Mental Image

Hi all, I am just curious if the mental image of pre op will go away? I have lost over 200 lbs since my surgery and for the most part when I see myself in the mirror, I see that person before which gets me kinda bummed. I love having my picture taken I just wish I could see the same person in the mirror.

JoAnna, I understand what you are saying. I just recently started to see me as I am now. It took a long time to stop seeing that other person in a mirror. Then a funny thing happened one day. I was at the mall and caught a reflection of myself in a sore window and for a brief moment I had to do a double take to see it was really me. I believe it was on that day when I first realized I was infact at goal and looked normal. I can't explain it better than that. Just one day something happens and you finally start seeing yourself as the new you. Congratulations on an awesome loss and enjoy your thin new future. The whole WLS thing is such a mind altering experience that it just takes time for the brain to catch up to the body. It will happen HUGS M

I know how you feel. The weight comes of so quickly. My mind still has not adjusted. Even though I know I have lost weight because people remind me through compliments everyday. But sometimes I find my self looking in the mirror or seeing a picture of myself and just stare in awe because I don't recognize myself. I am still very new post op so I don't know how long this feeling lasts, but it is still happening for me.

I may be the first or one to admit to tell you that sometimes you may even need to seek therapy to believe that you are the new person you are today...you have to look at all you've complished not at what you still need to do (as I do sometimes do). I say this cause sometimes in what is possitive about this - you can begin to sabotage it. Believe in the New YOU.

I can't say how long it takes to really "see" the new you b/c I still do a double take when I see myself unexpectedly, like in a store window or an unexpected mirror. I know I'm smaller than I was pre-op, but I still just can't quite wrap my mind around the fact that I am really as small as the clothes in my closet tell me I am. But it is getting better, slowly but hopefully, surely I am adjusting to the new me! My plastic surgeries have helped b/c before plastics I usually focused on the sagging, hanging skin, now I see my new, refreshed face & flat tummy & uplifted canny. I enjoy looking at myself in the mirror b/c I am finallly begining to SEE the new me. Good luck & don't hesitate to get counseling if you can't come to grips with your new body image. Vickie J.

I'm replying so late but I still look for that heavy person in the mirror wondering hw she's doing and sometimes I miss her that awful to say BUT it's true very mental the fat person was a happy person using food to smile etc now having to face it all I get nautions cry and no one understands in my family and sometimes I am very harse with my obese kids because I am sick not feeling how I look as I get walked by and as people pass me they turn around and I hear them say Is that shaun or yell out my name and I smlie with embarresment why Is that I kinda have it firgured out I haven' t accepted me for me yet taking chances looking for pain a reason to stay on the edge do you understand what I'm saying don't get me wrong I do have some ok days but I don't know how to feel or accept this change I'm going to Ft. laurderdale this weekend and maybey I'll meet people and talk to actual people this may help my counseling isn't helping me I work very hard to maintain have no plans of going back where I came from just trying to accept change.. thanks for listening.