my band date is march 12. just a mere 9 days away (not counting today or the actual day of surgery). i'm really starting to get nervous. i think my biggest worries are that i won't wake up, something will go terribly wrong, or my liver will not have shrunk enough and they won't band me. i'm also nervous about the pain and gas issues afterwards. can ya'll share some positive surgery stories? thanks.

Hello All,

I will have my surgery in eight days. I too am getting nervous, sometimes I wonder if I am making the right choice. I try not to think that I am a loser for doing this especially since I am self-pay and the fact that I need to do this to be able to lose weight. Then I remember that the mere fact that I am doing this means that I definitely have will power and strength.

I also worry that my surgeon will ell me he couldn't do the surgery because of liver issues.

I will keep pressing forward.

Lorraine

My surgery is 14 days away. I start the liquid diet tomorrow and I'm nervous about that. I'm going to look at it as one day at a time! I also do my pre-op testing tomorrow. It seems like there are so many hurdles that you don't get a chance to be nervous about the actual surgery. I'm glad for you, btrieger, that things went so well. From everything I've heard and read, you tend to forget about the pain as time goes on.

Good luck to everyone.,

it's perfectly normal to feel nervous, but you'll do just fine, you'll love your new life and you'll losing weight.....so think positive and i wish you the best of luck!!! please keep us posted.

i absolutely love all the replies this thread has been getting. the good stories, the sad. the way everyone is so encouraging to one another! this site really is something special.

succeed, i'm so sorry to hear about the bad news at your doctor's visit. and yes, i do know exactly how hard it is to drive with tears in your eyes. nearly impossible and i feel for you. i really do. you are so lucky to have such a little supporter with you though; your daughter who thinks you are perfect just how you are. always our kids that can warm our hearts through tears, isn't it? i would definitely follow btrieger's advice and consult with another surgeon. i've heard they aren't all "created equal".

chunkster, your "wall of words" was great and i appreciate you taking the time to type it all out for us.

maddy, i totally feel ya on the c-section thing. i've had a c-section myself (it was horrible!!!! and they ended up having to put me under general anethesia halfway through because I was feeling things I shouldn't have and moving around so much they couldn't do what they needed to do! sigh!) and then i had a VBAC three years later with my daughter. which was also horrible, btw. so i tell myself if i can handle two horrible births and not being able to use my stomach muscles for a while after all that then surely i can deal with five small incisions, right? i sure hope so!!!

i've had numerous surgeries before but i'm still nervous nonetheless. at the same time though, i'm sooo ready and excited about getting my band. i wish i had it already!!!!

p.s. thanks to those who confessed to not being so great on the liquid diet. i've had a hard time with mine here and there and it seems to be a going good, then going not so good kinda thing. makes me feel better to know i'm not alone! but hey... my husband has been doing the liquid diet with me and he's having a hard time of it,too. and wouldn't you know he's a tough military man, too? LOL

i absolutely love all the replies this thread has been getting. the good stories, the sad. the way everyone is so encouraging to one another! this site really is something special.

You are so right, glad I am here, He^ puts ppl where they need to be, and I know that this site is where alot of them are. Good luck to you my dear....

I just wanted to send lots of positive energy to all of you who are in that hanging-on-by-your-toes-waiting-for-surgery place. If it gives you any comfort at all, when I had my psych eval, she told me that the patients she REALLY worries about are the ones who exhibit no fear about the surgery! Being nervous is perfectly normal- it shows you have a healthy respect for what you're about to undergo, and that's a very, very good thing!

I had a couple of moments during the immediate presurgery time that brought me up short:

- The day I wrote my will.

- The night before my surgery. Heaven bless my husband, he was SO prepared for my meltdown!

- Right as they were wheeling me in to the operating suite.

I know I'll have more of those moments as the journey unwinds, but so far, 6 days postop, I'm feeling pretty good overall and I'm encouraged by my progress so far.

Wishing for you smooth seas and warm breezes!

Christine

Hi all pre-bandsters!!

Those of us who are already banded have gone through probably the EXACT same anxiety and nervousness as every one of you!

All medical procedures can be scary. I am "one of those" tough-as-nails kinda girls. Had a c-section, didn't even comment, just said, cut me open and give me my son..no biggie.

I do not go to the doctor unless I'm just about on my death bed, my motto is "man-up buttercup" (all men in my house..lol). I say all this because the day I found out I was having surgery (3 weeks later) I was ELATED!! I didn't have a care in the world. Everyone would ask "aren't you scared?" And I said NOPE, not a bit (very true). I didn't experience ONE IOTA of angst until they put me in the hospital gown and gave me my happy juice (god love the person who invented happy juice..lol). It was then I looked at my husband and told him I was scared. That was the FIRST TIME EVER those words came out of my mouth. Thank GOD I married so well (LOL). He took my by the hand, and said, "I promise nothing will happen to you, I am your rock now, and I will be holding your hand when you wake up to your bright new life."

Those words (and the happy juice of course) eased my mind and in I went.

I had absolutely NO problems and was home in time for lunch (that I didn't eat).

Moral of this story is, be strong, this is what you've all worked so hard for. Being scared is NORMAL and OK. Embrace it, then LOOK PAST it! Your new life without the weight is coming!

Not to be Debbie Downer to everyone, but PLEASE don't expect significant weight loss within the first couple weeks after surgery!!!!! Please be prepared to HEAL first and LOSE later! It took me a GOOD 3-4 weeks to see ANY significant weight loss, but I was prepared and anticipated it. Have REALISTIC goals and you will succeed.

Best of luck to you all!!!

I am scheduled in Mexico on March 17 also a little nervous leaving behind my 3 year old for a few days and all. anyone else for this date???