You have to do what is best for you. I had to do mine for health reasons. I was on chronic steroids and I just continued to gain weight from the steroids no matter how much I exercised and how little I ate. I never had a huge appetite so this was all new to me. I have two family members who were absolutely not supportive with my decision and have continued to remind me that I am just putting my health at more risk. However, with this surgery I can lose the weight and potential get off of the steroids whereas right now I am bound to be on steroids for life from what my doctor's have told me. So I had surgery two weeks ago and I am 5'4" and I had weighed 281 prior to surgery. As of today I am 255. I feel great and have no regrets in doing the surgery. I am already close to getting off of one of my medications. The steroids have made me have high blood pressure as well as diabetes. My blood sugars have been normal and even on the low side the last week. I wouldn't change my decision if I had to do it all over again. The family members are still not supportive but have come around a little bit. It is your body and your decision and you have to make a commitment if you are going to do this. However, only you can make that decision not anyone else. You should read the book "Weight Loss for Dummies". That book helped me tremendously when I was in my pre op visits and evaluations.

I got that from everyone and I was 5' 1" and 235. My weight now stays between 116 and 120. I had my surgery September of 2011

I heard that also, I got to where I would start the conversation, "I know you may not agree with my decision, and I don't expect you to support me, but at least respect that I have really researched this and I know it is the right decision for me..." And it was, I am amazed daily at how wonderful I feel!

Kim

Lovetoquilt- That is very helpful. I feel I do need to tell my boss and two others that I work very closely with but I want to present it in a way that tells them that this is just an FYI, it's not up for discussion though I would like their support. Your words are just what I've been looking for!
Thanks for your replies everyone!
Kathy

People that don't live in our shoes find it easy to say things like that. I also feel like people would say that to me to be polite.

It's like the baby picture that someone shows you and the baby is not as cute as some babies are but the person looking at the picture will always say" Oh he/she is so cute!".

Do what's best for you and what you feel is necessary to get to a healthy you.
Shelley :o)

This is why I didn't tell many people and still haven't. The only people who know are my Mom, three co workers now and my hair dresser and people I know from my bariatric support group. I have been overweigth all my life! I was 11 pounds at birth! At 48 years old I decided I had to do something. My weight was finally affecting my knees, feet and back. I lost 47 pounds pre op from 2/1 to 6/11/12 but still had the surgery cause I knew it was what I needed to loose all the weight and help me keep it off for good.
Only you can make the decision to have WLS.
I don't regret it even though I had a couple rough months right after surgery. I have lost a total of 101 pounds since 2/1/12 and my knees no longer hurt. I am wearing size 12 pants and size Med or Large tops! The surgery is a tool in my tool box to loose it all and keep it off this time for good!
Good luck!

For the people who say you don't look like you weigh that much,,, well, whether we look it or not, our knees, back and heart know exactly how much we weigh. As others have said, this is your decision, no one can tell you what's right for you. If they don't support your decision tell them that you are not asking them to pay for it and "bite me"

Hee hee Frandy. Thanks for the reply :)

You know I was told that as well. People who said that said they thought I had been doing pretty well on my own. I don't look like I weigh as much as I do. The thing is that I have played in the range of the same 50 pounds for years now. I am two weeks out from the surgery today and have lost a total of 40 pounds this month. I now weigh a weight that I haven't weighed in over a year and its just going to continue. I think the people that say that are just not informed and maybe even comfortable with the idea of the surgery. You will do what you feel you need to do and they will either adjust or they won't is my way of thinking. And if they can't adjust well yes in some cases it will hurt for a while but then you will realize you are better off because you are getting yourself healthy. My parents are both diabetic and I really didn't take it that seriously until two years ago when I ended up on insulin and instead of leveling off my doses started getting higher and higher. That was the thing that pushed me over the edge and helped me make up my mind about the surgery. Now I take less insulin in a day than when I first started taking insulin and it's only going to get better.

I get this same thing a lot. I'm 5'8" and I'm the type of body type that carries my weight all over. Whenever anyone hears about my surgery I was told " your not that big" you don't qualify. I tell them that my doctor and I have made the best decision for my health and that per my insurance I more than qualify. I'm not looking to be a certain number either on the scale or pants size I'm just looking to be healthy. Hopefully they'll respect our decisions that we've made for ourselves. If not then its really more there problem then mine.

take care of you, your the one who has to live with the excess weight and issues that come with it...I say if their not being supportive, then they dont need to have this discussion with you...I too had a couple of people say dont do it...but I knew I would anyway, I wanted my diabeties cured first and foremost, and too be able to fit in a airplane seat, I wanted to bend over and tie my shoes, and wear clothes that have been sitting with tags on them...I was too fat to fit into. my hubby was and still is my biggest support...and I work in healthcare so, all the docs and nurses cheer me on everyday!! keep pushing forward...you got this one!!

When I told a relative that I was thinking of WLS his first reaction was "Why would you do that? You aren't weak.". *sigh*

I felt like he was saying I had a character flaw because I was overweight.

Don't listen to others and do what is right for you.

It's you body and only you and you doc and possibly your mate"s opinion should matter. There will always be nay sayers and negative nellies. If you have done all of the research and have made an informed decision to go forward and are that you are doing it for all the right reasons be confident in your choice to have the surgery. d

Oh dont cha wish it was socially acceptable to say "NUNYA" i am laffin out loud. The look on their faces.. You know, like NUNYA DAMN BUSINESS !!! Priceless......

I have been told the same thing over and over again, in fact I am very comfortable with my weight and body. I am 5'5 250lb I have always fluctuated between 240-250 and I am a type 2 diabetic. When going to the surgery consult I was in a room and class with several other people wanting the surgery and I was the smallest one in there. They kept asking me why I wanted to to do this and the truth is I am sick of shots and numerous medications, I have PCOS which prevents me from getting pregnant, in the last year I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I know that I will be trading out the medications for supplements but that should be ok. I am actually sad about losing the weight which is weird lol, I love my curves and size but I guess there are so many other opportunities that could be there for a skinnier me!