Hi =-) Just registered now for VST.

I will get a call tomorrow to set up my appointment for my consultation. I saw my cousin at a wedding last month, she looked great and I told her so. She whispered in my ear, "I had the surgery, go for it".

I respect her a lot. She has been a RN for a long time. She is older than me...she is 58, I am 54. She said do it, I feel great and it is the best thing.

I want it. And I am scared. Oh, the what ifs...

Will I miss food? Will I miss the social part of eating? I want the skinny person inside of me out. I am SICK of battling the battle of the fat. I have yet to know anyone that has lost weight on their own and kept it off. My first diet was when I was 14. Oh, I keep it off for a year or so, than it creeps back. I hate seeing photos of myself.

And how in the world will I eat without drinking??! I must drink at least two glasses of Water with my meals!

I have never talked about my overweight body. I never joke about it. It is never brought up in my home. My husband is supportive to whatever I want. I can already hear my middle son reprimanding me for even considering bariatric surgery. Fortunately all three of my sons seem to have received my husband's slim gene, they are in there early to mid twenties. I told my cousin this, she said, "they have no idea what it is like to have a weight issue".

I don't think I will tell my sons about it beforehand. I don't want to tell anyone at work. I just don't feel the need to tell my co-workers. I almost hate the attention I will get afterwards.

Help me! I have so many questions. Please welcome me into your world! I just need compassion and understanding!

Welcome! First of all--take a deep breath and let it out slowly. All the concerns you mentioned are part of this. We have all asked those questions. When I first started seeking weight loss surgery I was irritated that the approval process and pre-op testing and such took so long. Now I am 11 days away from my surgery and am glad I had a lot of time to really ask all the questions and get answers. You don't have to have all the answers right now. Give yourself some time. Look around on this site--it is really helpful. Go to the consult--ask a lot of questions. In a little while you will know if this is right for you or not.

Hi Gigi, welcome to the boards. This is a wonderful journey and one worth traveling, but it can also be a stressful one with all the worries, questions, doubts, concerns, etc that one may experience. I agree with Texarkolina. Take a deep breath. There is tons of information on the boards to read and if you can't find answers then all you have to do is ask. Everyone on the forum is super supportive and always willing to help. One thing that has helped is to keep a note pad and pen handy. Anytime I thought of a question, I wrote it down so I didn't forget it, and I would ask my friends here on the forum or ask the doctor himself.

Take your time, remember to relax, and enjoy the path and journey you are choosing.