Marmot:
I had gastric bypass 5 years ago. I am a success story. I am female, 5'8". My highest weight (non-pregnant) was 335#. I was 390-395# at the time of delivery for both my children. My son was 8 months old when I had the surgery. It has changed my life dramatically.
I am currently 185#, but that is my post-holiday weight. I will be back down to my normal 165# by summer time. I now know that I CAN lose weight. That is an amazaing realization.
I have always been overweight, so it has been a challenge for me to make the lifestyle changes. You will be a success. You have great goals and reasons for getting this lifesaving procedure.
Feel free to contact me privately if you would like to chat or just vent. It has been quite a journey for me.
Unless you've been there, it is hard to understand how small the world becomes for a large person.