Hi Everyone,

I have been on here for a few months and have had the pleasure of meeting so many great people.

That being said, I am scheduled for my sleeve on May 11th, 2011. I am at a point where I do not know what to do. I change my mind everyday about this surgery, whether

to do it or not. It is partially from the lack of support I am receiving from family and some friends. My husband is so sick of me changing my mind and also so sick of hearing

about my weight since we have been together the past 14 years.

I am so miserable, this consumes my life on a daily basis. I know I have tried everything, I know I have given it my all and I am just tired and so unhealthy and so DONE with it!!! I know the surgery is not an easy way out (as all my non supporters believe) but I need a tool, I need something to help me get to a normal weight. I know that I will have to make healthy choices and excercise after the surgery and I get that, but I feel like a failure that I cannot do this on my own.

I want to know in all honesty, does anyone have REGRETS??? I really need to know this before I get this surgery done.

I am at such a crossroads right now and I do not know what to do anymore.

Any feedback would be helpful.

Thank you

Thank you all (I sound like a broken record) for the support!! I will be using this site as one of my main support systems because it truly does help people. I feel so much better after having posted this and reading your responses.

I am going through with the surgery and I am not discussing it with anyone else (besides my best friend and husband) As far as the rest of my family knows, I called it off a week ago but I never made the call..something I couldn't bring myself to do because I know in my heart I still wanted the surgery.

Anyway, May 11th here I come..I will keep you all posted. Thank you !!!!!

Any tips to prepare myself for the big day??????

Fear... SO MUCH FEAR!!... oh, that's normal... even as I was flying to the city where I had my surgery, I was thinking, "what if I just get to the airport and get the first plane home"... then i talked myself out of it and went to my hotel... then I was thinking again about not doing the surgery... i took a shower and took a good long look at myself in the mirror... and what I saw disgusted me, and that gave me the will to go to the hospital the next morning and to do the surgery!!! try it... it may help you... or make a list of all of the reasons you have thought of doing this surgery!! good luck!! oh, and I'm 2 1/2 weeks post-op and even though its hard, I would do it again!!!!

Hi, I felt the same way when my surgery got close I think the last week I went in hermit mode because because just talking about it was freaking me out. I am 7 months out now and absolutely no regrets and am so happy to have done it. I did have a few "what have I done to myself" moments the first week but none since. I still have to make conscious smart choices but they are easier now and truly I can eat whatever I want I just make it a point to be sure to eat protein first. Case in point went to IHOP today with a friend we ordered the same thing a mushroom and cheese scarmbler with bacon hash browns and pancakes. I ate two strips of bacon abut 1/2 of the scrambler two bites of hash browns and half a pancake my friend ate every bite and we both left happy. I satisfy my sweet tooth with my morning protein shakes. I'd do it all again in a heart beat.

I went back and forth till I had the date and that was it for me. I could have had a bypass in the early 90's, but I was scared. In the late90's and the mid 200's, but I knew I could do this, until my knees failed me at 47 and I weighted 318 pounds. It took me down and I gain more weight up to 362. I finally went to the seminar and went through the motions. I was not going to do it. I had support and friends and a job to go back to and until I made up my mind nothing helped. When I got approved and it was a for sure thing I was in and I have lost almost 100pounds in 5 months and I have learned what head hunger and fear hunger and bored hunger is and what indigestion is. I thought it was hunger. I don't need a wheel chair any more and I'm not using my walker much mostly cane and I hope in 6month to be free of that to.

I'm glad I waited cause it's so much safer then back in the day, but if I had only known what my life could have been like thinner 20 years ago I'd have done it then. Some of us have to be hit in the head to wake up and smell the coffee.

Good luck and let me know how your doing.

thank you all for the positive messages.

I know I didn't explain my reasons but one of the main ones was my 2 children. I just want to be okay and not have any complications..I know everyone wants that but that of course is my biggest fear.

Another fear is food...as nuts as it sounds..I am afraid I will "mentally" freak out when I can't consume what I want. I know tihs sounds nuts because I am getting the surgery for that very reason but the mental part of it is what freaks me out more than the physical part. I already bought books on how to deal with these emotions and I am in therapy as well for my "eating" issues so i am trying to right the wrong before i do the surgery.

The final reason is my family. My mom has threatened not to speak to me and my aunt was crying for days saying I'm "crazy" and what is wrong with me. People can be so harsh its crazy. I finally resolved not to tell them of my May 11th date and I am embracing the support of my husband and my best friend who had the surgery.

So that's my story. THANK YOU for the feedback..you are all inspirational and have helped me clear my head for a little bit.

I am fortunate that I have never relied on the councel of others. Nor have I've been motivated by guilt or moved by tears when it comes to my decision making. Weigh the pros and cons about the surgery and then make a decision. No matter what you decide, it will be OK. Only you can determine what is best for you.

I personally haven't told anyone that I'm doing the surgery. I plan on telling my office 20 business days in advance. My family will be told two days in advance (I need someone to pick me up from the hospital).

I'm also a non-teller, though a very few people know. I haven't told my family yet, god help me if they find out from someone else first.

I can only say that this sleve has been, for me, ridiculously easy. I have had such a smooth time of it, I feel a bit guilty...and paranoid, waiting for the other shoe to drop. My optimistic nature shines right through there, eh? But really, for me it IS the "easy way out" -- and why shouldn't it be?? There is no intrinsic value or extra virtue in doing something the "hard way." (Not to mention the way that DOESN'T WORK lol.) It's just smart and clever to do something that is more effective AND easier, no?

Good luck! You will do great.

I too have 2 little kids - 4 and 2. I cried for a few days at the thought that this decision could harm me or take me away from them. But I think what I was most afraid of was the uncertainty. There are worse statistics every time you step in a car or on a plane. And then I realized that there was a higher chance of me not being there for my kids' weddings or graduations because of obesity than this procedure. Much higher risk. And that helped keep me focused. I also used Einstein's quote as a mantra: "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." If I backed out, then I would be trying diet and exercise again. And that just leads back to feeding my depression and thoughts of failure. And that's bad for me AND my family. So I went through it and I focus every day on getting in those nutrients and water to make sure I'm healthy and there for my kids. And you know what - I'm a much better mommy and I'm a much happier person. You know what is best for you. Just take a deep breath. You can do this if this is the path you want to take!

Hi Everyone,

I have been on here for a few months and have had the pleasure of meeting so many great people.

That being said, I am scheduled for my sleeve on May 11th, 2011. I am at a point where I do not know what to do. I change my mind everyday about this surgery, whether

to do it or not. It is partially from the lack of support I am receiving from family and some friends. My husband is so sick of me changing my mind and also so sick of hearing

about my weight since we have been together the past 14 years.

I am so miserable, this consumes my life on a daily basis. I know I have tried everything, I know I have given it my all and I am just tired and so unhealthy and so DONE with it!!! I know the surgery is not an easy way out (as all my non supporters believe) but I need a tool, I need something to help me get to a normal weight. I know that I will have to make healthy choices and excercise after the surgery and I get that, but I feel like a failure that I cannot do this on my own.

I want to know in all honesty, does anyone have REGRETS??? I really need to know this before I get this surgery done.

I am at such a crossroads right now and I do not know what to do anymore.

Any feedback would be helpful.

Thank you

I am very glad I did it, it has saved my life I am sure and I am very happy now. I dread to think what i would feel like now if I had backed out 2 years ago.

Jane x