The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places.

Author unknown

Luke 12:23

23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

Should you get surgery?

This is a very, very, very personal decision. You can not let what one person has to say convince you or dissuade you. Here are some things you need to ask yourself:

1. Are the risks worth the benefit?
1. Understand that there are risks associated with each and every surgery, EVEN DEATH. But, you also have to look at the role obesity plays on your health. Obesity can subtract years from your life, and quality from the years that you live.
2. Am I willing to commit to a whole new way of eating, exercise, and vitamin regimen?
1. This is **NOT** the lazy (many people say easy – but to me, this is the easy way… this is the only way) way out. Anyone who thinks so is unwise. You still have to eat right, stay away from sweets and carbs. Yes, you can eventually eat anything you want, but remember how you got here in the first place. You also have to exercise for this to work correctly. Basically you will be leading a healthy lifestyle. As for vitamins, you have to commit to follow a LIFE LING regimen of taking vits up to 7-8 times a day. There is NO if, and, or buts when it comes to this. Not doing so can be costly to your health.
3. Am I at least 100 pounds overweight?
1. You need to have a BMI of 40, or of 35 with co-morbidities to be considered.
4. Am I doing this for health or vanity?
1. Now, the average person does look forward to the vanity side. There are some folks who do it for pure vanity reasons. I am a “healthy” fat person. I have high cholesterol, and that is it. However, I can’t enjoy living because of my weight. I get fatigued easily. I also know that diabetes, heart problems, cancer, high BP all run in my family. I want to PREVENT that from happening to me.
5. Do I understand that WLS does not cure my life?
1. So many post-ops thought life was going to be peachy keen after surgery. They were sorrowfully mistaken. Personal problems that are there before will still be there. They may even intensify because you do not have the comfort of food to turn to. Divorce rate increases after surgery. HOWEVER, people say that they had problems BEFORE surgery. As far as divorce, most say, if you are happy, you get happier, and if you are not you get divorced.
6. Do I have a plan to focus my emptiness on when I realize food is not there to comfort me.
1. Most obese people are emotional eaters. They are addicted to food. Food is their calming, happy drug. When that is taken away, you have to have something positive to focus that energy on.
7. Do I realize that if I do not ONE HUNDRED percent commit to this, my surgery will fail?
1. This surgery DOES fail. You can out eat this surgery. It is not a cure all. It is simply a tool that allows you to live a healthier life, and helps you make better choices. There are mechanical reasons for failure that can be fixed with surgery.
8. Am I willing to live with saggy skin?
1. MOST people who have this surgery have to deal with the skin. If you have stretch marks, you are likely to have the sagging skin.
9. Now, ask yourself these questions.
1. Do I miss playing with my kids?
2. Do I get scared when my heart skips a beat?
3. Do I miss going on rides?
4. Am I afraid of breaking a chair?
5. Can I run up a flight of stairs?
6. When is the last time you were in public in a bathing suit?
7. Do I hide when I eat at times from embarrassment?
8. Do I feel like everyone is looking at me at the buffet?
9. Can I sit in a booth?
10. Can I cross my legs?

This is a very personal choice. I encourage you to do as much research as possible. Explore every detail. Good luck to you on the journey!