So the other night my surgeons office held a ceremony for everyone that had wls in 2013. My surgery was 10/21 so I was excited to go and see everyone's progress. I know what they say about expectations but it was really kind of depressing. They had people seated in groups by month, December, November, October then September, August etc.. as each group got up I expected (haha) that for the most part each group would be a little skinnier. With the exception of a few people the October, November December group was the thinnest! I wish I hadn't gone to this ceremony. I feel so discouraged after seeing all of these still fat people. I was one of the thinnest people in the whole room and I wasn't expecting that! Arg... I really need to find a way to get that picture out of my head!

Just a thought (slightly off topic, but it popped on my head as I was reading this) Do you think that maybe the difference between those that are very successful and those who arent as successful as quickly is research and commitment. It just occurred to me that you don't see too many people on these forums stating that they are losing weight (with the exception of the stalling that everyone experiences).

Well except all the people who post they lose weight and are in smaller sizes, posting excitedly about things they can do now they couldn't before...

I more so meant that there aren't people on the forums talking negatively about surgery in general, that it doesn't work...etc. I welcome all the positive posts I can find. I'm clearly someone who commented in this post after only reading the first page of comments. Now that I've read through all NINE pages.....my comments seem out of place and all I can say is that this forum is a lifesaver for me. I get knowledge and support and guidance from all the posts, positive and negative, but sometimes people need to just let stuff go. You've made your point and the posts lose the validity when people are just squabbling over semantics.

Your comments were not out of place. it was something you observed. I think you made valid points. This thread has been beaten and kick and beaten again. I just wanted to reply to your thoughts.....

So the other night my surgeons office held a ceremony for everyone that had wls in 2013. My surgery was 10/21 so I was excited to go and see everyone's progress. I know what they say about expectations but it was really kind of depressing. They had people seated in groups by month, December, November, October then September, August etc.. as each group got up I expected (haha) that for the most part each group would be a little skinnier. With the exception of a few people the October, November December group was the thinnest! I wish I hadn't gone to this ceremony. I feel so discouraged after seeing all of these still fat people. I was one of the thinnest people in the whole room and I wasn't expecting that! Arg... I really need to find a way to get that picture out of my head!

I haven't posted for a while BUT I couldn't just sit back and let seela take all the crap and guilt trip people are saying on here! There is not one single person on this forum who hasn't said man, I look fat in this or made some fat reference. Fat is not some horrible word that seela was using to attack people with. Being fat is something everyone on this site is either dealing with currently or has previously dealt with and has been lucky enough to loose weight but will most likely always have " fat people insecurities and emotions". Yes, I just said that! Obese people have different emotions and insecurities than healthy size people do... We have had to deal with feelings of embarrassment and shame that smaller people will never feel. The feeling of not wanting to die of a,heart attack or stroke cuz we have gotten so big. I grew up a normal size and ballooned up to 270lbs by the time I was 25. I have gone from a size 20 to a 6 in one year (130lbs) so I feel I can voice both sides of the fence. Seela can use the word fat without it beingoffensive because she or he has lived it. Glad to have gotten that off my chest.... Haters, feel free to attack. I'm sure someone out there has been offended