How do you know when you're ready?

[Shenoa]

I have only been thinking of the surgery for the past month and a half. I ran into a friend who I hadn't seen since right before his surgery. Talking with him was the first time I had hope to be able to access a healthy weight.

After I spoke with him I started losing weight on my own. I was doing well! I lost about 7 lbs in two weeks. My plan was to make lifestyle changes incrementally, get used to a few changes at a time so that I don't upend my whole life and start to feel as though health is all or nothing. I wanted to avoid that bullshit thinking that said "I'm suddenly going to change every single food habit I have ever known." If I tried to take on too much at once, I knew it would be a slippery slope back to my old comfortable habits.

Then queue bariatric orientation: "we want you to cut out sugar, alcohol, carbs, sodas, snacks, etc. Plan out every single meal-- never eating out, cut out gum and straws, drink 64 oz of water daily-- but don't drink 30 minutes before or 60 minutes after a meal. Don't drink 2 hours before you sleep. Measure and weigh all foods and record every last thing you put in your mouth- including their nutritional values. Record your weight daily. And also, make all these changes within the next two weeks before you bother coming back to us."

Suddenly my world came crashing in. The idea that I could take my time with this shattered. I was told to figure out major life changes in TWO WEEKS. Suddenly none of the changes felt obtainable.

My current thinking is that I go back to my original plan to take my time with everything. Work through the better habits at my own pace. Though I'm starting to doubt whether I'll ever be ready for the surgery. Whether I'll be able to make the lifetime changes that they're asking of me.

So I would like to know: How did you know you were ready for this commitment? I included a poll with this thread. If you have an answer I didn't think of PLEASE share!

 

[Texnoble]

I knew that it would be life changing. I also made up a million reasons why it wasn't right for me. I had lost 80 pounds 3 times in my life. I could do it again, couldn't I? But I couldn't tolerate the extra weight I would gain back. Seven people I worked with all had it done successfully. They looked amazing. They were happy and started hanging around together. I wanted a new life like they have. That was the final straw. It works but you do have to abide by the new way of eating and thinking. Good luck!

 

[Brenda2010]

So I would like to know: How did you know you were ready for this commitment? I included a poll with this thread. If you have an answer I didn't think of PLEASE share!

Hi Shenoa,

I started on this path to surgery twice before. Both times, I lost significant weight on the pre-op diet and decided to cancel surgery & continue on my own. Both times, I was successful at getting to a normal weight. But both times, I quickly regained all the weight faster than I took it off.

In January 2018, I was finally diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (was borderline for years) and started taking meds. My blood pressure was also high. I started yet another diet and lost 63 lbs before I fell off the wagon in June. In October I turned 44. I hadn't been on a scale in 4 months but knew it was bad. I literally had a moment of clarity... there is a tool out there! If not now, when? I called and scheduled my initial appointment for December 18th. Once I did that, I felt like an enormous burden was lifted. I didn't have to do it alone anymore. There is something and someone to help!

I haven't looked back. I hope this helps!

 

[Grommie]

I mostly decided because of health. I am diabetic and the cost of the medication is outrageous. Plus high cholesterol, and acid reflux. They found a hiatal hernia when they did my scope, which they will fix when I have my surgery.

I also want to do some traveling when I retire in 5 to 6 years. My knees are becoming a problem.

I am tired of being tired and I am tired of being overweight. I hope this helps.

 

[missdarmitage]

After my father died, I realized I was the oldest person in my family at 37. And my health is by no means great. I didn't want to follow the path of my parents (I would be okay with being like my grandpa, he lived til he was 90!), so a change needed to be made. When I was at my dr's office, it was brought up again (we have discussed it over the last 8-9 years). So I said, sure. We can see where this goes. So I went to the consultation and found out what my insurance required. I then had 6 months to see how I felt about it. So I started changing habits one at a time and things went great. Why would I need the surgery if I was doing so well. But then I realized how hungry I was all of the time. I would still slip back into old habits occasionally. So I had to have a long hard look at my life so far. I have been overweight since middle school. And I have tried losing weight since then. Every fad diet, every pill that was supposed to work, whatever I could to get me to lose the weight. But nothing stuck. I have been trying the same things over and over again for 25 years. Obviously I am a little insane to keep thinking that was going to work. I realized that I need this tool to help me with my goals. It is scary, but it is far scarier to think I will not outlive my parents and that I will be taken away from the family I have left. I don't want them to experience any more death than they already have. And it just clicked. It didn't happen until I was at the end of the 6 month dr monitored weight loss program but it clicked. And I am so thankful it did.

 

[Tauheedah S Hasan]

The quality of my life was unbearable!!

 

[Raysofsunshine]

I can say I knew I was ready when after day many days of waking up and didn't want to be in anymore pain that I was tired of living life that at times felt unbearable. I to had lost weight before many times just to gain it back and more, it has been a struggle my whole life I felt like the weight I needed to loose was so much it felt overwhelming ( not that I couldn't do it on my own) I just knew I needed help, and here I am 9 days away from surgery and I am nervous yet I am excited. I do realize that this is no quick fix but only a tool to ensure my weight loss that the work still is all on me I have to make the life changing choices to succeed. I had to give up food I have enjoyed my whole life to get here but I can say its worth it everything I have had to do is worth it. It is not easy the whole process of giving up food you love and enjoy to getting the clearances just to get to a surgery date is all worth it . Things I thought I could not do I am doing. Sept 16th is my date and I was required by my surgeon to a 1 month liquid diet( most only have to do two weeks) but yet again I am giving up more food to get there I only have 9 day left before my surgery and I honestly did not think I would make it this far but I too gave up smoking which was a difficult yet worth it task as well … I hope you find the answers you are searching for to determine weather you think you are ready for this. I can say though you probably know you just have to decide what is in your best interest and what is best for you . I wish you luck
In my opinion most all the time if you have to work hard to achieve the end result its worth it!!!

 

[Theiz1123]

For me, it was after the birth of my son that I knew I had to make a change in my life if I wanted to be active and healthy in his life and change my habits so hopefully he wouldn’t follow in the same footsteps. I did weight watchers and was diligent about it and lost 50+ pounds. Then it all came back to me within months. My second son was then due, and I realized I had to make a more permanent change, using whatever tools were available to help me with that change. It just clicked that if I don’t make a change, I’ll never be able to role model good eating behaviors for my boys, and the thought that they would go through my struggles without me doing whatever I can to help them avoid it, terrified me enough to commit to the change