Hi all,

I have an appointment this afternoon for my preop visit with the surgeon and to sign the permits for the surgery. While I was so very excited when I received my approval....now I am getting cold feet. I sure hope this feeling goes away...I have been through so much for so long to get this far, seems silly to back out now...but I have to admit...I am on the fence.

Just remember what you are doing this for! It was the best thing I've ever done. I will admit the day of surgery after surgery I was in quite a but of pain and I thought, oh crap, what did I do. But after that first day it was a piece of cake. And 3 months later, I am happier than I've ever been. It is scary, but you'll do great!

What do you feel your hesitation is?

I think most of us have those moments right before and right after of "is this the right thing?" or "what have I done?" ... I'm only 10 days out, and right up till being put under for surgery I had a certain a amount of doubt. I'm so glad I went thru with it. I haven't seen huge benefits yet, of course, but so look forward to see the scale drop, to feeling better, to being able to sit in normal chairs, to not having a the flight attendant approach me asking if I need a belt extender, to having more energey (actually this one I already see!!!!), to just knowing my risk of diabetes and heart disease are dropping by the day! To knowing chances of watching my kids grow up and being there for them are already better.

I've lost 16 pounds according to the surgeons office (13.5 ccording to my scale), from the week before surgery to now. That may not seem like a lot, but I was pushing seeing the big "300" on the scale...that was so scary for me. I feel confident now I'll never see that "297" again.

One of my areas of anxiety - especially the days right before surgery - was knowing I may never eat some of my favorites before. or at least not the mount I loved to gorge on. I'll be brutally honest, knowing there would be no more early morning Jack-in-the-Box binges of eggrolls, chicken sandiwches, or full orders of Beef Phad Thai from my favorite Thai restaurant really freaked me out. I almost had a few panick attacks. For me, that was my source for cold feet. I know now, though, I'll be able to eat Phad Thaai again. It may only be a few bites, but my health is so worth giving up the binges. And, the other day I ordered my 1st fast food in the past few weeks...Taco Time. I ordered a light chicken soft taco. I could NOT eat the tortilla. Just was not happening. So, I ate the chicken and lettuce from the inside. It was ok, but I found that compared to what I have been preparing at home I didnlt really truly enjoy the flavor anymore. I am so glad I have my band...

Sorry if I got sidetracked. I'm not even sure if my anxiety/cold feet was anything compared to yours. Just know it's normal.

The decision is YOURS no one else should persuade or even suggest if you you should or should not do it.

I so know what you are going thru, I go to my Dr. April 6th to schedule my surgery date. I am getting cold feet myself. I know I will be so much healther and be able to do things I couldnt do before. I just don't like having surgery period but I have decided that I have been heavy long enough.. I have always been the "fat chic". All my friends were skinny and I always got picked last in everything. I am doing this for me and no one else. It's time to get healthy and for me, to be on this earth long enough to see my grandchildren have children and be happy. I worry about "what could happen" but I also know what will happen if I don't loose this weight. I just had a very dear friend pass away on Sunday and that just made me realize how short life really is. It's time for us to live our lives to the fullest, I can't wait!!!!!! Sending my prayers your way that God will give you peace, calm your nerves and be with you thru out this entire thing.

Nervousness is very normal. This is a huge step to take. I was nervous, but it was more of an excited-nervous than nervous-nervous (if you know what I mean). Mysurgery went great and I really wasn't in much pain at all. I had to stay in the hospital overnight (required by my surgeon) and I had a morphine pump but I only used it a couple of times. Even when I came home, I only took pain meds at night twice to help me get comfortable when going to sleep.

Yes, there are sacrifices you will have to make but the band has given me a new perspective on things. If I think about wanting to go off of my eating plan, I make myself stop and think "is eating this really worth it?". So far, the answer has been "no".

I posted this in another topic, but it applies here too.

It's normal to be scared and having second thoughts. If you weren't having second thoughts, you probably have not thought through this completely! I was close to backing out about two weeks ago, and my surgery is now 10 days away.

This is a major life changer, and you should definitely look at all aspects of a life change before you do it. You've done that - now it's time to reaffirm to yourself why you are doing this. Think about how much better you are going to feel, not only with your body but with your head! Remind yourself that tons of people can't get this far or don't WANT to get this far about changing thier life.

You are strong enough to have taken the step to get here. Believe in your own decision, don't second guess yourself. It IS the right move to make, I am now positive of that. You know how I got my confidence? Because one of my sisters kept trying to talk me out of it. She gave the false impression of "I'm just trying to help you and I will be there for you" but every time I talked to her she was subtly trying to get me to not do it. Mostly from jealousy, I firmly believe. In justifying myself to her, I realized that I did want to do this, it was for me and NO ONE ELSE.

I told her last weekend that if she couldn't support me, then she shouldn't call me anymore. She was shocked, saying that she did support me and was only giving me options. I told her that her options were undermining my determination and resolve and she was making me feel bad. She got offended and hung up (shrug). I haven't talked to her in a week and I don't really care. Let her have her crazy diets and fads - I'm going for the long haul.

Kymba, it will be all right. You need to go read the success stories and write down why you are doing this and what you expect to happen that is good and wonderful. You can do this, we all are here for you!

Carlene

Thank you Everyone....I just seem to always have complications of some sort when taken into an OR.....this is mostly the reason I am having cold feet. Today I am having a goodbye party to my old life style as tomorrow I being my 7 day preop diet. Next week I will have the tool placed to help me stay on my new journey. I have done okay taking some weight off per my doctors instructions....so more will be a wonderful way to start. I am a very picky eater, so this is going to be extremely challenging for me. I am really unsure about these Protein shakes and what I read about them...If they smell or have any bad taste, there is no way I will drink them. I am going to have to find a way to get them down without any issues.

Considering I am having this done 3 weeks before Easter, I am concerned abut the Easter dinner I prepare for my family. My children do not want me to cook and want to forego the holiday, but I have insisted we Celebrate as per norm for our family. By then I should be able to have mushies, so I shoulde be able to have some if not most of what I cook in very small amounts.

First off congrats and good luck with your surgery!! I had cold feet all the way up until they put me to sleep. I was so nervous about everything and anything, I barely slept the night before. Right now I am 2 weeks out and about 30 pounds down and I would do it 1200 times over if I had to. Of course in the end the choice is yours and only yours but just think about what you're doing this for. Good luck and keep us posted!

I was also having "cold feet" until they put me under. And after for a few days I was thinking "what the hell did I do this to myself for?" But 3.5 weeks post op now I am so glad. My clothes are loose and I have lost 23lbs. Yesterday I got my first "Candice did you lose weight?" and it felt wonderful! The decision is yours but what I thought to myself was; "if I don't do this nothing will change. I will just stay this way and be disappointed for the rest of my life". It was worth the risk to me to take that leap and pray that it worked for once in my life to be thin and happy and not consumed by the thought of eating! Good luck to you whatever you decide!

I understand the cold feet.....I've been wearing A LOT of socks lately (*grin*). My surgery is 4/18 and I back out every day but then I look at myself and wonder who the heck is that in the mirror. I'm not this fat girl inside and I want to be healthy and happy and be here for my son. He is my motiviation. I've been here before and backed out...not as far as actually have surgery scheduled but doing the presurgery diet with the PCP etc. I wasn't dedicated to the life change, but NOW I am. I'm here and I'm ready. I read the pp about the cold feet being about giving up our "foods." And I get that...I relate so much and I think my cold feet and fears are about the pain after surgery, the month following and "will I ever be able to eat a little bit of _____ again?" SInce I've been making subtle changes to my eating, such as cutting out soda, cutting back sugar use and using SPlenda, my tastes have changed. I've cut back on my amount of food, eating off a bread/butter plate for dinner and even my "amounts" have changed that satisfy me. My husband says I can lose it "naturally" - which I agree, I can....I've done it quite a few times, but my problem is keeping it off and that is where I hope this band will be my friend and help me maintain control. I know it is a mind thing and I have to keep it together but if I'm full...I'm full...no more room at the Inn. I'm scared, scared of changes, scared of missing out but I'm so excited for all the things I'll be able to do when the weight comes off...riding on a rollercoaster with my son, playing with him at the park, not getting exhausted on a short walk, not embarrassing him in front of his friends (his mom is fat), etc. There is SO much more to gain out of this than what I'm going to be missing out on.....Good Luck to you and we are all here and I think we all have had some level of fear, anxiety, excitement so you aren't alone.

Thank you Everyone....I just seem to always have complications of some sort when taken into an OR.....this is mostly the reason I am having cold feet. Today I am having a goodbye party to my old life style as tomorrow I being my 7 day preop diet. Next week I will have the tool placed to help me stay on my new journey. I have done okay taking some weight off per my doctors instructions....so more will be a wonderful way to start. I am a very picky eater, so this is going to be extremely challenging for me. I am really unsure about these Protein shakes and what I read about them...If they smell or have any bad taste, there is no way I will drink them. I am going to have to find a way to get them down without any issues.

Considering I am having this done 3 weeks before Easter, I am concerned abut the Easter dinner I prepare for my family. My children do not want me to cook and want to forego the holiday, but I have insisted we Celebrate as per norm for our family. By then I should be able to have mushies, so I shoulde be able to have some if not most of what I cook in very small amounts.

About the Protein Shakes ... just remember, there are a ZILLION of them on the market today, so you will have plenty to try. You might consider trying them BEFORE surgery so you will be all set when it's "Protein shake time" after surgery. My personal preference is chocolate Muscle Milk (powder form) mixed with soy milk (I am lactose intolerant) ... but it's not for everyone. Check various websites, some will send you free (or really, really cheap) samples. Even though you are a picky eater, you should be able to find something to get you through the mushie stage. And remember, the clear liquid stage and mushie stage are ONLY TEMPORARY. You'll be on to reg foods before you know it!

All the best to you on your journey.

~fran

I do not have my surgery date yet, but I have already through several periods of doubt. I have kept an open mind and looked at all my options. I have weighed the pros and cons. The Lap band comes up the winner every time. And when I start thinking that I could do this on my own I have to be honest with myself. I have lost weight before. Lots of weight. But where is that weight now? Right back here on my body! So that tells me that I need to do something different. I'm just glad we have the options today that we do. I'm sure there will be options in the future but right now I think the best for me is the band. I've looked into the sleeve but I like the adjustability and reversibility of the band.

As far the Protein shakes: Try several different ones. Pick out the best and mix with skim milk or soy milk and add 1 tsp of sugar free pudding powder to it. Yummy!