Hello, Thank you for starting this group. I had been considering surgery off and on for about ten years. When I first looked into it, the Dr. I visited had two deaths, so I was not too motivated to have the surgery. Plus at that time I was only about 350 pounds. In 2007 I started a desk job, but my eating habits continued. I had a two hour drive home, and at one point I would stop at McDonald's get a meal. I would eat the meal, and then when I got home I would eat dinner too. Fast forward to December 2010 and I weighed in at 495 pounds. I went to a doctor and she put on medication. I lost 50 pounds, got sick, and gained 70 between June 2011 and December 2012. I weighed 520 pounds, and made an appointment to see my surgeon. I lost four pounds doing weight watcher, and two weeks before surgery I lost 23 more pounds by doing a liquid diet. The week and half after surgery I lost another 23 pounds, and I have lost 38 pounds so far. As of today I am down to 455 pounds, and I have been there since Sunday. I am five weeks out, and now I can start exercising. I am walking daily, and plan on increasing the exercise activity I can do. Today also is the first day that I was able to drink 64 ounces. I am going to try for another 32 ounces before I go to bed tonight. I hope this helps.