So this is my first post, I am very pre op. I had my first consultation with my surgeon today... and I am still working on my insurance approval, hopefuly they will only require 3 months of DR. dieting.... instead of 6.

I am wanting to do this to change my life.. I am 25 yrs old and feel like I am 35. I am at 349 as of today... and only 5'10 to boot. I have never lost more than 20lbs in my life and that was when I was 18 and in the gym for 4hrs a day. I have this heavy nagging feeling that this is the easy way out and I am dedicated enough just to suck it up?? I am single and succesful and have always made leeps and bonds considering my age and what I have accomplished, but I have never been able to control my weight and have a true addiction to the smell and taste of food with the stipulations of being a obese person....

My biggest concern is that I will not be able to control that and fight with all the complications that eating to fast and the eating with my head that comes with years of habit....

another large concern is my social life, which is a big part of my work and who I am.... is it true that I wont be able to drink beer again?? I guess its just hard for me to amagine a game of golf with out a cold brew ?? or things like that...

and lastly how many of us have used therapy as a tool to help with the post op side of this life changing event and has it helped??

I am sorry for the long winded post, but truly appreciate any advice that can be offered.... If I can complete this procedure I am hoping for great things ahead of me.

Im pre-op to and I'm thinking alot of the same things...

I appreciate your time and input, I guess at this point it is just hard to understand what you gain since I have never had it...?? always being big is what I have always been and it is part of who I am, I guess just coming to terms with letting that go is what I am trying to working on.. I think I just accepted it as its always going to be this way.. and it really hard to reverse that in my head... My thoughts behind doing this have always been that I have nothing to loose....

but latley I have been finding more stuff that I am having dificult time letting go... and since I have no true idea I what I will gain, it feels very unnerving... its funny last night I had a long discussion in my head around BBQ.... and honestly how important it is to me... cooking and drinking beer hanging around the pit all day and just the joy of eating it after all that work.... it really made me sad to think that I wouldn't be able to do that anymore because I never considered that not being a part of who I am.... Sometimes I think I am being over dramatic, but its scary how my brain is trying to sabotage this effort... just with the thought of BBQ ??

I am about 4 months post op and wish I had done it 10 yrs ago! I am 41yrs old, struggled with wieght since I was 10. I was banned oct 6th and am down over 60lbs already. I am 5'7 and was 308 presugury and now only 4 months later I am down to 236! I do not exsercise regularly but do eat mostly protien. I too was a beer drinker, but now have an occasional whiskey sour instead. Dont let yourself put this off you will regreatit later. Do some more research and reading on this site and then go for it, youll be glad ya did!:mad:

Guys, I am 3 days post-op and I truly feel good except for the gassy feeling in my chest which I know will go away. I am beginning to feel hunger pains for the first time since surgery...but I can squash them with a little liquid. I am excited about my new leash on life and can't wait to begin eating solid foods again....Heck I will take soft right now!! I wonder how long most you you guys felt the tightness in your chests due to gas? does it have anything to do with swelling of your insides? Right now, I am drinking liquids and feel it get tight when it reaches the banded area, will it get tight every time I drink? Just some questions for some of you who have been through the process...thanks!

edit: doubleg71: geez, I had to lose 100 pounds to get to where you are just starting!!!

I started where you did Jack and by the time I get banded I will be where doubleg started.

Welcome. There is no way this is the easy way out - no more so then a person you uses meds to control their health issues is "taking the easy way out". You will still need to make the decision as to what food you eat/ when and how you work out etc.

I hear you on many of your issues:

I was a lover of food - and have MANY social activities based around food. The funny thing is 2 years out - I still do. I just eat differently- no more 3 dinner rolls before the meal, more seafood etc. If fact, no that I eat slower- I think I enjoy food more then ever.

I had been a fast eat since grade school - half the second time you get sick- you learn to slow down. Its a habit and like all habits they can be changed.

I am 5'10 and while my pre-surgery weight was 296 - I am sure I had hit the 300+ mark at some points thru the years.

For me, the band allowed me to "reset the clock and start over". Looked at food differently -- its very hard to explain.

After a life time of gaining and losing more weight then I could count. I know understand people who put a "holiday 5" and need to lose it.

Good Luck

That helps me tremendously reading about what experiences all of you have had in your processes. It seems easier today and I am sure that it will become easier tomorrow too. I can eat my s.f. jello easier today, drinking seems a little easier today and I feel the tightness getting less and less. I look forward to talking to all of you as our process goes on and really use this resource to help me along the way. Thanks for your help...