Newbie
Greetings Phil,
Make your WLS decision based on YOU and what YOU think would be best for YOU! YOU will have to be the person to live with this decision TFN.
WLS is serious ****to put it bluntly. It is a life altering procedure. Not only physically but emotionally as well both good and bad. Some go through changes that give them the courage to do things they have never done. Get tattoos, motorcycles, go to an amusement parks, better jobs, and even getting the balls to leave bad relationships.
It can be fatal. Just in the past few week we lost a young lady off the TX board because she developed a blood clot several weeks post-op.
There was the bad. The good is that it will help with diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure and obviously obesity. For it to work you have to work it. Yes it's a pain in the butt to keep up with supplements, vitamins, your water etc but the results are well worth it. Learn from the clues your body gives you via dumping episodes, if you go RNY. Understand that unlike junkies or alcoholics who can take actions to avoid their habits every body has to EAT! We with obesity need to RELEARN how to eat. WLS is the tool to teach us how to do that.
People will not only gush over how much weight you have lost but some will say some pretty crappy things as well to you about the surgery. Will make you want to insert a foot up their ass!
Personally I'm down 120 pounds bumping against six months since surgery. Have gone from a 54 jeans to 40's! I can get back into most Large size shirts again. I have flexibility I have not had in years. I can walk several miles and not get winded. I'm totally grooving on having more energy and confidence in myself.
The trade offs for me? My marriage of 16 years is coming to an end. The surgery, or hormonal dumping as the result of the RNY, I consider a factor in a major depressive episode I went through. That pretty much ended my career as a police officer. That and alot of past job related stress...or lack of a job related stress most recently.
There it is Phil...one guys take on some things to consider as well as the actual type of procedure it self. We'll all tell you it is wild ass ride to be on.
Would I do it again if I had known then what I know now about what I would be going through? Two words: DAMN STRAIGHT!
Never, and I mean NEVER, trust a fart!! 
Can't say I'd done it five years ago. I like to draw the analogy between WLS and quitting smoking. FYI did that 8 years ago. WLS wasn't going to work for me till I knew in my mind that it was time for me to have the RNY. Five years ago I was not at that point. Late last year into early this year is when I got to the point where I knew in my mind that it was time.
Make the most out of what is left of your day.
Never, and I mean NEVER, trust a fart!!
I am just a head of you. Actually started the insr approval process back in May.. Crntly in the 5th month of my supervised diet (required by the insr co.) and will prob go under the knife Nov or Jan. Let me tell you fear is NORMAL..... I honestly think there should be a little fear that comes with it. ITS SURGERY!!!!!!!!! But, use that fear to educate yourself so you can make a choice you can live with.
