Hello All, New guy from PA here

Hello all! New guy from PA here. My sister told me about this site a while back, as she had bariatric surgery in 2004..and she is doing great.  I have always been overweight and it is finally after 22 years of existance catching up to me. I developed sleep apnea, and am starting to have weak knees and sore feet after standing only for a bit. I have tried dieting several times and I just cant stick to them. I went to a meeting a few weeks ago about gastric bypass, and i have an appointment with Michael Bono. I do have a couple of questions, just from personal experience maybe you guys can help me out. What kind of social effects is this surgery going to have on me? Can I still drink at all? How will it effect sex life? Will being thinner allow me to land a job easier? And how much weight is too much to lose..and should i worry about excess skin I know i want the surgery, its just a matter of time now! Thanks all!

Welcome to the group!! What kind of social effects is this surgery going to have on me?  I feel more confident and more outgoing... I no longer have to worry about being hot and sweaty someplace, will the chairs be big enough for my butt, will I be the fattest person in the room? Having the surgery has allowed me to be normal... I will go many more places now I wouldnt before and feel much more comfortable doing so. Can I still drink at all? First you will have to see what your surgeon says. It will ultimately be your decision if you choose to drink. There are many reasons people are told to abstain - its empty calories and there is the possibility of transfer addiction. I waited 6 months before drinking.... I dont have any issues with transfer addiction and go out every other Saturday, sometimes maybe a few Saturdays in a row and that would be the only time I would have a few drinks. It really can effect your weightloss so you have to keep an eye out! How will it effect sex life? Bow chica wow wow... since your confidence is boosted that will definately help... being skinnier also has its advantages. Sex now is SO much better than before... Will being thinner allow me to land a job easier? It could... again going back to having confidence and being more outgoing - that will definately help. Second is there have been studies done (and we are all aware) that fat people are treated differently... sad but true. And how much weight is too much to lose..and should i worry about excess skin How much weight is too much - you would have to talk to your surgeon Excess skin - start saving now for plastic surgery just in case. Should you worry? No... its just a fact theres more than likely going to be excess skin, some sag or something or other you may not like post-op. Working out, keeping hydrated and proper nutrition will HELP.. thats pretty all you can do and pray for the best :-)

Jennifer nailed all questions on the head so I'm going to go with her response.  Welcome to the club.  Good luck on your journey.  We're here if you need us. 

Hey!! Welcome to the forum here...  I haven't been banded very long so I cant answer your questions... But Jennifer answered it perfectly!

I second what Jenn said- she' said it perfectly :) Welcome to the board, baby!

Hi there!  What part of PA are you from?  I just moved back home to NC from Philly

Social effects? You will probably be treated just like everyone else, not as the "fat friend" or the guy who is funny and a nice guy but not someone a female freind would consider dating... Drinking? You'll probably need to wait awhile, and then you will find that you get drunk after drinking only one drink, and that you sober up quickly....Do your homework on the topic, there are risks associated with drinking after surgery that you need to discuss with your surgeon before you embibe. Sex Life? Yeah, that should improve....functionally it is easy and more enjoyable...as a man there are two things to consider - without all that fat around the pubic area you will find that you gain a few inches of "usable" or "visible" length. =) second....testosterone is stored in your fat, as you burn it the testoserone floating around your body will increase and with it, so will your sex drive - look out! Job? There is a lot of weight discrimination by employers. Many people have perceptions of obese people that represent various stereotypes such as: If I hire him he will - ...cost me more for health insurance ...be less productive ...won't present a positive image to my clients ....etc.... ...it all depends on the individual applying and the individual hiring, so sterotypes shouldn't apply but all too often they do...shedding the pounds should help in this department as well as by boosting your confidence and motiviation - both of which should help you in your career.  How much weight to lose? The way I was told to figure it is to determine your amount of excess weight according to the Metropolitan Life Insurance Table (note these tables have been deemed antiquated by the medical community because their "ideal weights" are generally too low). You can then multiply your amount of excess weight by the percentage your surgery is expected to allow you to lose and subtract that amount from your current weight to determine your expected weight loss. Generally, with RNY you can expect to lose 60-80% of your excess weight.  Or you can shoot for a healthy weight as indicated by reaching a healthy Body Mass Index of below 25.0 - For me that is under 175 - I am a 5'10'' male with small to medium frame. Excess Skin - Yeah, there will probably be some or alot depending on how stretched out your skin is now. I only started at 297 with a BMI of 43 -  Not too high relative to what some WLS patients start out at - now six months later down 107 lbs, I am definetely noticing some loose hanging skin - my thighs and arms have a bit, my man-boobs are definetely hanging, and my abdomen is looking really bad, so dependind on finances and insurance, reconstructive and or cosmetic surgery may be in my future. Good questions, please don't hesitate to ask more as new questions pop up, and welcom to the 20's forum!

Hi welcome, thanks for asking your questions. I learned alot from reading the responses you got.