I started seeing a counselor - focused on some relationship/family issues. Anyway, yesterday she asked me, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being estatic - how have you felt overall the last 30 days.

I said 9.5

Okay, maybe that is an exaggeration, but I really do love life as a normal sized person even with my extra skin, return of hunger and the drudgery of maintenance.

Curious how the rest of you would rate your happiness?

For me, happiness is at the same level as pre-op. I was a pretty happy person then, and I'm a pretty happy person now. What's changed is how happy I am when shopping, working out, and fitting in small places .

Also, I notice that people treat me differently now that I'm thinner. That pisses me off when I think about it much, but there it is.

Lynda

Wow happiness on a scale of 1 to 10....

I would have to say for me that's a moving target!

I wish I could answer this as a person at "goal"

But somehow I don't think that will change it much.

I am thankful everyday for my life, marriage, kids and friends. And spend parts of my day (especially if out shopping) deliriously happy with my weight loss so far.

But there are events in my life, like the death of my brother, that will always be a missing peace to my happiness puzzle.

So am I happy? Yes! I am. But as I hold my happiness in one hand, I also hold my sorrows in the other..

Is it possible to have both?

Can I have a happiness scale, and a scale for my sorrows I collected along the way?

A quote I've always liked because I may have sorrows but those sorrows are because I experienced the joys of life and people..

“Given the choice between the experience of pain and nothing, I would choose pain.”

― William Faulkner, The Wild Palms

I've been up since 4:30 this morning so this might sound delirious, I think I need a nap.

Pretty happy myself as a post op. I would say a 8/9 out of 10. This is such a dramatic change from even 1 year ago and attribute it to lifestyle changes. Eating well and daily fitness really does turn around someone previously diagnosed with mental health issues.

Great post, CowgirlJane!

Thanks everyone for sharing!

I'm not a vet but I think what I'm about to say is very common. Before surgery I was very happy about every area of my life except my weight. I'm very successful in my career, I'm married to a wonderful man, I love where I live, I love my hobbies. My struggle with obesity has tainted all the other areas because I have had the constant question "If I am so successful elsewhere, why can't I lose weight?" I think it will take a big load off my shoulders and free me to have a less skewed view of my life. I'm not saying my life is perfect other than the weight. Im not scape-goating all my problems on my weight. I hope this makes sense.

I would say on average over the last few months would be 8/10 which is incredible for me as I've suffered severe depression since childhood.

Never been so happy and I don't want this to change!

I'm happier than I was pre-op, that's for sure. It comes and goes. I was probably a 6 or 7 today. I wasn't sad, or unhappy, but nothing nearing ecstatic! I'm getting above that plenty, though. I think I'm just hormonal going into that 'time of the month' and feeling bloated and ugly occasionally.

Before surgery my mood fluctuated between 2-6. Usually in the lower portion. Now I fluctuate between 6-10, usually in the upper portion. Yes, the weight loss has a lot to do with it. I think it's in large part the exercise though - that is just a huge factor in my happiness. Before I was too overweight and too depressed to move. Mix in some hope and I started moving and haven't stopped!

What a great question! Pre-op, I was probably a 3-5 most of the time, but I didn't realize how low my spirits were. Looking back at pictures of myself from then, I seldom smiled and I don't remember being really happy most of the time. Now, almost two years out, with a year of counseling under my belt, I'm normally between a 7-10. As others have said, I love the fact that I'm so much smaller, healthier and able to do whatever I want to do. If I never lose another pound or inch, my VSG was worth it! What makes me even happier is knowing that I WILL lose another pound and another inch (over and over) until I get to my goal. So, overall, an 8-9 most of the time. BTW, I'm smiling in almost every picture I take these days!

Even though the circumstances of my life are sometimes really intolerable, I have always been a happy person. I am very blessed that way. I happen to be married to a man who no matter what the circumstances are, he isn't happy. I always expect the best of people & situations and am usually disappointed. He always expects the worst, and is never disappointed. I still prefer my way of looking at life.

As far as being happy with my body, oh yeah, I am a LOT happier now.

My answer is pretty much the same as Lynda's. I was a pretty happy person before. I have a great husband, a great family, and really the only thing that I felt bad about was my yo-yo dieting and my weight. So once the sleeve helped in that area I don't have much to complain about.

Except yesterday I had a first consult with a plastic surgeon, and wow what a downer that was! 20K to fix the damage done by being morbidly obese for 20 years. So yeah, not a fun day at all. I was moody and cranky yesterday, but already today is a new day and while I don't have any answers yet (do plastics, not do them and just accept the damage, I don't know) but I feel better already.

I do know that I have been a regular exerciser for the last 9 years and believe me there are days that I DRAG my butt to the gym or force myself to go on a run, and no matter how much I don't want to exercise, I NEVER regret it once I'm done. I truly believe in that endorphine release that exercise causes, so I try to remember that on days when I really don't want to go.

rate your happiness?

Jane et al

hmmmmmmmmmm

now that i'm at goal, losing 105 lbs - my weight loss IMO is the main reason for good things in my life continue

"people" sometimes say post WLS - you DON'T change

you are still the same person you were when you were heavier

welllll - i'm not sure i totally agree

My normal, old general "stuff" is the same

I'm still the wonderful perfect person i always was!!!

but now my "insides" are so much happier - which shows on the outside to others

which makes me happy - being/showing my self-confidence

I've heard from some on the board that they think all of a sudden people are being nicer, talking to them all of a sudden???

i think the reason for that could be that since you are happier about yourself, it shows, and people are "attracted" more to a happier person???

that could be a possible explanation sometimes

how happy am i???

since i'm retired - i don't have to deal w/the daily "possible" stress/problems that people have on their job

i don't have any little kids running around sometimes screaming, crying, sick (but they are usually joy!)

moms don't get mad at me please - its rewarding, wonderful raising kids - they are full of love

now that my daughter is 38, and grand-kids are here for the loving

they are "returnable" when they start argueing and yelling with each other

of course "MY" grand-kids are perfect

i just had a wonderful experience of 5 week grand jury duty - very interesting

doing my terrific volunteer work

DH and i are "usually" pretty good

so life in its "normal" day to day stuff is good

what was the question again??

my happiness???

life is good!!!!

8.75 - 10.75!!!

ok all

i am now sending good vibrations to all of you to have a great day

wishing all of "us" a healthy, happy, longer life

kathy

Well I have two small boys and my happiness level changes by the minute! Haha! Overall, I have nothing to be unhappy about except for constant car issues and gallbladder problems I'm having at the moment. Sometimes I just want to run away and sleep for two days straight! Even with all of that, I'd say my happiness level is around 8.

Everyday struggles with the sleeve, eating right, seeing the scale move, not seeing the scale move is all an exciting challenge. I love it! I even appreciate rough days because easy is boring. I love to overcome challenges and I feel like I'm accomplishing something. I'm totally rambling now.....but yea.....I'm pretty happy with my new life!

I am wanting to respond to this question, but am not sure how coherant my response will come out as so please bear with me.

I went in to this surgery thinking that being skinnier i would be a happier person and get all the things i was craving, partner, family, full life. Never really ever being a skinny person it all looked so easy on the outside.

I am now the skinnier version of myself but still find myself looking for those same things. Yes it is easier to shop, and I can buy cute/sexy clothes and feel comfortable in them, i fit into seats, flying is a breeze, i can run and keep up with most normal people, i am fit and healthy. Life is easier but I still feel that there is something missing from my life.

I would say on a happiness range I am probably between 5-7 each day, which is definitely higher than pre-surgery.

YES! Exactly as Aussie said! I didn't want to post here for fear of being the odd man out, but Aussie summed up my feelings perfectly.

I think it's important for pre ops to see both sides of the coin. Before surgery I think I looked at surgery as a fix for all the things wrong with my life. 'If I have surgery everything will fall into place' with relationships, jobs, family, friends and overall happiness. That isn't the case. Just as we tell people surgery isn't a quick fix for weight loss, you can't have surgery and just expect to be skinny- same goes for the quality and happiness in your life. Surgery isn't going to just magically give you that either. I hate to break this to people but being thin DOESN'T automatically equal happiness.

I was someone who struggled with bouts of depression pre op, and that hasn't just gone away post op because my size shrank. I think on some level I thought it would. I've actually experienced some difficult emotional changes post op. I can not stress enough how important the psychiatric part of this process is. I need to get myself into therapy and I regret not doing it sooner. Don't just brush that off as unimportant. This process is SUCH a mental process as well as a physical. Therapy is an important tool and I recommend sticking with it from the beginning.

Just my two cents and my experiences, of course yours will vary, but if you have any sort of underlying issues just know surgery isn't going to cure them. You have to do that on your own regardless of your size.