I was in the same shape before I had my surgery and i can't tell you how much this has changed my life. I was super morbidly obese and I had several health issues including high blood pressure and fluid retention in my lower legs along with many more issues. I was in the hospital about 6 times before I finally realized I had to do something and doing on my own was going to be discouraging and hard. I am not saying this surgery is easy, I am saying that I needed this tool to help me succeed and have long term success. Don't let too much time go by before you set your mind to this. You will find some awesome people here that are always willing to answer questions or share their experiences so don't feel like you are alone you may be at the beginning of your journey but there are plenty of people here who will cheer you on this road to better lifestyle.

I think I've hit my rock bottom with my weight and the life I'm living...at 31, I'm slowly killing my self with food and that's shaken me.

My recent ER visits with cardiac / stroke concerns have really shaken me. They've been wake up calls, honestly.

Just last night I was back in the ER with a diagnosis of a pulmonary embolism so now I'm on blood thinners on top of my already lengthy medication regime for all of my illnesses. At arrival to the ER my BP was 178/108 and a heart rate of 137. This is with anti hypertensive / arrhythmic meds already on board.

I can barely walk without getting totally winded, constantly in pain, labs getting worse and worse...it's time for change.

Welcome Carrielee! Provided you are willing to follow your medical team's plan after surgery, this could transform your life for the better. I had my surgery in 2018, and lost all my excess weight in about a year and a half. I've kept it all off, and have a healthy BMI (low side of normal, even). I wish you every success.

Ask lots of questions about the support program before and after your surgery. Those programs vary a great deal and it's important to have support to work on your head, while the doctor works on the surgery. Make sure you understand all the requirements for the surgery (including how they work with your insurance, if you are using insurance); your program may have requirements and your insurance may also have requirements -- not being clear on both could cause delays. Be clear on the surgery you want going in, so that you can assess that against the program recommendation and be prepared to ask questions for why they are recommending one vs the other (and also be prepared to answer questions on why you prefer a particular surgery). Make sure you understand what the permanent changes and requirements are -- for example, with RNY, supplements are not optional post op. There are serious health issues coming your way if you don't take your supplements correctly (but they are easy to comply with in my opinion).

Good luck in your research and appointment!

Be honest with them according to the age of the kids. Be upfront with Kandi and water it down for the younger ones. Say you're going into the hospital so the doctors can help you get healthy, Explain that you love them very much and want to do so many things with them that you have trouble with now.