the pain my obesity caused with more food.
Finally I knew I had to do something about it, and started to look into wls. I was so scared at first! They were going to do what to what and put what where? I'd only be able to eat what and I'd be full? What were the complications? I could die?
I had to weigh the risks of the surgery versus the risk of staying obese, and becoming sicker and sicker as I grew more obese. It was no contest, and I made my decision. I went in for my surgery a week ago today.
Does it hurt? Yes. Was I scared? Hell yeah! Am I still nervous about what could happen? Yes. Am I frustrated by being on a more restrictive diet? Yes. Do I miss eating all the unhealthy junk I used to eat? Yes. But Am I sorry I decided to have wls? NO.
Everyone has to make their own decision on this. It is not up to your friends and family to decide how you must live out your life. They must learn to support your decision, whether they agree or not. They do not live your life. I do not live your life. Only you do, and so you must (to paraphrase Al Roker) search your own heart and make your decision.
No one says it is easy to come to this conclusion. And for those who say that wls is the easy way out, they are full of bunk! It is extremely difficult to make this life-altering decision, and then live with it.
Was it selfish of me to want to live a healthier life? No. I want to be able to be around for everyone around me for as long as possible. I want to be here for my husband, my family and for my children someday. Don't they want me to live long and live well too? Of course they do. I don't think of this as selfish, or self-less, for me its simply necessary.
I was and still am proud of myself for taking control of my own destiny. I used to be a little disappointed that I couldn't lose weight the 'old fashioned way' like some people can. But the difference is that I DID do what I COULD do.
Now I am able to admit to anyone who wants to know how much I weighed at the beginning of my journey. I weighed 240 pounds, at 5'5. I suffered from asthma, infertility, reflux , joint pain, Degenerative Disk Disease (which is exacerbated by my excess weight), had difficulty sleeping, and dreaded many family, and social situations .
I am 25 pounds lighter than when I started, and it is gone permanently! This is more than what any other diet and exercise program, pill, or gizmo could ever do. I am looking forward to meeting friends, and meeting new people. I can't wait to go out and celebrate my new life everyday!
I am still an early pre-op. I have only just begun to lose a little weight, and have quite a ways to go still. But I wake up every morning excited and more energized. I vigorously await to see what each day holds! I have not used my asthma meds or my reflux meds since the morning of my surgery. I am already getting healthier! I look forward to enjoying my life. I feel that my life has so many more possibilities, and options. I cannot wait to explore them all!
It is NORMAL to feel anxious with trying to decide what to do, if anything at all. WLS is not for everyone. It is a personal and emotional decision to make. Proper planning and preparation makes this and any transition easier. Good Luck! Yvonne
PS: Sorry If I come off as preachy! 
-Judy 
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