Welcome to the forum Big Daddy. That name may stick, but if you stick to eating low carb it will be in a punny sort of way.

Your story is much the same as mine. I likely would have had weight loss surgery had the finances been there when I was at the bottom with my weight and health. The finances were not there, so my only options were diet or an early death. I made low carb 'how I eat' and stuck with the program until it stuck. When I eat carbs food rules. When I keep the carbs low I am in control. It takes work to change your lifestyle. But people on this forum have done it. When I saw what they had done I realized that I could do it, too. The support here does help. Stick around and take advantage of it. Stick with your LC program, make low carb a permanent lifestyle, then you will find the success that you desire.

BTW: My brother had gastric sleeve surgery a few months after I started my health & weight loss journey back in 2014. We live on opposite coasts, so I don't see him often. In May 2015 I was out west for a visit. My little bro had lost most all of his excess weight. I had lost 175 pounds, but still had a long way to go. My brother passed on some of his used clothes to me. I couldn't yet fit them. The next time I went back west was this past summer. I was no longer obese. My little bro had regained quite a bit of weight. I had shrunk out of the clothes that he gave me. He had outgrown that size by then so there was no point in giving them back. So like many who have WLS, it was not the magic cure for him. He figured out how to eat around it. We have to get the diet right. My brother won't give up carbs. But I know that the carbs are his problem. You know what they say... you can lead a horse to water... My little bro is going to have to figure things out for himself.

I've been in maintenance for 16 months. Even with staying low carb it has not been totally smooth sailing. I can still overeat. If I don't give proper attention to my diet then I will gain. Hanging out on this forum helps keep me focused and accountable. I'm still in a good place with my life and my health.

Again welcome. We need more Big Daddy's around here. I wish you success. You can do this.