Life before and after Weight Loss

adele · June 5, 2007

I have been on the Optifast liquid diet for about 3 months and have lost 30lbs. I had decided to do gastric bypass, but I got scared. My doctor said the lapband wasn't any good. But I found out later that he only does gastric bypass. so he had an agenda. I am going to the Barix Clinic in PA for a seminar and meeting with a surgeon about the lapband on June 12. I still have to stay on optifast because the insurance company needs 6 months of one kind of diet. But I am really struggling with it now. I feel depressed a lot about my weight. Lapband is my last try. Do you feel less depressed after you lose a significant amount of weight? I am almost always depressed about my weight. I can't walk a lot or shop with my daughters. I can't do much housework. My husband does it. I guess I just want to know if life gets better after lapband.

Thank you

Adele

Alexandra · June 5, 2007

Adele, there are no sure things. Lots of people who are depressed find that with weight loss, their lives improve immensely. Being lighter makes us more able to move around, which in turn lifts the mood. So right there, sure, losing weight improves our lives.

But clinical depression is something else entirely, and weight loss may not be a cure for that. Only you can figure out if you're just depressed about your weight (which ALL of us were, or we wouldn't be here), or if you're suffering from something more profound.

Have you ever been thin? Do you know if your depression is directly related to your weight? Desperation is not the same thing as depression, necessarily, and desperation is what leads most of us to weight loss surgery in the first place. So is what you're feeling desperation?

Weight loss definitely improves lives for those of us who are morbidly obese. I can't imagine anyone saying anything different. That's not to say life is perfect afterwards--not all of our problems are caused by excess weight, so not all of them can be cured by weight loss. But life is definitely better with less weight to haul around, no question about that.

maudeispam · June 5, 2007

I totally agree with Alex. Life is a lot better without the excess baggage. I haven't lost much weight, but I am down 3 sizes, I have tons more energy, no more diabetes problems, and I feel sexy again. With that said I still have sad days when I notice a paper thin model on tv or a nice sexy clothes in sizes too small for me. Or a stranger makes remarks about my weight. I just want to yell at them, "Hey I used to be a lot bigger than this bozo!" But things will get better for you. I wish you the best of luck in your journey!

adele · June 5, 2007

Thanks Alexandra,

You make some good points. I started gaining weight in my late teens. I worked in an office at 18 and got very sedentary. At first it wasn't a problem. I was just curvey and I met my husband and he loved it. Sometimes I would lose some weight and always gain it back, but I wasn't morbidly obese. I gained a lot of weight after losing weight on a liquid diet and I got pregnant soon after I finished the diet. I gained so much and kept on putting it on. My daughter will be 17 this months and its time to lose the baby weight, plus. When I had my first daughter 22 years ago, I lost a couple of lbs after I had her.

Anyway the depression really started after I gained the weight with my 17 yr old daughter and I had moved from NJ to PA. I missed my friend in NJ and was faaaaaaaaaaaaaat and tired.

You are right everything won't change magically, but I think I will feel more confident; like i did before this big weight gain. And I just wanted to hear others stories about how they felt.

Thank you for your reply.

Adele

Stacy429 · June 7, 2007

I have been on the Optifast liquid diet for about 3 months and have lost 30lbs. I had decided to do gastric bypass, but I got scared. My doctor said the lapband wasn't any good. But I found out later that he only does gastric bypass. so he had an agenda. I am going to the Barix Clinic in PA for a seminar and meeting with a surgeon about the lapband on June 12. I still have to stay on Optifast because the insurance company needs 6 months of one kind of diet. But I am really struggling with it now. I feel depressed a lot about my weight. Lapband is my last try. Do you feel less depressed after you lose a significant amount of weight? I am almost always depressed about my weight. I can't walk a lot or shop with my daughters. I can't do much housework. My husband does it. I guess I just want to know if life gets better after lapband.
Thank you

Adele

Hi, Adele my name is Stacy and i have only been banded since 4/30/07. And as far as my depression it has already gotten alot better for me. I have as of today lot 30 lbs that don't seem like much to some people but it has given me the motivation to want to do this once and for all. I am alot happier just being in my on skin. The band has been the best thing i have ever done for myself. It really seems like when we become over weight we just forget about our on needs. And fat doe's not change who we are. I don't think the world forgets that as much as we do. We really just need to love ourselfs and i think the rest will take care of it's self. I had my first fill today and i was really scared but it was not bad at all i really did not feel a thing. But i have not had any problems so far!!! And i think you are a really strong person to have been on liquid for so long. I only had to do the liquid thing for 14 days and i thought that was bad. YOU GO GIRL YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!!And write me anytime you just want to talk they also have some were on here where you can send a private massage.

Stacy