Have over 200# to lose

Check into the Duodenal Switch. See obesityhelp.com for more information.

Good for you for taking control of your life again. Are there any activities or sports that you love to do (or used to love to do) that you can use to help motivate you too? Is your husband on board with this lifestyle change?

Have you seen a doctor and/or dietician to help you as well? They can be a great source of info and support, especially if you're learning or relearning how to eat healthfully and portion properly!

Feel free to add me if you like. Good luck to you!

I started at 377 lbs and am down 71 lbs. I'm a bit taller at 5' 7". I sent you a friend request. You can do this!

Good for you for starting this journey! Good luck! There's a board called "vertical challengers" you can join for people under 5'3 if you're interested!

I started at 349, and am at 235 now. My next goal is 225, then to get to an "overweight" BMI instead of "obese." I don't really have a final goal weight yet.

I also have exercise goals--I joined a challenge here to walk 15 miles a week (some walk more), and it's really helped me! Feel free to send me a friend request.

Hello & Welcome

The thing I love most about this site is the supportive people! My 70lbs feels like 200. I know the goal seems soo far away but this is your first step to the new fit you! I would love to be your fit pal!

Hi there. I have over 200 to lose as well and just started back today for the final time. Let's do this together!

Because. I hate to be a party pooper, but I had about 150 pounds to lose and when you need to lose and keep off that much weight, diet and exercise won't cut it. Studies show that only 5% of people who diet/exercise will be able to keep that amount of weight off. I had the duodenal switch last November and am down a total of 134 pounds so far and I feel great. I am the healthiest I ever have been and it reverses diabetes.

Check into the Duodenal Switch. See obesityhelp.com for more information.

Why??

Although I feel the decision to have WLS is a personal choice, I have to agree too. My highest weight was 313 pounds. I now weigh 193...within a very short time. I am still not any where near the goal weight I would like to be, I am healthier now than I have ever been...and I'm almost 40 years old! I have lost over 100 pounds several times in my life only to gain it (ad often more) back. It was very frustrating and heart breaking...let's not forget hard on your body too. Several years ago I began looking into weight loss surgery (WLS). Thankfully someone told me about the duodenal switch (DS). I did not take the idea seriously until February of this year when I slipped in the snow and tore my MCL (knee injury). Reluctantly I had to seek medical attention. I did not know I had high blood pressure, was borderline diabetic, had premature arthritis in my knees, and a list of other medical issues until then. It put me on a journey that has truly changed my life. I began working out a few days a week in physical therapy since I was too heavy for knee surgery. In a few months my knee was better, although the arthritis due to my weight caused permanent damage. By July I weighed 255 pounds and got the duodenal switch. I continue to exercise 5 days a week now and feel guilty the days I do not do it. I can eat a lot of food, compared to other WLS procedures, I just follow a low carb/high protein diet. The DS also has the best long term success rates when compared to other WLS or diet and exercise alone. I no longer have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and borderline diabetes. My only complaint is I that I waited until now to do this. I can only imagine the life I could of had if I had done this in my 20's...not to mention avoiding the permanent damage I caused my body (knee arthritis).

I have struggled with my weight since I was 13 years old, and for too many years yo-yo dieted and my weight fluctuated like a roller coaster. I could lose lots of weight, 40, 60, 96, with diet and exercise or diet alone, but always gained it all back and then ended with more added weight than when I started the diet. Diets alone won't work. Diet and exercise might work, but as soon as you stop, the weight can and often do come back. By the time I research weight loss surgery (WLS) I was so sick I couldn't work, I had diabetes, hypertension, tachycardia, irregular heart beat, edema, obstructive sleep apnea, aortic valve calcification (stenosis), poly-cystic ovarian syndrome, acid reflux with occasional heartburn, mild incontinence, diastasis recti (separation of the abdominal muscle from ribcage to belly button), arthritis on my knees and hips, and severe depression. It was hard to even walk a few block or up a flight of stairs without feeling fatigue and breathless. I really felt horrible and was seriously afraid that I would end up dying young, probably in my early to mid 40's. I looked into the lap band, thinking it would be a safer surgery but found out that it's not very effective and not a good surgery for those that are morbidly obese, only good for those that only have 40 to 60 lbs. to lose. The doctor recommended the RNY (Gastric Bypass), because he didn't do the DS (Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch), but since he mentioned it to me, and I hated the way the RNY surgery would reconfigured my stomach and would restrict my diet, I researched the DS, and I'm so glad I did. It's the most successful WLS, give the best weight loss results in both short and long term, and offers the best quality of life, allowing me to eat a more "normal" diet, without the severe restrictions and dumping syndrome of RNY patients. My highest weight was 292 lbs. and I'm 5'4" tall. I got the BPD/DS surgery on August 11, 2008 and I truly believe that it saved my life. My diabetes was gone the day after surgery, and hypertension gone a few days later, with most of the other health problems going away or lessening in a few months. I had stopped taking medications just before the DS and never went back on them. I've lost over 130 lbs., losing around 92 lbs. on the first year, and on my 3 year surgiversary my weight was 138 lbs. I just turned 42 years old and I'm just a few lbs. to my weight goal of 130 lbs. which is close to my lowest weight as an adult 17 years ago when I was 24-25. I wished I hadn't struggled with my morbid obesity and serious health problems and complications from it for as long as I did. I'm so glad for the DS, it saved my life and has improved my health and quality of life so much. I recommend the DS to anyone that have struggled with morbid obesity for years.