What was your tipping point?

Wow. Amazing question. I've always been overweight and on many a diet. I even remember my mom putting me on a diet when I was 9. She always felt if I "just lost 5 lbs..." everything would be better. I have horrible family history as my dad is pretty heavy and had a double knee replacement due to his years of being overweight. He also has lots of heart issues and has a defibrillator and is on lots of heart and cholesterol meds.

I had long been considering WLS, but didn't really get serious about it until my neurologist basically told me I needed it to change my life. At that point, I was suffering from chronic daily migraine (which isn't necessarily fixed by WLS) and sleep apnea (as well as borderline high blood pressure, high cholesterol and joint pain). I didn't want to do a CPAP, so I decided to get serious about WLS. I intended on a lap band. But once my surgeon told me about this wonderful sleeve, I was intrigued. I did a lot of research about it (and the band) and decided that VSG was for me.

My insurance required 6 months of supervised "weight loss" and diet history and my neurologist was more than happy to provide such supervision. Since that initial appointment, I've lost nearly 100lbs (darn scale is stuck again!) and having this surgery is honestly one of the best decisions I have ever made.

For me it was running into a co-worker I hadn't seen for a while. Something was different about her but I really couldn't put my finger on it. I asked her what it was and she told me she'd had WLS. I asked if she minded talking to me about it. Turns out she'd had RNY and at the time had lost 80 pounds. Up until then I thought WLS was a very rare and dangerous surgery, done only in extreme cir****tances. That was my turning point. I went home and started my own research. I never liked the idea of RNY but didn't know of anything else besides the lap band. I didn't know much about the band, either, but it sounded like a gimick to me and I never ever considered it. Thanks to Google, I found out about VSG and I was on my way. 

My situation is kinda unique in that after having my daughter in March 2010 I learned that  wls was covered under my insurance. I was initially going with the Lapband, just b/c it seemed to be the best option. And then I learned about VSG, switched, got approval for VSG and had my surgery. I guess I was just tired of losing/gaining/losing/gaining. I needed a "tool" to help me keep things under control and the sleeve has definitely been that. Even when I do go off plan I still can't eat too much. 3-6 oz of food vs. plates of food. Yeah, prayer answered.

I was really fed up after spending thousands of dollars on weight loss tactics that didn't work. I must have spent quadruple the cost of surgery on Jenny Craig, WW, Nutrisystem etc. After all, I've been dieting since I was a teen. 8 months ago I started researching.

Found the lap bad but wasn't too happy about having something permanently inside me. It was by the grace of God that I found this website. After about 2 weeks of solid research on what kind of surgery and which doctor, I booked my date with Dr. Aceves.

I was never afraid. I knew this was the answer for me.
Now, I cringe at all the weight loss commercials and pamphlets that come my way and I'm thrilled at the fact that I never have to go through that crap again.

 My decision came after my last diet.  I was on a roll..working out, eating GREAT.  Lost a whole 30 pounds.  Came to a screeching halt - AGAIN.  I have been obese for about 12 years.  For the last 6, every years I was "going to do it!!".  And I would gain/lose 30 pounds.  That was the most I could do.  The second to last time, I told myself - I'm done.  Just can't do it.  Then I found it in me to give it one more round last year.  Did my 30 pounds.  Relocated back to CA, this stopped my crazy routine.  Which of course, stopped my weight loss.  I had to go to EXTREME measures to lose weight.  

In the midst of my last weight loss frenzy, a friend had RNY.  I was so judgmental!  Such a snot!  I said things like, "oh, I'm doing it the old fashioned way!  That's too much for me!  But good for you!!"  (I have since apologized profusely).  I was pretty anti-WLS.  "Oh well, easy for THEM.  They had surgery!"  Boy, have I since learned.

After I fell of this last diet crazy train, I knew I could not, absolutely COULD not do it again.  I went on Google and looked up "Bay Area WLS" and found my doctor.  I knew it was this, or just give up and stay fat.  Made an appointment that day.  I thought I wanted RNY, but then learned about the sleeve and there was no question in my mind.  So glad he does these seminars!  I have NO regrets.  I am so happy right now, I am just getting started at 5 weeks out.  Thanks everyone for sharing your stories, and your continued support!  

YEP!!!  Your story is very similiar to all my years of dieting... lose 30/gain 30/lose25/ gain35..etc etc... I always came to a screeching hault too..I basically gave up the last the last few years...tired of the yoyo dieting...and a co worker of mine had the lap band, and i took the doctors info from her..and  i say on it for over a year...got pregnant, and then didnt relive the idea again until this past new years resolution... I wrote my story already lol but this is going to be for my baby girl..:-)

Last April, I finally went into see an orthopedic doctor as my left knee was stiff and had been just unpleasant for about 6 months. He immediately did an x-ray, sat me down and said, “How do you feel about a knee replacement in the next few years?" I was 30. It’s partly genetic (arthritis), partly a previous injury (I jumped onto a football stadium field and hurt it pretty bad 14 years ago), and partly due to my weight. I went home and cried – my mom has had both of her knees replaced in the last 3 years and I so didn’t want to go through that!

I spent a good portion of last summer swimming at the local Y, since walking hard aggravated my knee, running was out, and I get sick of the elliptical. I also took a 10 week nutrition/lifestyle class over the summer. I lost 7 pounds. My body started reactively to the chlorine, and I had to give up the swimming. I became really despondent – I was trying to lose weight through diet and exercise, and I keep hitting emotional and physical road blocks.

One day around that time, a co-worker of mine mentioned in passing that she had had gastric bypass about 5 years ago. That was all I needed to look into surgery again. For years, I had been researching surgery on/off, but always got discouraged because my insurance wouldn’t cover it (during grad school), or it just didn’t appeal to me (bypass).  I had also never actually met anyone who had had surgery – all I had heard about were people who had failed their surgeries and regained it all back. I sat down with my co-worker one morning and asked her to share her story. I went to an info session a few days after that and began my journey to get banded. After reading through the Lap-Band forum here on OH extensively, I found the VSG forum from several posts by people who had revised to VSG. I started reading and was hooked. At my next appointment with my surgeon, I asked for the sleeve. He said no problem. My insurance covered it, I was qualified, and I was on my way.

I’ve been overweight/obese since at least 8 years old. I went to my first diet camp when I was 9. I am so happy that I have done this for myself. I want to get married and have a family, and being healthier will help with this, should that situation eventually present itself. I am still working on the emotional aspects related to eating, but the VSG has been the ultimate game-changer for me.

I've been overweight my entire life.  I'd been at my pre-op weight for over a decade and, really, I was okay with the "being fat" part of it.  What I wasn't okay with was the diagnosis of diabetes and high blood pressure; I wasn't okay with the fact that my knees were hurting and it was getting harder to walk; I wasn't okay looking at my sister, who's 9 years older than me and also MO, and has severe type 2 diabetes, has had a series of small strokes, can only walk with difficulty because of edema and bad knees.  I still have lots of traveling to do and I want to be mobile when I retire, and if I stayed the same weight, it wasn't going to happen.

I also knew I didn't have another traditional diet in me.  I am a volume eater, and the sleeve had everything I wanted - restriction without malabsorption.

My older daughter, who was in kindergarten at the time, tearfully admitted that she didn't want me to come to her class picnic. She told me it was because I was the biggest mommy in the class, and the other kids made fun of me- and that it hurt her feelings and embarrassed her. I was proud of her for being open and honest.. But it broke my heart. I cried for hours, and starting researching WLS seriously the next day. Now my girls ask me to participate in their classes every chance they get.

WOW..How bitter sweet your story is.. That must have been devestating for your daughter to say that to you but at the same time your salvation.  Kids today  can be so cruel to tease her like that, and it truly is a miracle that your daughter opened up to you about how mean the kids were being to her.