I had surgery because I wanted to live longer than my mom had.  She passed away at 66, and by NO means was fat.  She died from kidney failure from high blood pressure that was never dealt with as a young adult.  She choose to go off dialysis because her quality of life was not worth living for anymore. *at least for her* and it was so sad and terrible as her daughter to see her go through that.

Then I had cancer at age 50,  a rare form that required radiation to my hips and pelvis area, which left me with a lot of discomfort and being fat did not help.  I had diabetes, and high blood pressure and of course the cancer scare (I am in remission now)  that if I did not do something to take care of myself better I would never make it to 66 and MY Daughters would be sad just like I was to have my mom gone at such a young age. 

 Well Kelly, cool post and good answers, I can relate to most of them....yo-yoing, health, looks, longevity.....all those things but to me that is all just why I needed to lose weight.  

I needed surgery because I NEEDED, absolutely, positively, with out a doubt, more then anything....

RESTRICTION!  I could eat like a line-backer....no an offensive left tackle, the biggest guy on the team.  I could put them all to shame.  It is crazy to think how much I could eat.  To me a small portion did not exist.  It still is amazing to me that I was not 300lbs and I only got as big as 250 in my life.  So I guess i did have a good metabolism, but man could I put it down.

It was an addiction, I know that now.  I still struggle with it especially when I go out to eat.  I really want to eat all they give me and I can't.  I am still working on breaking this addiction.  I quite smoking 3 years ago and I know how hard it can be to stop something you are so addicted to, but I also know it can be done and in time I will accept my smaller portions and be happy with them.  

But yeah, I needed restriction and I am glad for it!

Good question and I enjoyed reading everyone's diverse answers.  For me I had WLS because (thanks to a great counselor) I finally decided I AM WORTH IT.  Of course I have a list of reasons, too, but it really all boils down to that.  My reasons include:

1.  Better Physical Health  I am 39, was borderline diabetic with high blood pressure and a history of heart disease in my family.

2.  Better Mental Health  I've struggled with depression in the past and had to get to a place (before deciding to have surgery) that I am worth it.  I am good enough to deserve this for myself!  I am no longer afraid of being the best possible Beth I can be. 

3.  More Active Lifestyle  I love to travel and want to only buy one seat on the airplane (and eventually be comfortable in that ONE seat) and to be able to take advantage of all act ivies while traveling from hiking in the rain forest to zip-lining through the jungle or taking salsa dancing lessons on the cruise!  I also look forward to white water rafting, playing tennis, and riding my bike along the beautiful Boise River Greenbelt that Boise offers. 

4.  The Benefits  I talked to many successful (and some unsuccessful) WLS veterans and what I liked best is learning that this would provide me a chance to be successful because I'd have about a year where I couldn't over-eat, or would get sick if I ate the wrong things.  During that time, I could re-learn (or learn) how to eat healthy and make good choices and make it a habit.  I also like the fact that although I know weight will likely always be a struggle for me, having surgery levels the playing field a bit.  So, I may continue to battle the 20 pounds that most women battle with their weight, I won't have to deal with the overwhelming 200 pound battle ever again!

I'm 7 weeks out and very happy and healthy so far!

Beth

 The reason I had the surgery as opposed to doing it "On my own." Is because I would fail!!!! And fail again, and fail and fail. Oh did I mention that I always failed. It was just impossible for me to stick with a diet, or a "Lifestyle change." 

Basically I was dieing. Killing myself because I would indulge in the foods that I loved. I was always gonna start my diet tomorrow, or if I did start, I always gained back more than whatever amount I lost, and I got tired of failing!!

Thank God for weight loss surgery!!!

Win!

 Wow i am going to sound like a broken record in ways but mostly the same as everyone else.  I was born 6 years after my last sibling.  I evidentally was spoiled by THEM and all my life rejected by my siblings.  I started being sexually abused by my dads best friend at around 3 and a boy a year older than me when i was about 8 or so.  In those days you didn't say anything but the man told me everyone knew so no reason to tell them.  the boy was probably getting the same thing from his family or someone else.  All my life i have felt bad and had a bad sense of myself.  All my life my brothers and sisters were never close to me and really could care less about me.  I think they were just to stupid to know better.  My oldest brother lives 20 minutes from me and i haven't spoken to him in years.  I think he just doesn't know me.  Was already like 14 when i was born.  My next sibs were close in age and everything they did.  They drank lots and today are all alcoholics.  At the ripe old age of 18 i got pregnant and married to an alcoholic.  He was the best thing that happened to me because he made me grow up and make a choice about who i want raising my kids.  It certainly was NOT an alcoholic who abused me.  I was divorced from him (remember he was abusive so none of this was easy).  My mom was really my only friend i had most of my life.  So when my sibs would ask them to their town for holidays and my parents took me and my daughter with, i assumed i was asked by them.  I think years later i now realize they never asked me to be there and took it out on me that mom and dad brought me with.  My whole life i have been a very strong person.  I have never been a drinker.  My sibs think that i think i am perfect.  because i dont' self meditate?  i am on antidepressants for years of anxiety/drepression/PTS.  I had another child out of wedlock.  I love her to death.  Her father never was around.  Had a 2 year relationship with him and when i got pregnant he left.   I married my best friend.  He has always been supportive of me.  My siblings NEVER talk to me.  I have tried and tried and tried..emailing and writing letters and calling.  Usually a phone call gets a we aren't doing anything.  I recently wrote a letter to a niece i had a falling out with awhile back when she mentioned on her FB that she is proud of her alcoholism and would die because of it that i was ashamed of her especially because my oldest daughters dad had died that same day from alcoholism.  She told me that her friends were more important than me and took me off her fb.  I tried talking to her recently and she was horrendous with me so i blocked everything so she couldn't contact me.  If my parents ever did anything for me..mentally or physically or even materially they were pissed at me. Like i didn't deserve my parents taking care of me as a child..
Thats been a huge huge issue.  Then my dad died of pulmonary fibrosis and he was diabetic.  My mom died a year later of luekemia.  She didn't have the will to live. Since then i have one sister who about once maybe twice a year contacts me.  I gained weight when they died.  I lost my whole family.  My husbands brother offered to give us a free trip (he was a travel agent) if we would quit smoking.  We did.  I gained like 50 lbs.  Then i started weigh****chers.  I lost 35 lbs and gained it all back when we made a move.  I was exercising and doing WW and not losing anymore after the 35 lbs.  I was about 225 at that point in time.  So i gave up.  I was exercising up to 6 times a week.  and nothing.  At my highest weight i was 298.  I never had probs with weight when i was young.  But my issues were getting worse.  I feel like people don't like me.  Gee i wonder why?  And as i get fatter it gets worse.  I think people do not take me seriously cause all they see is a fat person.  It may not be the case but thats what i see.  I think that most fat people are totally misunderstood.  
Other reasons i wanted to do WLS..i know how to eat and how to prepare food and how to exercise but i needed a tool.  My plans were the lap band but eventually i came to realize i would probably not come close to losing the weight i needed with the LB.  And i was told that i would have to work really extra hard to get it off.  I am old (48) and tired of trying so hard i have to admit.
1.  My metabolism sucks.  Since i have turned 40 i can drink water and eat vegies all day and never lose anything.  I was told when you get so fat its just hard to lose the weight because from years of trying your metabolism is all messed up.   

2.  My blood pressure started running high about 6 months ago.  No meds or anything with it but i was proud of my low blood pressure.  This is a contributing thing to heart disease. My dad had a triple bypass in his life also.

3.  Diabetes. I have a sister in law who is extremely big. And diabetic.  I can't believe she is still alive.  I remember once a long time ago talking to her about being on ww and her son started begging her to try it. He is also a big boy.  My sister who contacts me once a year contacted me the awhile back about finding out she is diabetic.   I still can't figure out why she contacted me about that.  She never cared about anything in my life up to this point.  So i told her i was sorry and blah blah blah..But suddenly my blood sugars have started running higher.  

4.  I am tired of being fat and our lack of fun in the bedroom.  To tired, can't do anything other than the conventional way.  And thats to damn hard for me.  you get what i am saying i think.

5.  Been carrying around this damn CPAP machine for a few years and i am sick of it.  lol  

6.  I think it will help me become an even stronger person yet and help me with my self esteem. I have two daughters that i think the world of that i want to be proud of me and 6 (almost 7) grandchildren.  I love being around them but they wear me out.  No energy and i can't even sit on the floor and play a game with them.  i love to camp and we do these things but i again have no energy.

Thats my reasons... 

My reasons for having surgery:

1. To avoid being diabetic, I was border line before.

2. To avoid high blood pressure. I was border line before.

3. To be a parent that my 9 year old would like to play with.

My reasons..hmm...well I wasn't really that sick of a person.  I was very active considering.  I was 435 lbs at age 18 so that right there was an eye opener.. My main reason is one that most dont admit; I was tired of looking horrible. When my psych eval came up he asked me flat out " is this more for cosmetic reasons than a health choice?"  I told him straight up: "yes and no, I don't want my back to kill me day in and day out, I don't want my knees to collapse on me all the time but if I told you I wasn't interested in being a size 8 I would be lying to you. I'm looking forward to looking hot in a mini skirt and I have no qualms about telling you"

Now I WAS in danger of becoming paralyzed within a year if I didnt have something done about my weight. My back was on the fritz and there was no returning, I have mild degenerative disc disease and no neurologist wanted to touch me knowing that it would only get worse.  I'd had one back surgery and the surgeon told me he would NOT do it again if I didnt drop a good amount of weight.

 Honestly? I'm tired of being fat. Like the rest of us I've done diets since I was 13(forced upon by an extremly abusive mother)  I have pretty bad self esteem issues,social anxity(sp?) I always feel like people are staring at me in public and commenting on how fat I am. I can't even wear tank tops because I was always told people would be staring at my jiggly arms. But anywho...

I want to finally look in the mirror and feel good about myself.