Poll: "I wouldn't have considered surgery if I only had XX pounds to lose"

Seems like every time I've lost weight on my own, it's been a 40-50 pound loss, then I regain it all plus more.  So, I'd say 50.

I was in denial that I was big enough for WLS. Then last fall I got up to my high of 243. That was my "oh he'll no" limit. I saw what obesity did to my mother and knew I was a ticking time bomb. If it were 50 pounds I might've tried WW again.

Well, I waited until I had about 240 lbs to lose until I considered WLS necessary. I do not think I would have done it if I only had 100 lbs to lose - more than that though, probably would have if I had known about the sleeve before I was nearing my death bed.

at least 100. ive seen a few people's profile on here that are like 220 pounds and wanna be 160 and theyre getting GB!! thats a huge risk and major life change for 60 pounds. if i only had 60 pounds to lose i would be so thankful! i have 200 pounds to lose. i knew diets didnt work for me a LOONG time ago (haha) but i started considering WLS when i hit 300lbs. good luck!

Hmm hard question and I'm over thinking it.. We all fall for that WLS is a "last resort" done after multiple failed weight loss attempts.. but sadly, those weight loss attempts (whether a failure to lose adequately/regain) are what got us to this size. But it seems common sense to try first before resorting to surgery, usually multiple times.. We diet ourselves fat. Considering the odds of maintaining a significant loss long term is almost nil.. and that dieting generally leads to becoming fatter.. I wonder why surgery shouldn't be considered at a lighter weight by doctors and patients?

http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ijo2011 160a.html


For me, falling apart joint wise made the decision for me.. I had regained almost everything I lost 15 years ago, heck- that I didn't exceed my highest weight is almost a success in itself! I should have made the call much sooner. If I could go back, I would do this as a lightweight on my way back up the scale.

 Well I'm someone who pursued the surgery at 220. I gained another 34 lbs. before being accepted into the program, but I knew at 220 I needed help. For me, I think 65 lbs. over is the magic number. As soon as I learned of the Vertical Sleeve, I knew it was for me. Some may think that having less lbs. to lose means you should be able to do it on your own, but I am here to tell you that I was stuck with the same 60-70 lbs. for the last decade and I couldn't get below 200 to save my life. 

Lynda

Agreed, that's basically what I was saying.. doing it as a lightweight is far better than dieting ourselves "fat enough" by insurance standards.. It's almost obscene that although the medical system knows diets don't work in the long term, and that losing a substantial amount = higher than 90 something % odds of regain, possibly to higher weights.. but yet they continue to advise diet & exercise instead of something really effective.

I gained my weight late in life. My weight was OK for almost 40 years, then gained 4 lbs for a year for the next 20 years.  At 80 lbs over I was starting to panic.  I had tried many diets and I have come to the conclusion that diets don't work.  Period.  But it was the fall I had just about a year ago that sealed the deal for me.  I severed my quad tendon, a devastating injury that saw me gain 20 lbs during the nearly 9 month recovery period.  So my long answer is about 100 lbs.

I was considering it at 100 lbs over and my age is 41 I didn't want to get any older and not be able to stay healthy anymore

When I hit 275, after feeling as though I'd been on a 'diet' all my life.
That was 10+ years ago.  And I stopped persuing WLS for while after insurance denial.
Now I'm 310.
I did nothing but go up! 

I happen to believe the lightweights are doing themselves a huge service by hopping on the WLS bandwagon as soon as they realize they need physicial intervention, especially now that VSG is available and affordable.  Had I the opportunity to do this back when I was only 50 pounds overweight I would've saved myself years of misery, heartache, and grief.  All those wasted years... sitting on the sidelines of life, too fat to fully enjoy being a young wife and mother.