I have been considering this surgery for about a year. I've finally made my first appt.....and I'm really scared. Scared about what my life will be like, how will I deal with my stress when eating is not an option? Can I make it? Can I deal with the new me? What if I wake up from surgery and decide I made a mistake? What if one week out I get depressed/anxious when I can't eat? What if...what if...what if.

I suspect my fears must have been experienced by others. How did you deal with them? I really don't like the way I look and I'm tired of avoiding mirrors, friends, events....I want to live the rest of my life in a healthy manner.

Any feedback or personal stories would be helpful to me. Thanks.

Fran, welcome to the Forums. You've found the best place to get the answers you're after. The stories here run the gamut from rank beginner, to those who are well past reaching their goal weight. The stories are as varied as the people who wrote them.

I invite you to read as much as you can. Don't stay within just a few forums - I've found many treads cross-relate to other forums, so it pays to browse around. There are folks who read the forums voraciously, and who are quick to reply to questions. And if that's not enough, go visit the chat rooms, where you can have a live conversation with people who may already have answers to your questions. And don't be afraid to ask questions, even if it seems like nobody else will know what you mean. This place is very supportive, and you're bound to make a lot of new friends here. I've been here a short time, and feel like I've known some of these people forever.

I can assure you, your current state of mind is quite normal. Everyone has a million questions. As you learn more, you'll find answers to a lot of your current batch of questions, and you'll find new ones to ask. Relax and enjoy the ride. This is the first step to a whole new you.

Best of luck,

Dave

Fran, Welcome. I think alot of us had the samw questions you did. What helped me decided on having the surgery was my quality of life. I do not like that my weight played a big part in my day to day activities, and not to mention my health. I decided this is something I had to do if I wanted to see my daughter graduate high school, get married, etc. I'm only 3 weeks postop, but am learning to live were food is not in control of me I'm in control of it. Good luck to you on your journey. We are here for you.

Hello Fran and welcome. Deciding to get this surgery is one of the best decisions you could've made. There are so may people out there who have been in your place and are still adjusting or have exceeded their expectations of how this surgery can change their lives. When I had my surgery, I was filled with the same worry and anxiety that you have. And after not only reading but seeing the drastic changes and all the smiles in the after pics, I was a changed person. I've been a big girl all my life and all I would like to be able to do is cross my legs. Go figure, huh? Your worries are normal but any change does come with an adjustment period. Just as Dave said, read as many posts as you can in all the forums. Absorb everything. I've learned so much from having joined this support network than I could've on my own. In the end, you'll look back and see that not everything you're worrying about was worth the trouble. Any change from here on out can only be an improvement on the person we all want to be. Good luck on your journey to a better life!