I had a very sobering experience "shopping" today for a pair of khaki pants for work, which was futile! There was even a moment when I cried in the car, in between stores. It reaffirmed for me that having weight loss surgery is in my best interest. So many people are telling me not to do it but until they have unsuccessfully fought the battle of the bulge for years (in my case my entire life) they

really shouldn't try to advise me on what I should and shouldn't do with my own body. They don't understand the heartbreak and anguish that shopping can bring when nothing fits...which is why when you do find something that fits you hang on to it and wear it until it's been worn thin and full of holes :-/ Soon I will no longer have this problem....and lord am I ever looking forward to that day! In the mean time I am wearing, god I can't believe I am openly admitting this, a size 28 pant (possibly even a 30 if such a thing exists). The largest size Wal-Mart carried was a size 26 which I just couldn't stuff myself in to, and believe me I tried!!! I was thinking it would be such a neat idea if we started a clothing exchange. As we lose weight we could send our "fat clothes" on to our pre-surgical members and as we drop the weight post surgical we could send them to our other members whom are a few months behind us (in terms of weight loss). Would any of you be interested in something like this?

my local wls support group is doing this on oct. 9! i think it is an awesome idea. after years and years of shopping at the big and tall store (which was very ironic since i am only 5'6") and years of asking the walmart people "um, what do you mean you only sell up to 46 waist and 3x shirt? have you not seen the people that shop here?" i now have to go to the thrift store every couple of weeks to get new jeans! gotta admit, it's fun to go clothes shopping now. not only can i get normal people sizes, but, at the thrift store, jeans are like $5 and shirts are like a buck. i started out in a 56" waist jeans and a 5-6x shirt. last week, i got a size 42" waist and a 2x shirt. i used to get depressed because nothing fit, now i almost cry for joy because everything does!

ahh, life is good. good luck on your journey

There's already a clothing exchange forum on here.

Really Valdosta??? I need to go find it then!!!!

I started one in my local area, if you dont see one that works, maybe you can start one around your locality!