Weight Loss Surgery--I CANNOT Believe I Am Posting This!

I've known people who's done it, some succesfully others not much.
The reality is that either using the traditional weigth loss methods or having surgery you HAVE to change your eating and fitness habits if you want to remain at a healthy weigth. Otherwise you'll lose everything.
The benefit of the surgery though is time, is a lot more quicker when you ahve lots of weigth to lose.

Good luck!

Keep in mind that these are massively invasive surgeries, the latter of which involves major and permanent alterations to your vital organs. I would strongly suggest you try it the hard way first.

You are having success with what you are doing. Why try an invasive procedure to try to hurry things along? You are doing it. You didn't gain your weight overnight, you did it gradually over time. You need to examine what your motivation for losing weight is, are trying to get healthier, eat right, exercise? If so, continue doing that, it's working.

I have taken care of many people who have chosen the surgical route. For many, it's been a pretty good thing. For others, it was life ending.
For the really unfortunate ones, it meant the rest of their lives suffering and in a great deal of pain. Many of them could only hope their suffering would end.

The Dr must legally go over the risks and benefits of a surgical procedure. There have been enough bad outcomes to generate statistics for each one. Are you willing to risk, (Even through no fault of your own or the medical team), becoming a poor outcome to speed your weight loss up by a few months?

I guess it really depends on each individul persons situation. My personal opinion, is that it should be an absolute last resort. Weight loss is difficult, but the question is... why did we gain weight in the first place? Why did we get to the place we're in? Getting this surgery will help you lose weight, because you will hardly be able to eat. You can do that without the surgery though. The surgery just makes it easier for you to do that. If you're not careful you can stretch your stomach back out. The question is, will you be able to maintain good habbits? I know a few people who had the surgery, who successfully lost A LOT of weight in the first year, but after that began to gain it back, because they couldn't break their bad habbits. Weight loss surgery is an absolute last resort, for people who tried absolutely everything, and feel it's the only way. You're pretty young, and I don't think this is something you should turn to right now. Again though, this is just my personal opinion. I don't know what your life is like. We're all trying to lose weight but our situations can all be very unique and I won't pretend to understand what you're going through. In the end, you're going to make the choice you feel is best for you. Personally I would not consider this option, because it is invasive surgery and with all surgery there are always risks. The risks are minimal but still, even that one in 50,000 chance is scary to me. I've proven to myself that when I REALLY REALLY REALLYYY crack down I can lose the weight. The hardest part is motivation. If I were to get the surgery, that's not going to stop binges, that's not going to stop me from eating bad food, that's not going to make me eat healthy. Only I can do that. It's healthy to explore any and all options though, and it's good that you're asking around about it. I just hope this isn't something you feel you have to resort to just yet! You're only 30. Weight loss is extremely difficult but I believe you can do it without the surgery!!! Weight loss can be overwhelming, especially when you have a lot to lose, but if you just keep working at it, you will. It's not about how fast you lose, I know it's hard not to think that way, you want it to just be gone, but this surgery doesn't come without its down sides. Try to be patient with yourself, and just be persistent! Don't give up. Keep pushing through the tough spots and you'll find it gets easier!

when you think about it 100 pounds is not that much...you can safely lose that in 50-100 weeks=1 to 2 years...trust me losing 1 pound a week is very easy actually

First off stop making excuses for why you're heavy. Yes there are reasons. We all have reasons. Blaming something isn't going to change anything and negativity sucks. (this is from someone who has suffered years of depression too)

Second in four months I have lost 47 pounds. I used Jenny Craig. If you truly, truly feel you need a kick start look into something like that first. It's a kick start, makes it easy and you don't have to drastically alter your body. It's not the best option. (I'm aware of that) and ppl here will tell you it's crap but it's been a big help for me.

Yes you will lose weight on surgery but you won't be able to eat what you want, you'll be sick and there are chances you'll put it back on anyways. I truly believe the cons far outweighs the pros.

Is there any physical reason that you can't lose this weight on your own other than "it's hard"?

I guess I still feel that the weight gain is not my fault......I blame it on the medications. So that is why I feel the surgery is for me. My story is a little different. I was taking very strong meds for a while to balance me out.

Only you are going to be able to take this decision - but it doesn't seem to me to me one that should be made lightly. For what it's worth, here are my thoughts on the matter:

I believe it is pretty major surgery with a reasonable chance of unpleasant side effects.

If the main reason you think you might do it is because it's free (almost)..... is that a good reason? Only you can decide that, but for me that's a bit worrying.

If your weight gain is from medical intervention which didn't work out the way you want, looking to medical intervention to fix the weight problem sounds like a risky strategy.

I know it seems overwhelming when you have a lot of weight to lose. I started out wanting to lose around 50 pounds and I honestly didn't beleiee I could do it. That was in January and here I am in December 45 pounds lighter. It hasn't always been easy and I've certainly fallen off the wagon more times that I can count. But, persistance has seen results for me and I bet it could for you too. Focusing on the end point (which might seem invisible) is depressing. Making a short term goal ("I am going to eat healthy snacks today" or "I am going to walk for 20 mins today") is much more likely to bring you success in the short term. Then, before you know it, those small achievements will have added up to a BIG success!

Good luck with making this decision.

I though you were going to say you weigh 400lbs but only 230? My little piece of advice is. I was 133 pounds last year this time, I am now 196lbs. It took me 12 months to lose 37lbs and i am really happy about it. Try to look up a diet that the people who have gone through with the procedure are eating now, because i know they are forced to eat smaller portionsa, not by choice. Try to eat what they eat for the next 12 weeks and see if that wont help you lose atleast 20lbs, if it works, stick with it you will not need the surgery, i really hope you dont go through it because honestly being 230lbs is not that big

Is there any physical reason that you can't lose this weight on your own other than "it's hard"?

This^

If you go on to get the surgery with this mindset you're just going to gain back any weight that you lose anyway...Quit making excuses. It's up to you, you can get where you want to be of you do what needs to be done.

How are you gonna try and take a shortcut when you've hardly put in any effort into doing it yourself?

Please think long and hard before you do this!!!

I know three women who have done this. All require B-12 and other vitamin therapy's.

All of them have saggy skin.

Two of them look fifteen years older than they are.

None of them are fit.

You can do this on your own. If you were so obese that you were in danger of hurting yourself by exercising, then I would say go for it. Or in other words, if your weight was so high, that you were disabled by it. That is who this surgery is really meant for.

Obviously you want people to tell you the truth or you wouldn't have posted this.

Eat healthy, exercise. Just be healthy. You cannot be healthy while only being able to consume a small amount of food for the rest of your life.

I started at your weight just 10 weeks of better (not great) eating and basic exercise x 3 per week. I have lost 27lbs already that is already 1/3 of the way to my main goal !

If I can do that and my eating and exercise level has not been great and I have problems with my thyroid levels, anyone can. IT is just a matter of logging every mouthful and moving more.

Two things I would suggest.

1. Try to break your goal into managable chunks. I never have more than 10 lbs to lose on my ticker/mind, it helps keep me motivated. When I reach my third goal of 30 lbs lost i.e. 210 lbs. I'll reset my goal to 200lbs. If I kept thinking of the 100lbs I had to lose at the beginning I would never get there but working on losing just another 10 lbs is doable.

2. Why not give yourself the 6 months you need to attend the WLS classes before you can have surgery anyway and tell yourself you will follow a sensible healthy food intake and exercise for that 6 month period and see what happens. I bet you can get 50% of your weight loss in that time. Don't worry about dropping your BMI and weight pre surgery, we all know how easy it is too put weight back on again. !