Hello everyone my name is Mike i live in South Carolina and I am 26 years old and weigh 365lbs.
I have browsed these forums for about 10 months. Read alot of stories some good some scarey. I have been trying to decide is gbs is worth the risk.
I went to my local gbs surgeons informational meeting. They were very informative and the surgeon has a really good rep in the area. Basically you pay a upfront $2000 fee and you get there services for life. This includes a Dietician also they have a store for all your pre-op and post op needs. They even have a cook that you can take classes from or go on trips to the grocery store so you can learn what you need to buy.
Surgeon is Dr. Bour there website is
http://www.bariatricsolutions.com
He seems pretty straight up and honest. Did not shy away from information the first informational meeting was nearly 4hrs. He went over gbs and lapband. Explained everything very well. Stated how many surgerys hes had i think it was in the 900's he has only had 1 death and that was due to heart problems. Hes had a couple clot issues one just a week before the meeting. All they have caught in time.
A little about me. I have kept telling myself that i would only have the surgery as a last resort for the past 3 years i have tried seriously to lose weight maybe 3 times each lasted about 3 months. First time i lost 32 lbs that was from my record high of 383lbs. The last time was around spring this year i started at 370 and got to the exact same weight and stopped losing. I can't seem to break past 350.
I'm 26 i have no life. I basically Wake up go to work. Come home. Eat. watch tv then sleep. My weekend is very similar cept i go see the family instead of work. I hate my life, i see it just passing me by. I know my parents are concerned for me. I see my brother whos only 10 and i see him gaining weight like i did. He looks up to me and i am afraid its partially my fault cause he sees what i do and wants to be like me. Hell I've never even been on a date.
I am not comfortable with myself so i don't like to go out. Hell i even catch myself waiting for neighbors to go inside before i take out the trash.
I'm a different person at work people like me i feel like i fit. But i often get they "Hey Big Guy" greeting and i just go along with it. For some reason tho outside of work going out in public just scares the shit out of me. I think it may be the fact that at work everyone is older then me and I mostly seem freak out around people my age or younger. More and more i have been asked to travel and they don't understand why i am resistant. They don't know whats its like to take long airplane trips when ur 350+lbs. How people look at you and i hate having to apologize to when i take my seat and i feel like i am imposing on the person next to me. I try to get the isle seat to make things easier but still those seats are damn small. last year i only traveled maybe 3 times, next year i know of atleast 10 trips i will need to go on.
Anyways theres the background.
Now i guess to my Question when did you know it was time to stop waiting and take the plunge. Currently i have no health issues so i know its almost the perfect time. I have even asked myself should i set a date and say if i haven't lost the weight by x/x/xxxx then i should just do it.
I have blue cross blue shield of florida. I don't think approval will be difficult.
I just don't want to wake up one day and realize i have waited to long but then again i don't like to rush into anything without thinking it through.
Another thing that scares me is that i just don't see posts from people who are like 8 years out or more. I mean having this done at 26 or 27 means i am going to have to live with it for a very long time. When i check the long term post op forum its people that are like 3-4 years out. What happened to the people that are 8 years out. Are they regretting there decision? Are they living there lives like normal and have just stopped coming back?
Ah so many Questions still!
Well sorry for the book and thanks for your time if you read all that.
When did you know it was time?
Packing up, Moving!!!!
GYM RAT #44
. mgk I know where you are coming from. Let me give you a brief history of myself I am 20 years old. At sixteen I was diagnosed with diabetes and have lived with it for four years. I watched my grandpa die from complications from diabetes at sixteen. I have worked on an ambulance service for four years and have seen what diabetes has done. I finally made the decision at 20 to have it done. What helps is the most is talk to your family and close friends to have support. I like you tried to lose weight myself and could never lose alot of weight. I was never comfortable with myself. Even though I am down 53 lbs I am still not comfortable with myself but I am slowly getting there. I decided that I did not want to live like this anymore and that I wanted to be comfortable with myself. I knew that it was time when I couldn't lose the weight. Did it scare the hell out of me the complications? Hell yes. But I knew that in the long run this was going to be ALOT healthier and a new me. You have very valid concerns. But I knew that I wanted to live longer then 50 and be able to live a healthier life. Would I do it all over again? I would in a heartbeat. I hope this helps is some sort of way. If you want to know anything else about me or just want to talk I am just a single click away. Feel free to PM me. Just know that we are a family here and we will help in any way that we can.
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