I gained 200 lbs in less than 2 years in my mid 20's, during two hectic years. Before that, I'd spent my days in management and my nights playing guitar and singing, often in local clubs and coffeehouses. I was used to getting respect as intelligent and competent, and admiration as creatively talented and dynamic.

Since I was working / commuting / schooling myself to death during the weight gain, I really didn't even NOTICE the degree of it until I left my job and school and moved out of the big city. I swear I think I had serious brain-fog or something. (Actually I believe this was true.)

Once I gained weight, how people reacted to me changed drastically. I was pretty damn offended about it for a long time. It turns out I myself was judgemental about people in many ways that I had never been that aware of. I became aware of it when they would clearly be judgemental about ME and I was doubly offended that "they" (despite something I considered a flaw or failing) would have the gall to judge me... I really had a helluva oversized ego, I came to realize.

But most of the positive responses to me were pretty much wiped out. Once I got to know someone and they 'adapted' to me, that began returning for those individuals, but in general the response to my size was so overwhelming for people that it was like their entire picture of me as a human being was demoted to something only slightly subhuman.

On the bright side, coworkers then treated me like their mother instead of a piece -- I did get a little more respect indirectly in the work aren. I suppose that's a bright side, anyway. Unfortunately it meant I was no longer presentable for marketing conventions, investor presentations, and even rather a shame at the board of directors meetings.