My name is Heather and I've recently decided to get the Roux En Y Gastric Bypass surgery. After some careful consideration and thousands of failed diet attempts I know that this is the best option for me, it is the only option that will save my life. I've struggled with weight since I can remember, I've always been bigger and over the past 5 years it's become harder and harder to lose weight and try to keep it off (something I've never been good at). I have a complicated relationship with food and my insurance of course requires that I be on a 6 month diet (Even though I literally just came off of one that I put myself on in January through Weight Watchers after I had my baby in November) it's frustrating because even though I know it's company policy it's like I have to roll my eyes and groan and say, "Another diet?" I'm sure this will be different but it's still dreadful. I attend my first seminar June 17th and I am really looking forward to gathering all of the information I need from Dr. Kligman of University of Maryland. The only thing that has me nervous is the psych eval. mainly because I was on antidepressants and antipsychotics when I was a teenager, I isolated myself during middle school and high school mainly because of my weight and lack of confidence. I eventually was weaned off of my medication when I was 18 and had stopped going to the therapist because I had had enough. I had spent years of being on medication and seeing this doctor and that doctor and nothing helped, nothing improved and the weight kept piling on. I just wanted to be normal, to feel normal and the medication did not do that for me. So I'm a little weary of the whole psych eval thing because of my history. I also cannot tell more than two family members at this time because the rest of my family will not understand my decision. They are very judgemental and will do nothing but give me negative comments and I don't want to hear it anymore, this decision is a positive one and I'm happy with it.

I am almost 26 years old and I have a almost 7 month old daughter, I want to be around for her and be able to take her places and do things with her, I don't want weight to control my life anymore.

The psych evaluation was easy. The goal is to see where you are today, not where you were. I know I was really stressed out about it and it was for no reason. I went in with my head high and very confident of why I want this, why I feel I have been unsuccessful at diets, and the reasons I believe the RNY is my best option for a healthy life.

I am much like you--on antipsychotics and anti-depressants and when I took the psych eval they said "you have a lot of stress and PTSD." Then told me I qualified to get the surgery done so I wouldn't worry about it. I'm getting it done on Tuesday so I know you will be ok

Thank you all so much for the advice/support

This has been a big decision for me (as it would be for anyone) and I don't hardly have anyone that can relate to how I'm feeling, so finding this website and posting my feelings (something I cannot do, because people either can't or won't understand) has made me more comfortable with my decision.