Honestly, if I thought it would have been possible for me to lose the weight without surgery, then I would have gone for the dieting option every time. Surgery must absolutely be the last resort. I would never have had a bypass if I thought I could do it alone.
The old demons do come back, but after surgery you have a tool to stop the demons getting out of hand.
If I were in your shoes right now, I would start the WLS process as it will be many months before you get to the point of surgery, and if you manage to do it on your own before then, there will someone only too willing to move up the list and take your place.
Also, (please take this in the manner it is intended hun) you have done absolutely brilliantly to lose 49lb, but you still need to lose twice as much as that and maintain it to be a healthy weight. Do you really think you can do that on your own?