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Hi Breanna, I hope you won't mind me sharing some answers even though I'm much earlier in the process than you (pre-op research phase). 1. what is your biggest fear with the surgery and why? Besides surgical complications (i.e., stricture, adhesions, internal scarring, having to redo the surgery for some reason), my biggest fear is not correctly handling my vitamin/nutrient needs at any time post-surgery. I've watched YouTube videos of people many years out from surgery who either lapsed in taking their Vitamins and suffered ill effects or one who "overdosed" on B6 (found in Protein, B complex vitamins, energy drinks) and got sick as B6 is not a routine lab test even for bariatric patients. Of course I plan to be complicit with the Vitamin recommendations of my NUT, but in the past I've put my medical needs second or third to work and mental health issues, so I'm weighing the possibility of that happening again if I get WLS and thinking of how to make sure I prioritize my physical health. 2. Who has been your biggest supporter for your surgery so far? And how has that impacted your decision? My mom, whether she realizes it or not. She's not 100% in favor of the surgery, but she knows I'm an adult, has my best interests at heart, and listens to me. 3. What is your goal weight and why? I'll probably take my doctor's lead on this one, as a major motivating factor for my surgery is comorbidities. I think the remission of my sleep apnea will be the deciding factor. Honestly, I've never been in 100s as an adult (I'm 5'5") so I don't have a weight I'm able to envision. It'd be nice to be in straight sizes for clothes, but I make do at my current size and am sure I'd do fine as a 16, 14, or 12, as well. 4. What was the one thing that made you be for sure about the surgery? Being diagnosed/experiencing four to five major comorbidities (including diabetes type 2 and most recently sleep apnea) has made me realize I am scared to go on the way I am. I'm not 100% for sure on the WLS yet, but am seriously considering it. 5. What is one thing you are giving up that you will truly miss having? As I understand it, unless something causes severe dumping there's no need to avoid it totally (with the exception of carbonated beverages, alcohol, depending on your body). I guess the hardest thing will be cutting back on sedentary activities I enjoy (computer, reading) in order to move more. 6. If you have had the surgery or are getting ready for it... what is one piece of advice you have for those that are just starting their journey? Listen to a VARIETY of voices from people who have been there. YouTube is a great place to hear from others, both positive and negative. People here and on YouTube recommended The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life After Bariatric Surgery, 2nd Ed. by Cynthia Alexander which I'm halfway through and feel good about recommending to others, too. Hope this helps, Breanna. Best wishes as you continue to move forward.

Hi WLS-forum world, I'm a 33-year-old female in NYC who's a little nervous about de-lurking because it's another step towards admitting I'm thinking of this WLS thing seriously. Blasting Halsey's Badlands, that helps a bit. I'm 5'5" and 281 lbs. currently (my highest ever was 300+lbs., when my depression was untreated). I have several comorbidities: diabetes for four years (3 medications, including insulin now), high cholesterol for 1.5 years (1 medication), recent slight incontinence, and was just diagnosed with sleep apnea (had preliminary appointment, going to the sleep lab in a month to see about severity). I also have major depression, recurrent that's been well-managed for a year on 2 medications (+1 PRN) and therapy. Both a resident at my primary doctor and my sleep apnea doc recommend WLS to me in the past two months. The new sleep apnea diagnosis has me feeling like I have one foot in the grave. I'm particularly worried about my poorly managed diabetes; I'm an artist and a New Yorker, and the thought of losing my eyesight, hand coordination, and mobility really scares me. The sleep apnea doctor was the most insistent about weight loss, with or without surgery, and said I had a window right now in my 30s to do something with doctors' help that may not be possible once I'm in my 50s and the co-morbidities are worse. I've lost weight (60-75 lbs at a time) before though have never been in the 100s as an adult and never gotten to maintenance. I tend to overeat out of boredom/stress, and tend towards having a sweet tooth. Therapy and mindfulness practice have helped me see what I'm using the food for and taken a lot of the "joy" out of overeating. It just feels like a bad habit now, and one I want to replace with something better, and healthier. Right now I've requested books on WLS from the local library in addition to having bought and read WLS For Dummies (I also read Jen Larsen's Stranger Here, just for fun, though it is more of a What Not to Do memoir). I am also planning on buying the Emotional First Aid for Bariatric Surgery as soon as I can remember/reset my Amazon password. I mentioned the WLS recommendations to my psychiatrist and therapist; the doctor emphasized the life-changing aspect of the surgery as well as the need for Vitamins and supplements for the rest of my life. My therapist was concerned about me being ready for such a big change with my body (I have a background with trauma at age 19) and I didn't bring it up again as I hadn't done research at that time and wasn't thinking about it as seriously. I know I'll need a psych clearance if I decide to do the surgery. I figure besides reading up on the surgery as much as I can and lurking/participating here, the best thing I can do is try to manage my weight and diabetes as best I can as these are positive steps I can do whether or not I ultimately get WLS. I'll also tell my therapist I've been thinking more seriously about WLS and get her input on that and depending on how that goes, contact my primary and see about setting up a preliminary consult with a WLS in NYC. Thanks for reading and/or skimming this psuedo-Livejournal post! I'm thankful to have a place to share all this. I'm going to keep reading pinned posts and do searches for questions I have, but any tips or reading recc's you have for me will be welcome. Below, me at my highest weight as a happy bridesmaid, and a current pic.

@@becomingmandikaye I'm on my way to YouTube to check out some vids, that's a great idea. I've found a WLS blog here but will keep an eye open for more. Thanks and Congratulations on your decision and best wishes as you move forward! Congrats on the weight you've already lost, too!

@@James Marusek Thanks, James! I actually just finished reading your article from where you posted it on another thread. It was very helpful and a pleasant read (I loved the part about the apple tree). The recipes look helpful too, maybe I will try a few to see what they're like pre-surgery. Though I did read your tastes can change a lot post-surgery. Thanks for sharing your story!

@@Inner Surfer Girl Thank you, I spent my 20s and early 30s learning how important it is to ask help and have a support team. I'm lucky to live in NYC with my mom as well, so there are a lot of people I can ask for input. I'll try to keep doing that as I go along. By the way, I have enjoyed reading your posts, including the essay on being fat on Medium today. So thank you for your contributions while I was lurking, too.

@@KristenLe Thank you, Kristen! I'm trying my best to be an informed "consumer" and am a research/book nerd anyways, and therapy has shown me how important it is to have your head in the right place and not underestimate the impact everyday thoughts and beliefs/attitudes have on our day-to-day decisions and quality of life. Congratulations on your weight loss so far and good luck on your continued journey, too!