I think we all deal with this and I have come to the conculsion that we are all teenagers once again. It will take us time to get comfy in our new skin but I too find myself feeling bigger than some of the weightloss patients that I see daily. Well I think that some people like your patient they can sense what we feel and they can use it to their advantage. Give your self some time and then call your surgeon....maybe you can get some answers there.....I am sorry if this has not helped....but just know I am with you all the way and you are never alone.

All my toilets now have plungers next to them now. "MOM! Daddy clogged the crapper again!!" ;)

Amber, I think each and every one of us that has gone through this transformation feel like this at one time or another. I look in the mirror and see fat also. If I walk into a room and people look at me I immediately think they see a fat person. But then my husband says. Did you see that guy checking you out? It really makes me feel good about myself. I am thin and my clothes prove that. It is just getting the mind to catch up with the body. It is such a wonderful feeling to be able to sit comfortable in a seat at the theatre, or in an airplane. I don't worry now where I am gonna sit if we go out to eat because I can fit in the booth without the table sitting under my chin. We need to look at all the positive things and not dwell on the negatives. I agree that you need to talk to a professional about your feelings. You have come such a long way to back slide now. We never want to go back to that unhealthy weight and yes we have loose skin and saggy boobs, but we can hold our heads high and be proud of what we all have accomplished over the past year. We all knew that this was going to change us forever. We are here to support each other and for that I am thankful. Jan

First of all I want to tell you this is so normal! I think there is a let down after 11 or so months that I wasn't prepared for. Kind of like that feeling on a really awesome roller coaster ride.. and just as you think your about to go around the bend one more time and you get ready to pull your arms up and scream.. it stops with a abrupt jerk and the pimple-faced teenager in the funny hat is asking for more tickets.. to which you have none. I understand what your saying about feeling fat. I feel fat.. even after loosing over 100lbs. But what I do know is that it is more my perception then someone else's. The fact that I was running downhill and saw the finish line there.. and then it disappears.. and the downhill is gone.. and nothing but a lonely long road ahead of me. There is a let down when the goal is just a number.. or a clothing size. I think that might be what you are facing. When we put our goal in the wrong place.. it can become discouraging. The BMI charts.. Sizing of clothing.. the number on the scale.. has little to do with who you are or how much of a success you are. Try to think of all the wonderful things that you can do now.. that you couldn't do before. By this time.. the compliments tend to slow down and people start to forget how big you where before.. also we tend to forget how desperate we where for health. I noticed on OH, that the people that had tons of health problems due to their MO, seemed to not struggle as much with body image.. the loose skin and such seem to be a small issue... because their goal was to be healthy.. not skinny. I thought my goal was to be healthy..but this year I found that I really just wanted to be acceptable and 'normal'. (whatever that is!) I've had to realize that life is much more then that. If weight is my goal... then I have a hard time eating right. If health is my goal.. eating right comes naturally. That's just my 2 cents in it all.. for whatever it's worth.. -Shakeira

You are definately not in this boat alone. I feel the exact same way. The scale hasn't moved in weeks, and I haven't gained anything, but I feel huge. In my brain, I feel like I look the same now as I did on the day of my surgery. I know I have lost 165 lbs, I know I only weight 180lbs now and not 345 lbs where I started, but my brain cannot reconcile that. Maybe it is all the skin I have hanging all over, maybe its just me being crazy, who knows. All I know is that I am having a difficult time dealing with this too. I hate getting on the scale becuase I am afraid it will say 345 again (even though I know it won't), I am NEVER naked and in front of a mirror and I too use stuff to cover up my stomach. Don't ever feel like you are alone in this. I am sure there are a lot of people on here who feel the exact same way, and I am one of them!