I finally got to where I couldn't take the pain in my knees and went for a second opinion. This second orthopedic surgeon was marvelous and blunt. I was very high risk for knee replacement surgery at the weight I was at - 368. He told me that many of his patients manage their pain by controlling their weight. I decided that it was time to lose weight - all of it - for good.

If I had not started doing so, my life might be very different right now. I developed a heart arrhythmia less than a year into losing weight and was hospitalized. They were almost unable to do the atrial ablation - which was advised since I was not responding to medication. If I had not already lost a chunk of weight by then, I don't know what would have happened.

It sobered me - being in the hospital, and developing this issue. It got me really clear, really fast. I want to live a long life with my husband, who is quite a bit younger than I. And I don't choose to have chronic pain when it's under my control to not.

That's it. The switch got flipped and I'm never going back to being morbidly obese again.

My best advice - what worked for me - find a way to do this, not all the reasons why you can't.