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What was the 'final straw'?

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DanEvansJr

Member
You're in this forum for a reason. 1) You're in the consideration phase, and thinking about WLS. 2) You're pre-op, and looking for support and additional knowledge from people that have been through what you're about to go through. 3) You're post-op and want to share/hear information from others that may be where you are.

Whatever the reason, there was something that brought you to this point. What was it?

For me, it was numerous things. My list of co-morbidities and the medications and risks surrounding them. Inability to do the things that I enjoy. General difficulty in doing simple things that other people took for granted (like being able to walk through a store without needing to sit down and rest)

You?
 
I just had the surgery on 10/5... This year I turned 30 and my internist told me that if I didn't lose weight, and lose it fast, I may not make it to 40.... The "final straw" was this summer when I had to cancel going to a concert I was REALLY looking forward to going to because the friends I was going with were going to park and take the Marta in and walk a few blocks to the arena and I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up... Also I have a toddler which I can't even get in the floor and play with...
 
This may sound embarrassing, but my final straw was when I was on my toilet seat, cleaning up after doing my business, and I broke the seat when I leaned over to the side. Also, as a cop in a state hospital, running to a back up call and not being able to help because I was sucking all of the air out of the room.
 
Yes, the same;co-morbidities and all the medication I have been on. I also want to be able to play with my grandchildren and ride the rides at the amusement parks! My husband became disabled 2 years ago and I need to be here to take care of him. I was on my way to having a stroke!
 
Yes, the same;co-morbidities and the medication.I wanted to live life not watch it pass me by.I want to run and play with the grandchildren not sit in a chair.
 
I was recovering from a hernia operation/hysterectomy. The surgeon said it was the worst hernia he had ever seen and told me that I was going to die if I did not lose the weight.
 
I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer just before my 40th birthday. Now that I have kicked cancer's kiester, I want to be as healthy as I can possibly be!
 
I quit smoking a year ago (11/2010). I gained 62 pounds!! Co-morbidities and finally admitting that "I was not satisfied or happy with my weight." The happy face was gone. It is simple. I want to live longer and have more energy to enjoy life.
 
After having two husbands divorce me using the reason that I was too fat, I finally found a man who loves me for me. I've spent years healing from the emotional abuse and I am now ready to do this just for me! I feel confident and I am looking forward to my new life. I have two teenage daughters and my wonderful Knight in Shining Armor cheering me on every step of the way. Hoping to have surgery before the end of 2011.
 
The final straw for me was I lost my QUALITY OF LIFE....it just wasn't there anymore.Three years ago I got sick with blood clots in my leg and lungs.My weight ,sleep appenea,diabetis and c.o.p d. had taken a toll on me.Finally I just let go and let God 's will be done.I got the surgery and my health is improving so much ...the Quality has come back and continues to improve for me.I have gone down 104 pounds since this time last year.Surgery date was 5-20-2011.I am off alot of medication & insulin now .I just feel so much better and I am still on my journey...
 
Congratulations Sally! After years of praying about this surgery, the doors finally opened up and the road ahead seems clear! How wonderful it is to rest in His loving arms through this process. Your story is an inspiration to me.
 
For me it was when I had to go to the ER because I was having problems breathing. My nephew who was 4 at the time was with me. The nurses were nice enough to take him away from where I was while they hooked me up to all sorts of machines. They were also trying to keep him distracted. I heard one ask him what did he want to be when he grew up. He told them "A doctor so I can fix auntie" I burst into tears right then and there. At four years old he knew that if he couldn't wake me to call a neighbor and then 911. He knew if I was having problems breathing to grab my inhaler. While it was good for him to know how to call for help it shouldn't have been in case something happened to me.
 
My final Staw was

After a sleep study i was told i had to use a C-pap to sleep every night for the rest of my life. I did not settle for that. So I started researching about Bariatric surgery and desided for Gastric By-pass. The best thing i ever did. 3months later C-Pap was Discontinued by DR.
 
I would like to know why some of you chose the bypass and some chose the Sleeve? I am thinking of going with the Sleeve.
 
The last straw for me...I'd been falling asleep during the day, sleeping all night. I couldn't walk very far, I cried alot. Finally went to the doc and said 'I want to fix my body'. A month later, at my first pre-op with the surgeon I was told I had a life expectancy of 5 years. With 3 small children, that wasn't an option. I fixed my body.

dutchgal, regarding the sleeve. I know 3 women who have had the sleeve and 3 women that have gone back to their surgeons and asked for a RNY. Their sleeves didn't work. They still have good-sized stomachs, just not what it was. All 3 of them..their weight loss is slow and confusing to them. All I know about the sleeve is what they have told me. I wouldn't do it. I'm thankful I chose the RNY. I encourage everyone to look into it.
 
I decided to have RNY when I was told I needed a total hip replacement. The surgeon I consulted with said he could not do the surgery until I lost a specific amount of weight. I never let my weight stop me from doing things I enjoyed but the hip issue made things too painful to enjoy or in some instances impossible to do. I even had to sell my pontoon last year because it became too painful to maintain properly. The problem was my insurance had an exclusion for any weight loss surgeries even with multiple co-morbidities. My primary care physician wrote letters to the insurance company but it didn't do any good. Due to a series of events after being laid off from my automotive related position I now have different insurance and can proceed with the surgery. I actually started researching WLS over 5 years ago. I even considered paying for the surgery myself but it was just too costly. I even thought about trying to find a sponsor but my pride got in the way. Anyway, I'm getting closer to the reality of surgery and have all pre-surgical testing completed (and passed) except for cardiac clearance which is scheduled for December 9th. I keep in close contact with my bariatric coordinator who told me she can schedule my surgery immediately after I get cardiac clearance but I decided to wait until January. New Year, new start! HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!!
 
I think most of us were tired of the co-morbidities. I know I was. After bi-lateral knee replacement I knew I had to do something. I had remarried to someone who sees the "skinny girl" in me and loves me for who I am. That has been a great suppor.
 
I just want to mention to everyone that kevin has made us a nice chat room. Please stop in the chat room when you visit the forums so we can all get to know each other better.
 
For me it was the inability to live a life without pain and embarrassment. Both of my hips hurt so bad that walking any distance at all was not much of an option. I would not ride one of the electric carts at the store because of the stereotype "lazy fat woman" syndrome. I also travel and do public speaking with my work... and when I repeatedly had to ask for seat belt extenders and wheelchairs to meet me at the gate, that was my turning point.
 
st o had me thinking twiceWithout a doubt the weightr altered everything. I was an ER nurse for years and found that just doing the tasksof nursing were harder. I weighed 262 in 2003 and 11/26/03 I had a rgy done. It had me thinking twice but as I saw the weight comeoff and by 8/05/05 I was 143 and sick and afraid to eat and struggled withthat and finally got my weigh to 158 which was in 10/08 gradually as my sensitivities to carbs had subsided and I was on that train again. Ihave reached 205 and stayed there for a couple of years but I am done with losing 10 gaining 5,losing 5 and gaining 10. I'm done being fat again..patti
 
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