want weight loss surgery

Much happiness to all you weight loss folks out there. I am just starting to look into having the surgery done.I'm 54 so I don't know if they will do it for me.I am hopeing to go to a informational meeting next week. I live in S>C> so if there are any Carolininians out there,I would love to hear from you. Actually I'd love to hear from anyone who can give me any encouragement about the surgery.I'm kind of nervous about it but I'm also at my wits end as to what to do.Thanks for any info or support any of you out there can give me Connie

HI CONNIE.....Had my surgery(open RNY..that's the one where they cut you open from breast bone to naval) on March 26 2003. I am 55 years old so I know they will do it for you. I started out at 445 lbs & like you I was at my wits end. It just seemed like everything was going wrong with me (i.e. swelling, blood pressure, could hardly walk),then I decided to have surgery & thought all my worries were over but they weren't. This surgery is not a "cure-all". You have to work at it every day. I'm losing very slowly because I can just about eat anything I want & sometimes I do just that. When stres****s food is still right there for me. But I can also tell you that I haven't felt this good in 10 years & the surgery is well worth the effort, although I have only lost 47 lbs. I didn't have any complications & all went well. Hope you get your surgery & don't be scared because what is worse; the risk of dying early from obesity or the slight risk from surgery? GOOD LUCK.....keep posting on this message board. I'm sure one of us can answer any of your questions & before you know it you will be a post-surgery "expert".