I was slender as a child, but when I hit puberty I began to binge eat. I grew up without access to a lot of food, so whenever the opportunity to eat arose I dug in. I graduated high school about 30#s overweight. My self esteem was really low.

I started college two weeks after graduation and I began to eat fast food for the first time in my life. My freshman year of college I gained over 100# in 15 months. I went on to lose and gain the same 100# for the next few years. Having small success only to rebound with even more pounds. I lost weight around my pregnancies but gained a lot with post partum depression.

3 years ago I started working 3rd shift. I was awake over 20 hours a day, which meant I was eating most of the time. I tried changing my diet, exercising, going back to the things that helped me lose weight, but I couldn't maintain any momentum. I was battling severe sleep deprivation and fatigue. I was overwhelmed.

Along with food I have another addiction which was totally out of control. In the beginning of 2012 I started getting help. I gained even more weight during my recovery, because as my other addiction began to be slowly healed, my food addiction flared up, then calmed down too. I am in therapy and 12 step groups. I'm also at the absolute heaviest I've ever been.

I changed jobs six months ago, and now I sleep every day. I have a great support system, therapist and sponsor who are working with me. I started to try and lose weight on my own, but now that the extra 100# is an excess 170#. I am in constant physical pain. I need a tool to help me with my portion sizes and a support group to help me maintain accountability.

I looked into WLS seriously this year, after many years of my doctors expressing concern. I wanted to be able to do it on my own, but I have learned that if I keep trying the same things and expecting a different result I'm absolutely crazy. I need to try something different. I need a long term solution, and I believe that support groups, food journals, and regular exercise are the solution for me. The surgery will help me with my hunger and will help me with my portion sizes, but it's not a magic cure all.

My surgery is going to be in January of 2014. I am looking forward to it!

Thanks for sharing.

Awesome, your headed in the right mind set ... the rewards reap the smiles within. ..

Welcome, Dani!

I was slender as a child, but when I hit puberty I began to binge eat. I grew up without access to a lot of food, so whenever the opportunity to eat arose I dug in. I graduated high school about 30#s overweight. My self esteem was really low.

I started college two weeks after graduation and I began to eat fast food for the first time in my life. My freshman year of college I gained over 100# in 15 months. I went on to lose and gain the same 100# for the next few years. Having small success only to rebound with even more pounds. I lost weight around my pregnancies but gained a lot with post partum depression.

3 years ago I started working 3rd shift. I was awake over 20 hours a day, which meant I was eating most of the time. I tried changing my diet, exercising, going back to the things that helped me lose weight, but I couldn't maintain any momentum. I was battling severe sleep deprivation and fatigue. I was overwhelmed.

Along with food I have another addiction which was totally out of control. In the beginning of 2012 I started getting help. I gained even more weight during my recovery, because as my other addiction began to be slowly healed, my food addiction flared up, then calmed down too. I am in therapy and 12 step groups. I'm also at the absolute heaviest I've ever been.

I changed jobs six months ago, and now I sleep every day. I have a great support system, therapist and sponsor who are working with me. I started to try and lose weight on my own, but now that the extra 100# is an excess 170#. I am in constant physical pain. I need a tool to help me with my portion sizes and a support group to help me maintain accountability.

I looked into WLS seriously this year, after many years of my doctors expressing concern. I wanted to be able to do it on my own, but I have learned that if I keep trying the same things and expecting a different result I'm absolutely crazy. I need to try something different. I need a long term solution, and I believe that support groups, food journals, and regular exercise are the solution for me. The surgery will help me with my hunger and will help me with my portion sizes, but it's not a magic cure all.

My surgery is going to be in January of 2014. I am looking forward to it!

Welcome, and thanks for your story.

I was slender as a child, but when I hit puberty I began to binge eat. I grew up without access to a lot of food, so whenever the opportunity to eat arose I dug in. I graduated high school about 30#s overweight. My self esteem was really low.

I started college two weeks after graduation and I began to eat fast food for the first time in my life. My freshman year of college I gained over 100# in 15 months. I went on to lose and gain the same 100# for the next few years. Having small success only to rebound with even more pounds. I lost weight around my pregnancies but gained a lot with post partum depression.

3 years ago I started working 3rd shift. I was awake over 20 hours a day, which meant I was eating most of the time. I tried changing my diet, exercising, going back to the things that helped me lose weight, but I couldn't maintain any momentum. I was battling severe sleep deprivation and fatigue. I was overwhelmed.

Along with food I have another addiction which was totally out of control. In the beginning of 2012 I started getting help. I gained even more weight during my recovery, because as my other addiction began to be slowly healed, my food addiction flared up, then calmed down too. I am in therapy and 12 step groups. I'm also at the absolute heaviest I've ever been.

I changed jobs six months ago, and now I sleep every day. I have a great support system, therapist and sponsor who are working with me. I started to try and lose weight on my own, but now that the extra 100# is an excess 170#. I am in constant physical pain. I need a tool to help me with my portion sizes and a support group to help me maintain accountability.

I looked into WLS seriously this year, after many years of my doctors expressing concern. I wanted to be able to do it on my own, but I have learned that if I keep trying the same things and expecting a different result I'm absolutely crazy. I need to try something different. I need a long term solution, and I believe that support groups, food journals, and regular exercise are the solution for me. The surgery will help me with my hunger and will help me with my portion sizes, but it's not a magic cure all.

My surgery is going to be in January of 2014. I am looking forward to it!

Hi Dani, and welcome to this site. You will find many nice people here and they are so helpful providing information and details about their personal experiences. Be sure to visit the many areas on the site. It has helped me tremendously. I am hoping my surgery will take place in February so we are pretty close on this journey. All of us here have food addictions of some sort or another so we understand and hope that you will find the help and support you need. Thanks for sharing your personal information. We've all been there and we're all just hanging out here to give and to get support in the journey to true health.

Janet

Welcome Dani!! You will be amazed at how quickly you can lose the weight and begin a new life! The key to success is to change your lifestyle that caused the weigh gain. Please use the forum help. You would be amazed at what we all have in common and how we can help each other!

Today was my third (of six required) nutrition class. I am also down 2.8 lbs from last week.

SW: 299

CW: 294.8

Goal: no longer obese

Today I took my starting pictures. I'm sort of in shock about the current state of my body. They were taken in the full length mirror which is hiding in my storage area. I have a lot of mixed feelings about my body. What I can see most clearly is that I need to take better care of myself. I need to make amends to the woman in the mirror that I've hurt so much. I am going to love myself all the way through this process.

Side and rear

Welcome Dani! I too wanted to cry when I saw my pre-op pics that I took in my undies. I was horrified. I'm still not ready to take pics again in my undies to view my progress, but I can now forsee a day where that might be possible. January is going to be the start of wonderful beginnings for you. Hang tight until then, and I hope you make some friends on here as many of us have done.

Front and side views were taken by my doc office personnel. Then , at my one year appt. they took them again and gave me a copy of the first ones. I keep them where I can see them in a desk drawer as a reminder when I am starting to question. 66 years old and 5' 2" and am down to a @ 133. Almost to goal . Amazing to me!

Welcome! I am a fairly new sleever 8/20/13. I am also a addict 8/11/03 is my clean date so I understand putting down the dope and finding the fork! LOL. I worked out a plan with my sponsor for post op meds and everything went great congratulations on both decisions. Recovery changes us on the inside and the sleeve is a awesome tool to help us change our outside. I believe the same disease that drove me to use drives my compulsive eating. The steps work on both! Thanks for your honesty

Good luck on your journey. I wish I had taken before pics with bra or tank top and shorts or something. My doc took one front and side view but with clothes on. I was sleeved 11-12-13. Had my 2 week post op visit today and down 22lbs. Other then getting lil dehydrated my two weeks have been good. Trying to get my water intake up and looking forward to an amazing journey. Well wishes to u.

Thank you all so much for your replies! I am really happy that I joined this site. I am so grateful on this Thanksgiving that my life is going in the right direction with the right people. :-D

Thank you all so much for your replies! I am really happy that I joined this site. I am so grateful on this Thanksgiving that my life is going in the right direction with the right people. :-D

Welcome dear...

I got my surgical consult! I'll be meeting with Dr. Frank Chae in Denver, CO on the morning of Jan 8th (Elvis's birthday) which means I'll probably have surgery the first week of Feb. I am so excited!