salem244

It has been one week after the surgery. I checked out fine cardiac wise before the surgery. I was able to get off the diabetic medicine a day after surgery, but the next day I developed Afib. My heart was 144. They gave me IV drugs and that got me back into normal sinus rhythm. I went to the cardiologist yesterday and it is back. My heart rate was 150. He told me that about 20% of people get Afib after surgery. He has put me on two heart medicines plus blood thinner. He wanted me to go back into the hospital and I said no, try medicine first. I am due to go back on Friday to the cardiologist. If it is still up I suspect I will go back in the hospital. I am discouraged. I have had no real problems after the surgery with pain or nausea only to have something serious come up. There was a moment I wished I had not had the surgery. Has anyone every experienced this before. I have been searching everywhere for some words of wisdom. I have no real symptoms of Afib, but when I get up and walk I am short of breath. Didn't know if this was from the surgery or the Afib or both. I am fighting being worried about this. I hope that I have not traded one problem (obesity) for another (heart problems). Help.

You are truly amazing to share this. I have never thought about saggy skin. I guess I was so focused on getting healthy that I didn't consider it would happen to me. I am older and would not plan on surgery to fix it. I am 65 and I guess I will just have to deal with what happens. I am only one week out. I am reading about things I probably should have thought about before I did the surgery, but I didn't. I tried to prepare myself emotionally and read a lot, even joined a support group. I guess I will just wear clothes all the time. I am a widow so someone seeing me nude is not something I want, nor a relationship. Can I ask you a question? Do you hate your new body? It would be awful to do all this and still hate your body. Sometimes I wish I would have tried diets one more time, but I have always failed. I am beginning to see how difficult this WLS aftermath will be. I am stuck with it though. I hope I can have the attitude that you do. You are really amazing and courageous.

OMG does this look everlasting good. Unfortunately I am only out of surgery 6 days so I am still on the liquid phase. Can't wait until I can try some healthy recipes! Thanks for posting this.

I am 5 days out from surgery and have gained about 6 lbs. which is more than I weighed the day of surgery. Someone on one of the other threads said that is not unusual because of all the IV's they give you in the hospital. Is that the case for any of you. I know I have to be patient, but gaining weight is NOT what I am looking for. I , like the rest of you, am eating little. Still on liquids. When will the scales start to go down, not up? Of course would like some instant results like I got on the liver shrink diet when I lost 16 lbs. The day of surgery I was 286 and now am 292. Please let me know this is not unusual. Thanks. I am also so glad we have this group. I have asked some "wild" questions, and have always gotten a response, so am glad we are all here together for support.

Thanks everybody. Nobody told me I would gain after surgery! What an irony. That makes me feel better to know it's not unusual.

Am so glad someone talked about short term weight gain after surgery. I have gained about 8 lbs. and thought this was impossible. After all am eating practically nothing. I have only been out of surgery for 5 days. Looking forward to some weight loss. Now weigh more than when I went in the day of surgery. So is this common?

Just got out of the hospital. Surgery went very well, but poop has not. Haven't had a BM in 8 days. Don't even feel like I have to go. I guess I better call the doctor in the morning and ask what to do. Have others gone this long? Also, is drinking lots of Water the key? I am and have never been a big water drinker so getting a lot in is a chore for me. I'll try a combination of liquids and see what this does. Thanks for advice on the BM thing.

I am having the bypass Wed. morning and I am really scared. I need to know if others have felt this way or am I just going nuts. I have been on the liver shrink for almost two weeks and it has been tough. I have felt so weak, no hunger, just weak. My emotions have been all over the place. I am scared of dying on the table and leaving my daughter with no parent. She is all I have since my husband died suddenly 6 years ago. I want to live to be healthy and have time with my daughter who lives with me. I am also scared of losing myself, my protection, my fat body. I feel like I am, losing me. I have been very heavy for many years and it is all I know. Crazy as it sounds it has been my best friend because it protects me. I have hated my body and have been ashamed of it, and I want to be healthy, but I am afraid to give up the body that I have known so long. So many people seem to be excited, but I just cry and have so many emotions. I haven't every been familiar with a trim body, a healthy one. I have lost 11 pounds so far on the liver shrink and feel good about that, so I am trying to tell myself that when I lose weight I will feel good, but why is it so hard to let go. Please let me know how you feel, and help me. I am really struggling with all the issues.

I am still going through with it. I go on liquids tomorrow. For us 3rd people I am praying that all will be ok. I get scared of not waking up either. I guess that is a common fear, but that doesn't make it any less fearful does it I have researched this , gone to support groups, and talked to many people who have had this and they all did fine and are glad they had it. I try to keep telling myself that positive healthy things will come out of this. Guess I better do that until they put me to sleep. This forum has been so very encouraging to me. I truthfully don't know what I would do without you guys. Thank you to you all and I wish the best for all of us as we go on life's journey.

Thank you so much for responding. It is a big life change. I will try to be positive. At this point I guess I just want it done. All the emotions I have had has been a big surprise to me. I have realized things about myself that I guess I have not dealt with. All the posts I have appreciated more than you know. I will keep you posted. Please keep praying for me and I will for all of you. Thanks

It's good to know I am not alone in what I feel. I truly never expected these emotions, but the feeling of being defenseless has been difficult. It has brought up feelings I have had in the past when traumatized. I think I am getting a grip on this though. I know I am not defenseless and now is not then. Your point about looking to what you can do is so right. I want to cross my legs and have not done that in so many years, if ever. I want to be able to look at a seat and not wonder if I can fit in it, or if I do sit in it will it be so tight that my hips are hurting. So many things that other people simply take for granted. I totally get it about tying your shoes and holding your breath, walking up stairs, or even stepping up on a curb on the street. I've got to look at the positive aspects of this and not the fear of it all. I have major depression so I am sure that influences all of it. Reading your posts has really helped though.. I'm not gonna cancel the surgery. It took me a year and a half to get here and a lot of struggle, so it would be far worse if I cancelled it. We will get through this won't we? Keep me posted on your journey.

I have this insurance too. My file was submitted and honestly it only took a week or so to get an approval. I called by patient advocate and she called the insurance company and found out what they had approved.. I got a letter in the mail a week after that with my approval. If you have a patient advocate, ask them to call the insurance company after your file has been submitted. Good luck.

I am so glad this has been posted. I have my surgery on the 3rd of September and am now on day 5 of the liver shrink diet. I am so fatigued and weak. My emotions are all over the place. I have been heavy a long time and now weigh almost 300. I am ashamed of my body but at the same time it is my fat shield. It protects me I feel defenseless about losing my body but want to be healthy and live longer. I talked to someone the other day about this and she told me that it is very understandable about having this shield and also the feeling you will lose your best friend- your weighty body. I don't know what I will be or how I will feel afterward. I know I am quite scared and depressed. I have been crying lately. My emotions are raw. I know I am rather negative now too and that bothers me too. I don't feel the excitement that others do and have even contemplated cancelling the surgery. I've had the excitement before but the negativity has thrown me for a loop. I sure would like to hear from others who have dealt with this.. I hope we can get through this.

My surgery date is Sept. 3. I am in the middle of the liver shrink diet and am very weak from it. I am also getting very scared of the surgery and my emotions about it all are all over the place.. I have been heavy for many many years. Part of me is afraid of giving up my "shield" of fat. I don't know who I will be. I feel defenseless. I am having a very rough time right now with my emotions about it all. Is this usual? I really need support right now. I want to be healthy and do things in life I cannot do now, but this feelings of being defenseless has really gotten me down. Help me please.

I am 65 years old and scheduled for a bypass on 9/3. The surgeon told me I would be in ICU one night as a precaution. I have researched this surgery related to older people and the risks are not any greater than a person much younger. I am now glad that I am having this procedure because I want to be healthier and live longer. I weigh about 300 lbs. and am 5 foot 3 inches and my BMI is 53 so I am very heavy. I initially wondered about the ICU night but now am glad that I will be extra monitored. Good Luck to US

I posted on the pre surgery forum but I wanted to post here to see if anyone has shared these feelings. I spent one and a half years trying to get approved. I finally was and my surgery is 9/3. I know that I am an emotional eater to stop feelings of emptiness or other feelings. I was initially thrilled with the surgery date but now I have come upon something else. I now feel that my obese body was a shield, some kind of protection for me. Now that I am going to be thinner my anxiety is that I will have those same feelings but nothing like I had to "protect" me. I hid behind fat. I wonder who I will even be after losing weight. Has anyone out there had anything similar to these feelings? I am getting more and more anxious about it all. I do see a therapist and will talk about it but if any of you have dealt with this it sure would help me. Thanks.

After a year and a half of trying to get this to happen I went last week and the surgeon gave me the date of 9/3. I am going for all the pre-op work on August 11 and start the liver shrink diet on the 20th. My first reaction to the surgery date was very positive and I was upbeat. I want this because of my health and want to live longer to be with my daughter as she grows up. My husband died 6 years ago and it has been hard. The surgeon told me that because of my age (65) I would be in ICU one night. Even that did not bother me. I figured that way I would be well cared for. I know I am an emotional eater and started to think about the emotions I might have after surgery and could not mask with food. Then it dawned on me that I have my using my fat body as some sort of shield and protection. I thought I could hide behind my fat body. Now I think about being thinner and am scared. Who in the world would I be if thinner and what if I still have this need for protection and shield and my shield would be gone. Has anyone gone through any thoughts like this? I see a therapist and am going to discuss this, but I wanted to know from you guys if this kind of thinking you have experienced. My anxiety level is certainly rising. Thanks Salem244

Good luck to everybody! I go on the 21st to find out my surgery date and am pretty nervous about the surgery. It has taken me a year and a half to get to this point. I at least getting there.

I am 65 years old and in good health despite diabetes,, high blood pressure, and cholesterol. I have borderline personality disorder and major depression. I have been seeing a therapist for several years and all of this is under control. The psych evaluator denied me but my therapist recommends me and she will be there to help me. Has anyone had this experience? My packet went out to the insurance company this week and I am anxious about the approval. I weigh 292 pounds and want to get healthy. Any help you can give or suggestions would be appreciated. Especially about appeals if I have to do that.