what did your family say?

My husband was supportive of my decision, he knows I've been struggling for a long time.  When I told my oldest son (6 years old who gets nervous at something new) was excited and asked when I would be skinny (had to tell him it's a slow process, not over night) but he's still excited for me and once in a while makes comments about my losing weight.  My youngest is 3 and didn't understand, but he wasn't worried.

As for my Mom, she was scared, but supported my decision.  I waited until I had to to tell my in-laws (when I started Optifast, I couldn't avoid it anymore).  They were shocked.  I had waited to tell them because I didn't want to listen to a big lecture and stress about it.  But they've seen how well I'm doing on it, and thanks to a comment from my Mom I never did get the lecture.

I had 3 family parties while I was on optifast, and I think I surprised them by sticking to my shakes the whole time.  And they've seen how much I've lost.

My family was, and still is, very supportive.  We do express 'concerns', but once I told them that I had researched it, and spent time explaining everything, they were cool with it.  Not to say they weren't worried, I'm sure they were, but they wouldn't have said anything beyond "I'm worried.  Are you sure?".

You can also tell your family that, without the surgery, you will surely die too soon.  This is not a vanity thing - it's a life-saving thing.  But it's not a solution, it's a tool.  You still need to work with it properly to get the results you want.

Good luck!

don't go into this surgery thinking it will be easier...sure it's relatively easy for the first year or so NOT to eat too much..but I will be approaching the 3 yr surgery mark this coming February..and in the last year it has become more of a struggle to keep those unessary foods from entering my mouth.

If you had poor willpower prior to surgery, chances are you will be the same after only difference is the first year or so...well you can't eat much.

At this point slider foods go down easily and if you let yourself you can again pack away TOO MUCH food!!!!

Yes you have to stick to the RULES...even after weight loss surgery..not a diet..but if you go back to your old habits, eating fried foods, eating bread, drinking before and after meals...well there is NOTHING that even your newly created pouch can do for you

bad choices still remain bad choices.

I am not saying that I never eat the bad things...but I am accountable..only me!!!!

a pouch is just a tool, like any tool that someone uses to do a job..it makes it a bit easier but you still have to put forth an effort~!  (and that remains your job)

Yes I can understand that, and where you are right now, would you have done it all over again?  Even though you are not down to your goal weight?  and still have to work at it?  Or do you feel that this tool is still very helpful in making your effort worth it?  Do you feel like it is the same as before where you are yo yoing?  I have pretty strong will power I feel and I feel that with this tool along with my effort and co operation I will keep it off.  I'm not using this to lose weight and then think it will be a free all you can eat ride.  I want the help of a smaller stomach and absorption rate to be less, so it will give me an edge to succeed.
I'm not saying any of this with any attitude, please know I am sincere.  It's hard to hear a ton in a post. lol  Thank you for your reply.

Brenda I am in the same boat as you with regards to my mom and her concerns.  I have a friend who had this surgery just over a year ago and her parents lived around the corner from my parents.  Long story short her mom was telling my mom how well my friend was doing and a year ago my mom mentioned it to me, but at the time I wasn't ready to make the changes neccessary to make this tool work.  But in the mean time I did think about it and researched it and finally realised that I was ready to make these changes.  Now my mom is very worried (which is understandable) but will say things like "i guess this is the way you have to go because you have it in your head that you can't do this by yourself".  I know she means well and is supportive, but sometimes says the wrong things LOL.  My husband and kids are super supportive and are totally behind me 110%. 
I know that we can make these changes and make this tool work for us!!!   Your time is now, take care of you.
Take care and best of luck!!

Pam

my husband was not supportive at all and he still isnt even after i been done...he thinks i could of done it on my own.....i am almost 50 and going through menopause....there was no way i was going to lose weight on my own at my age.....i tried....i had diabetes and thyroids problems with high blood pressure....my mom die at the age of 56 and her sister die at the age of 50.....both of heart attacks....i didnt want to be where my mom is at her age soon....i no longer had diabetes or high blood pressure since this was done....i was done in aug of this and i have lost 40 lbs thus far.....i husband dont see how this can safe my life and i can live a little longer than my mom.....i went through a rough time after surgery but when i got my meds changed than things changed for me and i felt better....one month later and i am doing good...eating some and living again.....best of luck to you.....i did this for me and no one else.....

My sister just lost a lot of weight on Jenny and was trying to talk me out of WLS by offering to pay for Jenny for me and bringing up past times I had lost a lot of weight.  We went on vacation recently and she saw how incredibly sad I am in my current body.  I took the opportunity to bring up regularly the changes I would be having to make and educating her on what is involved in the process before, during and for life afterward.  She thought it was more of an attempt at a quick fix and once she realized that it was a lifestyle change and that I had done a lot of research, she was on board.  She still isn't happy about me having major surgery and would prefer I didn't, but she is also excited for me to have it done.  It takes them time to process it.  And sometimes it's not until after that they relax.

Julie

I was speaking to a co-worker recently who had the surgery in January and she said that the first 3 months post-op were heck and then it got better. She was very, very emotional, she had no idea how much food was tied into her emotional being. She said she'd start crying in grocery stores trying to shop. She still has problems, with the nature of her work it is hard for her to get her protein in (she's in the car all day). Anyway like I think you've realized this is only a tool and yeah for awhile the smaller stomach will help you to not overeat but we've all heard stories about people who had the surgery and ended up regaining. I haven't told any of my family and don't plan to because I don't need anyone judging me. They might be supportive but even so I don't feel telling people is something I need to do.