I had my one on one yesterday with a counselor...Sort of a Vent.

I went to Kaiser yesterday and had my one on one with a counselor...She asked all the questions like how my childhood was, why do i think I'm obese, how is my relationship with my partner, etc. She asked me if I drink more then 1 beer a week. I said if I go out to the bar to play pool then I usually have 2-3, but that's only one day a week. She seemed concerned. I reassured her that it was just social and no problem for me not to drink. I could just as easy drin**** tea or water. She kept saying that it was very unusual for someone my age (26) to be so heavy (417)...I had a great childhood and everything. I just think I'm so heavy because my mom cooked really good food.i don't think there's any real meaning or story behind my gain.  So at the end of the session she is requiring me to take the weight management class, hypertension class, and stress&depression class....the weight and hypertension i was sure i would have to do, but the depression? I've never had a problem with depression. I'm just going to take the informational class to please her, but I wonder why she advised me to take it...oh well, and then she Told me that the 24 week bariatrics course wouldn't probably start till June for me since my work schedule conflicts with some of the sooner dates. Sorry for the long post!!!!Just venting!!!

Oh! Were any of you overweight your whole life or did it just sneak up on you when you got older?Like I said she told me it was very unusal for someone my age to be this heavy...

I was a skinny kid, but once I hit puberty, I hit the tarmac running, and as I grew up, I grew out, too.

So, I've always been big, and I also put it down to my love for food, period. No drama, no traumatizing childhood (in fact, I believe I had a terrific childhood - loving family, great experiences/memories, etc.) - I just like to eat. Both my parents are gourmet cooks (at home - but they both worked in the restaurant industry, so we went out to eat, often). I've always been an "up" person - never experienced depression.

So, I hear what you're saying - bummer they're making you take that when you know yourself you don't need it.

Do you know how hard it is explaining to someone, like a counselor, that you've never been a drinker.........EVER? It's like standard that at my age (28) I should be drinking. But I've never even been drunk! 

Anyway, I've always been heavy. Well when I graduated high school I was 200 pounds. And before surgery I was 285. I weigh 155 now and haven't been this 'small' since middle school! 

We didn't have to take any special classes like that. Our center has support groups twice a month and you are required before surgery to go to 3, but I went to all of them and still go. The topics vary.

I was over 300 when I was 26. I was born big and never got smaller. I was 8pounds 13 ozs at birth. When I had my surgery a year ago I was 346. Today I am 189. My high was 387. Not for much but she seems a little off for her alcohol worries. I do know that the surgery is stressful and that might be the reason for the class. Not the depression issue. Plus, some people do have some depression after the surgery. It might just be a preventive measure she has everyone do. Good luck with all of it and try to work things out with you job to get it going sooner.

Thanks to everyone for the great responses! I am going to see what I can do about getting an earlier date for classes....

Thanks!!!

I was really lucky that the program I went through had social workers who worked exclusively with bariatric candidates.  I was sort of shocked when they took what I said seriously, believed me when I talked about my eating patterns and that I, too, was a non-drinker who had never been drunk (and at age 35!). 

I think there's a tendency for counselors not familiar with actual fat people to treat us like we all have the same issues.  I know a lot of my doctors did.  Up to the day of my operation, just about every doctor insisted that I MUST have diabetes...after all, I was fat.  No matter how many tests they did on me I kept getting a clean bill of health, but two months later they'd want to test me again, even though I had no symptoms.

Thanks! Yeah I felt like I had to keep defending myself because kept asking me why I was overweight? what happened to me? I had a great chilhood..lol I just love food! haha

Don't worry about it too much - just think of it as just another hurdle to step over in order to get to your destination.  Annoying...but screw 'em, you'll make it happen.

Yeah i'm not going to worry about it. I'm just going to do what I have to do...Screw em'! lol

I was atleast 300 at that age.
Don't take it personally.
Sometimes you get lumped in with everyone else.
In that short of time she doesn't really know you!
Keep focus and don't let it get to you, too much. lol