Same here so far so good!!

Fabulous! You have worked very hard to get to this point. My surgery is on the 17th of January -- a week from this Thursday. Good luck to you too. Please remember to take photos for your journey. My husband is going to start snapping away beginning tonight (night before preop),,,Take care.

Hi Kim, My date is January 21, 2008 also!!!! are you on a liquid diet for the next two weeks? E~

Thanks for your honesty and insight, Natalia. I appreciate your willingness to help. I will stay in touch through this website. I am lucky to have a good support system, too. I have a wonderful husband who is extremely supportive of me having the surgery, as are both of my adult children. I also am in counseling, and the psychiatrist I saw for the surgical evaluation advised me to continue with it after surgery, which I will. I also happen to know a very good local support program for women with food and weight management issues that is not a "diet" program. Though it's run by a registered dietician who is also a registered nurse, the name of the program is "Freedom from Dieting." It's a support program for people who are interested in using a non-diet approach to recovery from these issues - in other words, receiving and learning to use the tools to approach difficult emotions that drive you to overeat in ways that don't involve food. The woman who runs this program is a very gifted counselor in these matters. I haven't been in one of her groups since spring of 2006, but I hope to get back into one soon. I also plan to take advantage of the local bariatric groups that my bariatric provider offers on a monthly basis. This is something that my friend who is drinking never did - she never had the kind of support system available to her that I have here. She lives in Galveston, TX, which of course is a small island - not a lot of facilities there. Anyway, while I have what are probably common reservations about the surgery, I feel good about the support I have available. This Website is another place to receive that support from folks like yourself. Hopefully at some future date I can be the one offering support to others. Kym

Well I will be completely honest with you. I have kept my weight off and I still strugle evryday not to have body issues. Yes it is very common for people that have done this surgery to turn to alcohol or any othercompulsive addiction. I myself went thru those demons and am glad to say that I am now thinking with my head on straight. I am in Florida so I would love to be your long distance angel. This is a life changing experience and one not to be taken litely. I have an amazing support system and I still had my own struggles. I also went thru a divorce (but that was needed My biggest advice to you would be and this is my own personal opinion. If I had to do it again would I? Well, yes I would the benefits outway the negatives but I would have gotten some more counseling prior to the surgery. I know most of us just want it done and I was lucky enough that my insurance gave me no hassles. Get in a support group in your local area and research as much as you can knowledge yourself with the tools so you can go in on the big day witha clear head knowing you made the right choice. I don't regret it. I love it. It opened a lot of doors for me. I hope this gave you a little insight I could go on and on but I would be here all day If you have any questions concerns or just want someone to talk to, I would love it. I am here to help you in any way I can.God bless Natalia