I just started my weight loss journey at 595 lbs. I just had my 1st appointments and was told I have a 3 month supervised diet requirement as well as cardiac, sleep study, and other testing before surgery. What advice do you all have for someone as large as me. What experiences has anyone had that started out at my size on their journey. I am scared to death and honest stressing out about the surgery and recovery. I made the mistake of watching 600lb life and it seemed to make my anxiety worse.

First, take it one step at a time. There're a lot of steps pre-op; I had to meet with a nutritionist, go to a couple of group meetings, have a sleep apnea study, upper GI series, cardiac and lung clearance, blood work, you name it.

In some ways, the pre-op diet is harder than post-op eating, when you'll have a physical restriction to help you. Pre-op it's really just willpower that will get you through it, but at least it's a finite amount of time.

As far as the surgery itself, it's quite safe compared with many other surgeries. And it's far safer than the health risks of being obese. Additionally, your chances of losing significant amounts of weight and keeping it off--the really hard part--increase with this surgery compared with traditional weight loss, which has a very high failure rate long-term.

Best of luck. Remember that this site is full of people who will help you along this journey.

15 minutes ago, JMOORE1981 said:

I just started my weight loss journey at 595 lbs. I just had my 1st appointments and was told I have a 3 month supervised diet requirement as well as cardiac, sleep study, and other testing before surgery. What advice do you all have for someone as large as me. What experiences has anyone had that started out at my size on their journey. I am scared to death and honest stressing out about the surgery and recovery. I made the mistake of watching 600lb life and it seemed to make my anxiety worse.

First off, welcome and congratulations on the start of your journey. Take it one day at a time, one step at a time, and ask questions. The better informed you are going into this procedure, the better you will fair post-op. If you are not already doing so, I would also advise beginning mental health treatment as well. Even though I was seeing a therapist prior to surgery, I never foresaw having my world completely upended. I am finding myself fighting clinical depression now that I am post-op but it's a fight that I am slowly and gradually winning. The hardest part of this whole process is the mental game. If you follow your bariatric program, it is almost a foregone conclusion that you will lose weight.

Also, for your own sake, please don't watch My 600lb Life. I hate that show because it does not contribute anything positive. Instead, it makes overweight people look like carnival sideshow acts; to be reviled, feared, or awed as a spectacle. The show makes me so angry at the world that if I watched that show I would be horribly depressed and pissed off simultaneously.

You can do it! One step at a time, it can be a long process from beginning to surgery date. Work your program and as you go through the process your anxieties will improve.

Definitely seek therapy, it can only help.

Keep posting here as you go through the process, you will find a lot of support.

Congratulations on wanting to take these steps, you are being brave and finally wanting to be true to yourself. Welcome. Just like the others have said, take one step at a time and don't look back. Leave your old life behind. Go to your appointments, get some counseling, and stay the course. It can be a challenge, but it will be worth the hard work. Good luck. Keep posting and letting us know.

Yeah man it can definitely be nerve wrecking, I tried my best to keep it together and not think about it but once the actual date came and they were fitting me for the ivy I lost my bearings. Almost walked away if we’re being honest. But I stuck with it and so far it’s been a great decision. I was 24 almost 400 pounds and being only 5’7 it’s not pretty. I’m down about 40 pounds in a month and things are looking up. Don’t get me wrong I have my good days and bad days but more good than bad. I’m excited what the future holds and you should most certainly be too! I’m here if you have any questions or just wanna talk I know the feeling. Stay strong and motivated.


24 yo
VSG 3/12/18
Highest Weight : 386
Starting Weight : 376
Current Weight : 350.2

I started pretty close (518 lbs) to where you are and had nearly identical fears. Same 3-month diet, sleep study, etc. I remember worrying about whether I would survive the surgery but, in the end, I knew that I had a surgeon that was excellent and resolved to follow the pre-op program to better my odds. Everything turned out fine. Actually, much better than I ever expected.

The best advice that I can give is really simple: follow the plan recommended by your doctor and focus on things day by day. Losing 300 lbs seemed impossible to me, but following my nutrition and exercise plan each day was much more manageable. As I did that, the weight came off. The hardest thing for me to wrap my head around was that I would feel so much better and so much more energetic even after I lost 30 lbs. I felt even better after losing 50 lbs, 100 lbs, etc. In short, focusing on the end goal sometimes obscures the fact that you will notice positive changes all along the way that will make it worthwhile and easier to stick with. I cannot begin to describe to you how different my life is at 210 lbs versus 518 lbs. Still blows my mind!

There is nothing special about me. If I can lose and keep off 300+ lbs, you can absolutely do it. Good luck!

5 minutes ago, Thucydides said:

I started pretty close (518 lbs) to where you are and had nearly identical fears. Same 3-month diet, sleep study, etc. I remember worrying about whether I would survive the surgery but, in the end, I knew that I had a surgeon that was excellent and resolved to follow the pre-op program to better my odds. Everything turned out fine. Actually, much better than I ever expected.

The best advice that I can give is really simple: follow the plan recommended by your doctor and focus on things day by day. Losing 300 lbs seemed impossible to me, but following my nutrition and exercise plan each day was much more manageable. As I did that, the weight came off. The hardest thing for me to wrap my head around was that I would feel so much better and so much more energetic even after I lost 30 lbs. I felt even better after losing 50 lbs, 100 lbs, etc. In short, focusing on the end goal sometimes obscures the fact that you will notice positive changes all along the way that will make it worthwhile and easier to stick with. I cannot begin to describe to you how different my life is at 210 lbs versus 518 lbs. Still blows my mind!

There is nothing special about me. If I can lose and keep off 300+ lbs, you can absolutely do it. Good luck!

Bullshit, man! Keeping off 300+ pounds is an achievement. You are my hero!

6 hours ago, Thucydides said:

I started pretty close (518 lbs) to where you are and had nearly identical fears. Same 3-month diet, sleep study, etc. I remember worrying about whether I would survive the surgery but, in the end, I knew that I had a surgeon that was excellent and resolved to follow the pre-op program to better my odds. Everything turned out fine. Actually, much better than I ever expected.

The best advice that I can give is really simple: follow the plan recommended by your doctor and focus on things day by day. Losing 300 lbs seemed impossible to me, but following my nutrition and exercise plan each day was much more manageable. As I did that, the weight came off. The hardest thing for me to wrap my head around was that I would feel so much better and so much more energetic even after I lost 30 lbs. I felt even better after losing 50 lbs, 100 lbs, etc. In short, focusing on the end goal sometimes obscures the fact that you will notice positive changes all along the way that will make it worthwhile and easier to stick with. I cannot begin to describe to you how different my life is at 210 lbs versus 518 lbs. Still blows my mind!

There is nothing special about me. If I can lose and keep off 300+ lbs, you can absolutely do it. Good luck!

what MattyMatt said

dont minimize this amazing accomplishment.

all of us here know that there was no "easy way" with wls

you did a hell of a job.

Ok first I am going to send you a big big hug from where I am to where you are. I am going to congratulate you on loving yourself enough to take this step to change for the better. You can do this. Now for some tips. Sugar is basically cocaine and if you can detox from that the sooner the better and you will be less hungry. Protein is going to become your best friend. Learn how to get it in in a variety of ways. Also there are going to be days when you do amazing at this it will come so easy then there will be others where you will fall into temptation and just feel angry. Let those feelings pass. Acknowledge them then let them go.

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Thanks Everyone for the positive feedback and warm welcoming. I think I made the right decision to continue on my journey and will let you all know the progress during the journey. Thanks again.