Thanks and another questions

Thanks to all *****sponded to my fun fact question - I loved all the responses - it was nice to get to know a little more about you.

Now....my question for today is:

What was the one thing that pushed you over the edge to make the decision to have WLS?

I think of this daily - because I am so grateful to be able to move again, but for me it was pain and it's effects on my life - I was in chonic pain - usually no less than a level 7, could hardly move and could not stand the looks of pity from my friends.

Every single day I cannot believe how amazing it is to be able to walk and stand - yes even vacuum. I hope I never lose this feeling and don't take it for granted again.

You are REALLY good at these questions!  WOW!

I think what REALLY pushed me over the edge...so to speak........

I injured my knee on a water trampoline in August of '07 (yeah...I know...I'm TOO old to hang with the kids....but I was trying!!!!!!!)   I had to go to therapy and was out of work for 6 weeks!  When I saw the orthopedic doc..first thing he said to me was, "well, you know if you lost some weight, your knee would heal A LOT faster!"   DUH!   That was the final straw!!  (Oh yeah, then they tried to fit me into a brace to support my knee......and couldn't get one that would fit!!!!!!!!!!  YIKES!!!!!)   Saw my PCP in December and the rest is HISTORY!  ha!

Thanks for these questions!  You're too cool!

i think what pushed me over the edge was how much people looked at me and how it affected my whole life , i was happy with myself inside , but my outside was a mess, i still think about when i made up my mind, it was three years ago maybee more i had too go in for surgery , it was a mess the  doc had told me with my weight i might not make it back from this and i had too have it done , i made a promise too myself, god, my family i was going too change as a  person ,and when i got thru it ,and the next day i meet with the wonderfull doc he talked too me about i was like this is not for me!, but inside the bug was planted and i started doing some homework on it , pros and cons , then i made my mind up . it was a go


too this point i have no problems doing what i  did and would not change anything!

later

dk

The one thing that pushed me over the edge was when my doctor told me I was morbidly obese.. I was pissed.... I knew I was fat but come on morbily obese,, NO WAY.. I am no longer morbidly orbese just over weight now so the chart says...

The thing that finally pushed me over the edge...Diabetes. 

The pills aren't working for my mother anymore and the Dr. wants her on insulin injections...she totally refuses.  Her mother had diabetes also...gave herself injections twice a day...I remember when I was younger, when she'd go to buy new shoes, she had to buy 2 pair because they had amputated toes on one of her feet.  I've been diagnosed with neuropathy in my feet...and that scares the hell outta me...and the pain is unbelieveable !!
All the "things" that can happen from diabetes...I don't want my boys seeing me go through it...and I don't wanna see myself go through it.  I talked with my PCP and didn't like some of the answers she gave me so I started reading...and asking questions...did more reading...and here I am...17 days and counting...getting a bit nervous (again)...but in the end I know I'm going to have made the right decision...

I want my outside to match what I think I look like....does that make sense?  I guess when I think of myself subconsciously I don't "feel fat", but when I see a picture of myself or look in the mirror the reality of it all kicks in.

I've been overweight from one extreme to another. Aren't we all great dieters? On a diet, off a diet and gaining.

The thing which caused me to think about a bariatric referral was knee pain. I developed terrible pain in my left knee Jan 2007. It turned out to be OCD ( osteocondyle descans) a form of bone erosion. I was prescribed this knee brace contraption to unload the weight from the eroded side of my knee.  After wearing that with relieve, my right knee decided to complain. Osteoarthritis- I ended up having orthroscopic surgery to clean out the joint in July '07.  I realized that all of this was weight related- WHAT HAD I DONE TO MYSELF??? I learned that every excess pound is like 5 pounds of additional pressure on your knees. I lost some weight due to intense pain. I would return home, eat dinner and plop in the chair not wanting to move- thus no after dinner snacking.
Shortly after knee surgery I met Sue- a new flameworking friend who had RNY 4 years ago. I watched, asked her questions and learned from her. She is my mentor.
 
In August '07 during my annual physical exam I requested a bariatric referral. My PCP is quite aware of my weight struggles, high BP, high cholesterol, etc. The rest is history. 

Would I do it again? YES- only I wish I did it sooner.

I have 2 reasons that pushed me.... if this is tmi I'm sorry but u asked... I loved to have sex since I knew what it was... but was always concerned what the guy thought.... Finally met an awesome man that didnt care and it was awesome.... we'd do it all the time... when after we got comfy we gained weight and now our bellies get in the way... So not so much as a intrest anymore (for me)... I want that feeling back! 

2nd I went to fun town this year and I went on the Sea dragon and the lap bar wouldnt go down... I felt so bad... it called all the attention to me and i didnt like it.... and my poor kiddo... My dr has told me for years to get it done and i always told her i can do it... well I didnt give up I just needed some help... 


Good ?

I have an obese friend  that   has many problems   from her weight that is eventually gonna   kill her.

She has  terrible sleep apnea and wont  wear a mask so is not treated   has had knew replacement and now needs   hip replacement.   She  now has  congested heart failure and a pace maker was put in for afib.   and that is  weight related.    High blood pressure,   beginning  diabetes, high cholesterol,  narrowing  cartoid arteries that have been scaped  at least once if not twice.
And this is all   weight related.   Was offered this surgery   years ago and refused it  saying  she couldnt do it or not eat  like we doo. !!!   Well  after watching her  the last couple of years  fall and  be in hospital  for months  due to cumadin levels and infections  from   fall.  I decided i was not going to end up like her.

she is  8 years older but that is what i would be like in  8 years if not worse as i had copd and she never smoked.

So in reality   my friend saved me  as i wasnot going down the same road she  did.

Pure and simple, premature death.  I am adopted and my biological father died at age 51 from a massive coronary.  Enough to make me think, esp when I turned 51 and was obese.(he was over 300#)
Then in Dec 06 my 51 yo 1/2 sister, his daughter, died of complications of a virus, she was slso overweight.  Last May 07, my 1/2 bro age 46, died of a coronary.  Weight and bad health due to addictions.  That my friends was my wake up call.  I share that gene pool and I was doing nothing to stop the inevitability of early death from WEIGHT.  So I went to info meeting and PCP and started the process-5 mo later I had RNY and have never looked back.