:bored Well, I thought I would be enjoying my last weekend before my surgery -- maybe a little "last suppering", wrapping up loose ends for my kids before I head to surgery etc. Instead it is gross, cold, and raining and I am bored/anxious and getting nervous. I was never nervous before now because I know I am doing the right thing. I am so informed, have just completed the best bariatric program, and have tons of support. But all of a sudden I have cold feet. While not looking forward to the physical part of surgery, most of my worry involves after the surgery. What if I break the rules? What if I don't loose? What if I have a ton of complications? All of a sudden I need a pep talk......I am still excited but I just didn't expect to feel this much anxiety...........

Hi!

You can do it! I think every one of us was nervous and had cold feet before surgery.

I remember being wheeled into surgery and the lights of the hallway were flashing by and I was laying there with small tears coming out of the corner of my eyes and all I could think to myself was "What the HELL am I doing!!?!?!?" I was in Mexico having surgery. Was I insane!! Maybe I was a little but I just had to give myself a pep talk and remind myself that I was doing this to insure a healthier life for myself.

You'll lose. Just follow the rules and you'll lose. But remember not to be hard on yourself and just do the best that you can. I've lost slower than most but I've also had a really hard summer. My mom was diagnoses with cancer, I had surgery, we moved cross country, and my husband started a new demanding job all in the matter of weeks. So I'm doing the best that I know how to right now and even though I'm not losing as fast as I would like I"m just trying to get through life right now and I"m doing the best that I can day to day and I'm still managing to lose.

In a few months you'll just look back and be healthier and thinner and you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner!

Good luck!

It's totally NORMAL to feel this anxiety. I did too!! But this is what motivated me to go through with the procedure (and BOY AM I GLAD I DID!!!!).......

If I had not done this, the chances of dying due to heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and other weight related diseases would have been extremely high for me. I have a family history of all of these things, and even if you don't, being overweight puts you at a much higher risk. I knew that my weight was killing me so it made sense for me to take a chance on something that could potentially save my life, and certainly improve my quality of life!

The surgery and recovery ARE NOT FUN (PLEASE GUYS, LET'S NOT LIE ABOUT IT!!). You are going to feel like crap for a few days, maybe even a few weeks. It was a solid week for me of being DOWN. But I feel absolutely fine now and I have lost 25 pounds in a month.

I broke the rules a few times. I had mashed potatoes before I was supposed to go to mushies TWICE, and have not followed my surgeons food plan to the letter. His plan is too much like a diet, and if I wanted to diet I wouldn't have had the band. I do follow the cardinal rule of Protein, then veggies, then carbs or fat or whatever. This is easy.

You WILL LOSE weight. Everybody does, the speed just varies. You probably will not have complications, a very small percentage does with the band, and if you do we are all here to support you and get you through it.

Have a last supper. Relax and don't worry about the surgery. And when it creeps up on you just imagine how gorgeous you are going to be a few months from now and how great you are going to feel!!!

Pretty normal reaction for someone about to go in for surgery and facing the unknown. The unknown is life with a band around your stomach, losing weight that you never thought you could or would, becoming the person you always knew you could be.

Exciting and scary all at the same time. Don't worry about breaking the rules or eating something not on the diet. You will have times when you don't lose weight, but it isn't permanent. You don't have to be perfect for this to work and that's a good thing because none of us are perfect, we were never meant to be. You will learn a new way of life and enjoy something besides food and the food you do enjoy will be in a different way. You will learn to appreciate it's flavor, texture and nutrition it will supply for your body. You will learn to eat to live, not live to eat.

All of us have our doubts and our demons, you are just like the rest of us. You owe it to yourself to have the best opportunity to live a long healthy life and to be able to do all that your heart desires without weight holding you back.

You have an entire group of wonderful, compassionate and understanding people here. We will lift you up when you're down and fly with you when you are happy. No matter what, everyone here cares and all of us want what is best for each other, and that includes you.

Think positive thoughts and dream of your fantasy's about what you can do once you lose weight. Indulge yourself in you dreams and forget the negative thoughts for now, there's always time for that later. Right now you are about to start on a marvelous journey with lots of friends here to help.

(((HUGS)))

Cindy

Dear Bandayed,

I too am anxious as I am having my surgery Monday as well. I am sure everything will go smoothly for both of us and down the road we will be so happy we took this step.

Take care and I will be thinking of you as I go in for sugery.

Good Luck!!!!!

Bandayed and Ready and Waiting... Good luck to you both, I'll be thinking of you. Things will be just fine. Nerves will get the best of you, only if you let them. I think that everyone has some type of second thoughts or nervous feelings before surgery, I had them for a week. I was killing my self :dead with every thought of what if..... and maybe I shouldn't.....

Have a quick and healthy recovery, let us know how things are when your up to it.

Thank you all so much -- with the light of day I already feel better -- we'll see how I go through the day!

Me too chicklets!! I'm having surgery tomorrow as well.

Lets all post when we get home. God willing, I'll be home Tuesday afternoon.

HUGS to all my sisters and brothers tomorrow !!

(my surgery isnt until 4 pm....talk about an agonizing day LOLOL )

Njgirl-- Bring A Good Book! I Just Had My Surgery Moved From 11 To 7:30 Am So Although I Had To Beg Borrow & Steal To Get My Kids To School Another Day Without My Help, I'm Glad Not To Wait Around. It Reminds Me Of My Wedding Day -- I Thought A Night Wedding Would Be More Fun But The Day Leading Up To It Was The Longest In Memory! Try To Nap. One Day Leading To The Rest Of Your Whole New Life!

Hey, it's going to be just fine. Your nervousness is completely normal; it would be weird if you weren't, right? I had the same doubts and anxieties as you express, and all my friends around here assured me it was going to be okay, and it was. I bet there are very few people who totally and completely follow all the rules all the time. I know I don't. The reason the band works for me is because I follow the rules most of the time, and if I don't, the band is right there to put the brakes on it! I enjoy having brakes, for a change! You can ask all day what people eat and how much, and the info is useful as a frame of reference and experience, but only you will be able to determine what is okay for you, and what your band will tolerate on any given day. It is a learning experience and a journey, and you will be very happy with your decision, I predict! Good luck Monday, post when you feel up to it. Cindy

P.S. Get some kind of liquid Gas-X!

GasX forever, or for post-op?

Get it for post-op, and you'll probably need for a week or two. Some people need it every now and then afterwards. I haven't used it since the first month after surgery...but the gas pains after the operation were the one and only thing that truly caused discomfot for me. I am not extremely sensitive in the area of pain, so the port incision pain was uncomfortable, but didn't cause me extreme pain. It does for some. In all abdominal surgery, lots of gas in pumped in to separate the parts so they can see them better...that gas "travels" around until it can be released from the body...almost always up to the shoulder. It does get better. I also bought some baby tummy drops, which is just simethicone in liquid form, and you only take a couple of droppers at a time. You might like that. Hope this helps, Cindy

Wishing both of you a very smooth surgery tomorrow and the speediest recoveries ever recorded!!! I love you guys and will be thinking about both of you and saying lots of prayers.

Please pray for us here in Miami, Wilma is definately coming through and she'll be the strongest storm we've had since Andrew, not a good thing. He damned near wiped us off the map altogether. I went through that one and now we have to go through this one, I'm getting much too old for this garbage.

(((HUGS))) To you both - and let me be the first one to welcome you both to the banded side:-]

XOXOXO

Cindy

I wish you both the best of luck! Ya'll will be on bandland before you know it!

Batton down the hatches chichigirl --good luck weathering the storm --stock up on batteries & water --that's what they do in the movies --Being from Boston, I don't have much hurricane advice.............................

Ladies...I am just in the research stages.....can someone give me a brief overview of the rules for life after surgery......any chance of seeing pizza again???? Hellie