New to this

I'm new to this but I feel guilty that I haven't been able to lose weight on my own. I have so many people giving me advice and actions to take but nothing has clicked. I am going for the sleeve surgery but I still feel so inadequate. Does anyone else feel like this?

Ed, I think  we've probably all felt like that at least once on this journey. Many of us probably many more times than once. However, the more you learn and as you arrive at your surgery and beyond, I promise you will begin to feel like a success.

Edthecat.....welcome to our little corner of the cyberworld!!  I am a patient of Dr. Walton's as well.  YES I think you are feeling exactly the way the rest of us felt or feel depending on where we are in our journey.  We've been told for SOOOO many years that if we will JUST quit eating (who/what/where/when insert here) and exercise then we'll lose weight!  What they DON'T tell you is that if you are 100 lbs overweight you only have a 1-2% chance of losing the weight AND keeping it off.  Yes - 1-2% ONLY!!!  So, how can you feel guilty for something they are setting us up to FAIL with?  Drs Walton & Broussard both remind us constantly that this is NOT the perfect resolution for weight control, it is only the best they have at this time.  Those two men are SOOOOO wise!!! The keys to being successful as you begin your journey are: 1.  Be honest (brutally if necessary) with yourself & your surgeon 2.  KNOW that you are NOT alone in your journey 3.  FOLLOW the program you are set up with - they KNOW what they are doing! 4.  SUPPORT GROUP!  (need I say more?) 5.  If you have a set back, get up, wipe off your hands, and start over immediately! WELCOME to our group.  Please be sure to come to support group and introduce yourself!!  Anything we talk about here, anything that is discussed YOU are invited to join in!  Please do!!  I am adamant that the only way that Bariatric patients can truly be successful long term is through the support they receive (and give) to and from others. Let us know if you have questions, PM if you need to, we don't care as long as you ask!  YOU ARE NOT ALONE in your journey!!  Good Luck!  You are in the BEST hands at WeightWise!!

Ed, Welcome to Oklahoma OH and Weight Wise. Congratulations on making the decision to change your life. I am almost certain that we all feel inadequate for not being able to conquer this demon on our own. Please don't beat yourself up. It's all going to be okay. You are now headed in the right direction. Read my profile and you will see how I felt about WLS . Best of luck to you on your new journey and if I can be any help to you just give me a shout, Rita

Don't feel guilty!  Feel proud that you are making this decision to take control of your life and your health.  I have never felt guilty about needing the surgery but I do admit that I feel guilty about the money spent.  My DH's  hard work is what will pay for my surgery and I feel really bad about that.  But I figure that he will get something out of this too because I will feel better and live longer to nag him!  Guilt is heavy - throw is aside!  And seek whatever support you need here because the folks on this website are fabulous! Good luck to you! Kim

Ed, Welcome to the board.  I wanted to chime in so you would know that you aren't the only man around here... Dan and I are hanging around, too. Congratulations on making the decision to change your life.  As for the guilt - I have to agree with Glittery Kim - throw it overboard.  No sense in losing all those pounds and dragging around tons and tons of guilt instead.   You have to believe that you deserve to make your life better... and this is a great way to do it. Please let us know if you have other questions about the process.   Good Luck! John

Hi Ed, welcome first of all!  Just a word on the guilt issue...as many have said, it is common. Personally, it's not so much guilt that I have felt, but deep disappointment in letting myself get to the point that I needed surgery to get a control on my weight. To this day, I don't have an answer as how I got to 386 lbs (eating bad foods, eating too much??? Just a guess - LOL) and I know that without the surgery and the Weightwise program, I would still be where I was. Those old feelings eventually go away, as  you start to focus on getting healthy, and I definitely don't feel guilty for not letting obesity do me in... - Things will get better and better as you progress in your weigh loss journey - Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. - Anna

Hey Ed ~ Welcome to the BOARD.  We're all glad to have you here.  Guilt...I've absolutely lived a guilt-driven life for as long as I remember.  Having WLS has been no exception.  Not so much guilt as feeling that I'm not worthy to be anything but F**.  But No More!!!  As you continue on your journey (and most assuredly after you've visited with Dr. Walton and crew a few times) you will become more and more confident that you have not only made a great decision, you have made the ONLY decision that gives you the best odds of beating obesity for good!  Just listen to all the folks that post here, I'm sure you'll find more than a few morsels (pardon the pun) of knowledge and assurance here.

Yes I feel like this!  Welcome to the board and welcome to the begining of an exciting journey!

Amy - your ticker is moving!  You must be getting close!  Hang in there lady! Kim