Hello everyone!!! I am new here, but have reading the threads and responses for about a week now. All I can say is WOW! What a wonderful support system. Reading everyone's posts and responses has made this plus size girl feel no longer alone. You all are so amazing!

I have my first appt to meet with the Bariatric center, surgeon, nutritionist and support group in March.... 3/10. I was offered an earlier appt in February, but wanted to make sure my sleep study for the apnea was done and results were in. I am so all over the place with my emotions. I cry, I laugh, I feel helpless and hopeless and then feel ok. I know that I need to change my life for good. I have 2 beautiful little girls and a new husband who is so supportive and amazing! He wants me to be healthy. Period. And so do I. Would I like to be a size 4, or 6 or even an 8? SURE! But what's more important to me is being healthy. Once and for all. I want to love for my kids, for myself and I want it to be a long and healthy one. Any and all advice anyone can lend me is wonderful and much appreciated. I think each and every one of you is amazing, and thank you for making me feel welcomed and not alone any more!!!!

Good luck! The advise I can give is to listen to the doctors and do not compare others weight loss with yours. I was doing that and they stated everyone's body is different.

Thank you Beth1218. That is great advice and I thank you. What surgery did you have?

I had my surgery Dec 30th. When I came home from the hospital I actually gained 8 lbs. they say it is because of all the iv fluids they pump you up with. So if you gain don't be upset, it is normal.

Good luck to you on your upcoming surgery.i had a gastric bypass October13, 2013. I have lost 55 lbs and I feel great! I can do things now I haven't done in years! The most important thing is being off all meds for diabetes and cholesterol. I only take 1/2 a bp pill where I was taking 4 pills a day before surgery. I hope to get off that when I lose more weight. My only regret is that I didn't do this years ago. I am sure you will do great. I was sore for about 2 weeks, the pain was not bad at all. I was very nervous going into the surgery, but I am so glad I did it! I'll be praying for you.

Welcome...I just joined myself however I was stalking everyone for about a month. I waited to join until Monday after my first meeting with my surgeon. He anticipates surgery for me mid-March, I'm so very excited and also very nervous but like you I'm doing this to get healthy. Being able to buy cute clothes is a plus for me, it's getting of the meds that I'm looking forward to. Good luck to you, I'll be keeping in touch.

Welcome, I hope you enjoy the support you get on this site. I am having my first appointment on February 3rd. Technically its my second time starting the program. I had to quit last year due to some insurances issues. I thought I would be all into the fact that I would be able to buy nice clothing. Which is something I have never gotten to do before cause I have been overweight since I was a child. I have realized my health is more important that cute clothing. My father died of heart disease when he was 45 and I don't want to follow in his footsteps. I take several meds, like many of us on the site, and I just want to get off them. I am glad I have had to wait quite some time to restart the program it has given me time to think about this life changing decision and really know if its what I really want to do. Again, welcome to the forum.

Hello jtickle!!! I too share the same fears about health and following in family footsteps. My dad has cardiovascular health issues as well. I just don't want to continue to ride this merry go round.... I lose, I gain, I lose and I gain. Then the co-morbidity's started. My husband is afraid to fall asleep at night for fear I will not wake up because of my sleep apnea.... My sleep study is in 3 weeks. I was diagnosed after I was hospitalized with sleep apnea, because of the run of V-tach I had. Heart is healthy, thank god, so they told me they see it a lot in sleep apnea. My snoring doesn't keep him awake, it's light, but he can hear when I stop breathing.... And it scares him so much. My highest weight was over 350... 352 to be exact. I got down to 170 on my own, and gained most of it back over the last 5 yrs... I am up to 275. I am so tired all the time and so embarrassed to be seen in public. I work in health care for goodness sake, how can I be an example of "health" when it is quite obvious I'm not. I just want to be healthy. The nice clothes and smaller sizes is definitely a plus, my health for me, my beautiful kids and my step daughter and my new marriage/new husband mean MORE to me. Thanks for reaching out to me. Good luck with your journey. I'm here if you ever need an ear. keep me/us posted!!!

Welcome Bella, you've got a long road a head but it goes quickly. I meet with my surgeon a week from Tuesday and then we're ready to submit to insurance. Good luck, we're all here for you if you need anything.

Thank you ReaRaes. I am hoping, like everyone on here has or is, that it goes smoothly with out red tape and hiccups. But, I firmly believe everything happens for a reason.... I'm hopeful. I look forward to interacting with everyone and making new friends!!

Im new also n i have gone through most of the appointments n nutritionist i need to attend 2 support groups n get my psych to fill some paperwork. Im scared but excited at the same time. I gotta wait for my sleep study but hopefully they have a date for me soon i dont want to wait too long. ..living healthy n being able to keep up with my grandbaby. ..nervous having to change my whole life around but i know it will b worth it. My 1 appt was back in Nov.2013 i dk how to use this yet

Edited January 25, 201412 yr by lilyannah

I think that taking the step to do it and to better your health and your body is the best step. No matter what you chose. Sometimes, like in all of our cases we haven't been successful. I also think nobody can truly understand a struggle (like ours) unless they are forced to deal with it daily and you try and try. The most heartbreaking is failing, so to speak. And it's so hard to face normal things in life, like keeping up with kids and grand babies. I can completely understand and agree with you!! Good luck in your process too!!! I can't wait to hear how all of it goes for you!!!!

Thank u..when u said not being successful did urs not work or anyone u know. .thats wat im really scared of.

My diets never worked. My changes in lifestyle never worked. I would lose, and then gain and then lose some more and gain a whole lot back. No matter what I tried and changed. My weight issues started at 17... I'm 37 now. I haven't had any gastric surgeries or procedures related to weight loss. I see my surgeon for the first time in March. I was offered earlier appts, but wanted to make sure all of my testing and follow up appts were complete. So I can stave off red tape with my insurance. Even though it is completely covered, less 10%. So I am right were you are. Excited, scared, nervous and just wanting this all to be "ok".

My diets never worked. My changes in lifestyle never worked. I would lose, and then gain and then lose some more and gain a whole lot back. No matter what I tried and changed. My weight issues started at 17... I'm 37 now. I haven't had any gastric surgeries or procedures related to weight loss. I see my surgeon for the first time in March. I was offered earlier appts, but wanted to make sure all of my testing and follow up appts were complete. So I can stave off red tape with my insurance. Even though it is completely covered, less 10%. So I am right were you are. Excited, scared, nervous and just wanting this all to be "ok".

Yes i gotta pay 20% but oh well i want this n i do want this to come before the summer

Welcome! This site is great for support and tips of all kind. :-)

I started my journey last year. I began my weight problem after my first pregnancy 28 yrs ago and my weight climbed from there. I lost 50 lbs w/Weight Watchers and gained it back plus some, I lost 75lbs w/Atkins and gained it back plus some, and I lost 80lbs w/Optifast and gained it back plus some. I was miserable - I had back, knee, and foot pain, I was on meds for high cholesterol. I snored terribly and got winded climbing the stairs. I hurt all the time, found it hard to make it through my workday, and sat on the couch all the time. I had no energy and ate to try to feel better which didn't work. I was addicted to sugar and devoured anything sweet. I was constantly buying sweet crap, eating it, and hiding any evidence from my hubby. I was steadily gaining weight - I was only 5' tall and weighed 233. I had one pair of pants, one pair of jeans, and several tops that fit, barely (Size 22 & 2X). My hubby is a body builder in excellent health and I was embarrassed to go out with him. I was embarrassed for him to be seen with me (but he didn't seem to mind). I avoided cameras and was just a spectator in my own life as I watched everyone else have fun. If something didn't change I could see nothing but misery and suffering in my future, followed by an early death.

My manager had WLS and while talking to him about it I began to think it might be for me. I found out that my insurance would pay for the surgery so I started the process. I had surgery on May 30, 2013. I didn't have a weight loss goal and my doctor didn't set one for me. My only goal was to be healthy, active, and feel good, which only took a few months to achieve. Looking better was purely a bonus. To date I have lost 105lbs. I feel great! I can do anything without pain. I'm wearing a size 8 or 10 and a small in tops. Life is good! I don't regret the surgery for even a second!

My advice to anyone starting out would be: follow your own doctor's program. All of us have slightly different instructions but follow your own as closely as you can and you will be successful. As someone already said, don't compare your weight loss to another's. We are all different. There are many different factors to consider and comparing yourself to others will only make you unhappy. Celebrate your successes. Not just the ones on the scale but also the personal ones. Things like being able to paint your own toes, walking farther than you used to, not needing medication, etc. Things that make you happy. Celebrate them, no matter how small they might seem! You worked hard for them!