I wish I had had the courage to have my surgery in my 20's it took me 20 years to get the courage up and realize my weight was killing me. I let myself miss out on so much life and all because of my weight.good luck in the future and don't let others discourage you. Keep up talking about our surgery.

As much as I LOVE MFP, I will be honest and say that the main forums are not too WLS friendly. That's why this group was created. It's difficult for people to understand why we'd want surgery. A lot of people dont understand that when you're obese sometimes the "eat less, exercise more" ideal doesnt work.

I bet they also get a lot of "oh, you don't need surgery. You can do it the HEALTHY way!" as if surgery is unhealthy. Not to mention, diet & exercise alone doesn't work for 99% of the people who have 50 pounds or more to lose. So they probably can't do it the "healthy" way.

I didn't get to be obese until I was in my late 20s so I can't really say I wish I had surgery in my 20s. But what I wish is that I had never gone on that first diet when I was 13. Because that's what started my yo-yo dieting and put me on the path to being obese. But, of course, everyone was pushing me to "do something" about my "weight problem" (I was 10 lb overweight and going through puberty and growing) and when I lost the weight I got so many positive strokes.

People's ideas of diet and exercise and being a healthy weight and how to get that are so warped. That pisses ME off.

I know this is your pet peeve MacMadame!! I am so glad you joined us again. I missed you!

I do not care what anyone thinks. This surgery saved my life. I have a new lease on life. I am doing things I have not done since I was a kid.

This coming weekend I am getting my Zumba Instructors license. If you would have told me that a year ago, I would have laughed at you. Who knew, I would love to Zumba.

My sister in law calls me a cheater and says I have taken the easy way out! I had WLS its not a "diet" that I can quit for crying out loud! I have worked my *kitten* off since my surgery this has not been an road for me, not one minute. Everyone told me that the paid would be nothing and that I would forget it all. Truth be told I remember every minute from the time I woke up in recovery, every ounce of pain the entire week I was in the hospital and even after I got home. Anyone who tells me I took the easy way out can kiss my *kitten*.

You are singing my song, sistah!

The ignorance that passes for fact relative to WLS is totally maddening. And the complete lack of logic...OMG...statements like:

1. Everyone gains all the weight back and then some. (This must be true, right? Because everyone who does it the "hard" way is successful and keeps the weight off forever--hence the reason yo-yo dieting is a myth...)

2. It's the "easy" way (whatever...I paid cash for my surgery and have dieted and exercised my a** off. Nothing easy there. I'm not a lazy slob and I'm highly educated and accomplished so put that in your pipe and smoke it)

3. I knew someone who died from WLS (peer reviewed studies and statistics dispute that there is any increased danger from WLS. If you went in to have a tooth extracted, your boobs done, your spleen removed, etc. there are dangers there too. People die from obesity at a much larger rate, every day. Cars are also dangerous at a much higher level than WLS. Should we stop driving and being passengers now?)

4. The excess skin is worse than the obesity. (not everyone has that issue, and, frankly, it's an unattractive thing but being obese is worse for your health)

5. All WLS is gastric bypass (no, it's not--take a look at VSG's and Lap Bands)

In the end, my attitude is this: if you don't pay my bills and if you don't want to step up and take care of my kids until they're out of college and if you otherwise have no connection to what happens in my part of the universe...you and your opinion of WLS can blow off. I also think that people who haven't had the surgery should shut up with their biased, uniformed opinions.

Harsh? Maybe.

Not harsh...realistic! Just like the life threatening issues that led us to make the choice to go with WLS. I tried "the healthy way", and I have really learned to make better choices, and change the way I used to eat. None the less I could only keep it up for short periods because at the amount of calories i needed to consume to lose weight, i was constantly hungry.....and then i would obsess even more about food.

VSG has changed that for me. Now I eat and feel full on much less food, and don't feel I am starving, or missing out on anything.....

They just don't get that this is still work, eat right, make healthier choices, exercise we still have to do all the things they do!

I was 28 (I just turned 29 on the 26th) when I had my surgery, I was the youngest one. My surgeon told me that I picked a good time to have it done because I was still young.

Where is the "Like" button?? I had surgery when I was 23... even though mine malfunctioned, i'd do it all over again! People make fun of things they don't care to understand, they aren't worth your time. Only you have to worry about you... not everyone is going to agree with you along the way, and thats ok. People need to mind their own business.

:drinker: i totally agree with you thats why i am telling NOone! :noway: (ok hubby and the kids lol )

but i have already lost a load on my own so people will just presume i will be doing it that way,all i can say is i wish i had mine done yrs ago instead of chickening out of it! now on the waiting list again!(should soonish tho)

Congrats!!! You look amazing. I looked at your before and after pictures! Keep up the good work lady!!

She thinks that I cheated because I had the surgery.

My answer to that? Well, I MAY have cheated, but I DEFINITELY won.....I no longer struggle to lose weight nor do I lose/gain/lose/gain the same 20 pounds over and over before throwing in the towel. I AM A WINNER!!

I am 28 and just had RNY surgery. You really find out who your friends are. Real friends admire your courage, and support you. Others make snide remarks, question everything that touch your lips, and proclaim that the 5lbs that they just lost is a bigger accomplishment then the 15 that you did.

My mother-in-law is going to be my biggest naysayer in a under handed way. She calls me weekly for reports (and I'm only a month out) feigning to be supportive yet she says something negative to me every time she calls. Personally I don't want someone who hasn't had the surgery checking up on me every month. When you see me ask how its going or tell me I'm looking great. Don't call me every freaking week and ask how much I've lost and what I'm eating. Only to say "Your not eating any vegetables?! You need the nutrients from vegetables. That's not healthy" especially from someone that is in the medical field and knows better then to believe that some surgeon cut up my stomach rerouted my intestines and then just leaves me to figure things out on my own. Then say "well I haven't heard from you in a while". I wonder why?! You just called me last week. I'm out of work, nothing exciting is happening I don't have anything to say.

phew...sorry had to get that off my chest. She really got to me this week. My father's sister is driving me up a wall too. I haven't talked to her more then 4 times this past year and she is constantly sending me text messages asking me how much I've lost so far. Believe me when I hit a big mile stone Ill make sure everyone knows.

Is your Mother-n-law overweight? If so she really may be considering the surgery.

She is forever on a diet, but she is no where near qualifying for surgery. If I had to guess she is probably around a size 12, maybe a 14.

People who struggle with their weight but don't qualify or would never consider surgery often are the biggest naysayers and sabatours. My thin friends are excited that I did something to make myself healthier and my WLS friends know what I'm going through. It's the ones in between who cause problems.

ETA with a mother or a MIL, you often have to set boundaries. They are often thinking of us as kids and doing things that are inappropriate to do to an adult. So calling every week to check on your progress is something a mom does to a kid who is young and can't be trusted to follow through so you need to help them. It's only okay to do to an adult if you have an understanding though so you need to tell her to back off (but politely, of course).

She is forever on a diet, but she is no where near qualifying for surgery. If I had to guess she is probably around a size 12, maybe a 14.

People who struggle with their weight but don't qualify or would never consider surgery often are the biggest naysayers and sabatours. My thin friends are excited that I did something to make myself healthier and my WLS friends know what I'm going through. It's the ones in between who cause problems.

ETA with a mother or a MIL, you often have to set boundaries. They are often thinking of us as kids and doing things that are inappropriate to do to an adult. So calling every week to check on your progress is something a mom does to a kid who is young and can't be trusted to follow through so you need to help them. It's only okay to do to an adult if you have an understanding though so you need to tell her to back off (but politely, of course).

You hit it on the head with who is and isn't supportive!!

Pushing the "Like" button multiple times!!!