Hello Gang,

My surgery date has been set for June 6th and I am excited but I have been having lots of anxiety! I wake up at night thinking I'm crazy to do this. In the morning when I look over the entire journey and how I came to this decision, I am comfortable and convinced and positive it's the right thing for me at this time!

Is this normal? Did others have these pre-op fears?

I also worry I will not be able to think clearly. I am a doctoral student (don't attend regular classes weekly) and fear I will not be able to do my work for too long. I think this is contributing to my anxiety.

Any help, support, ideas are greatly appreciated! Best wishes to everyone on the board in their journey!

MNB

Hello Gang,

My surgery date has been set for June 6th and I am excited but I have been having lots of anxiety!

MNB,

Congrats on your upcoming surgery!! That is my date as well and nervous is an understatement. Many sleevers have been giving me wonderful advice though. They say to relax, think of the positive, acknowledge the complications but DON'T dwell on them and overall just try to prepare your mind and body for the change.

You will do great!!

Welcome to the Jewels of June!

Hugs Heather

:cheer2:

Heather!!!!! Thank you for your kind post!!!! I love the "jewels of June" :-)

MNB,

Congrats on your upcoming surgery!! That is my date as well and nervous is an understatement. Many sleevers have been giving me wonderful advice though. They say to relax, think of the positive, acknowledge the complications but DON'T dwell on them and overall just try to prepare your mind and body for the change.

You will do great!!

Welcome to the Jewels of June!

Hugs Heather

:cheer2:

Hello Gang,

My surgery date has been set for June 6th and I am excited but I have been having lots of anxiety! I wake up at night thinking I'm crazy to do this. In the morning when I look over the entire journey and how I came to this decision, I am comfortable and convinced and positive it's the right thing for me at this time!

Is this normal? Did others have these pre-op fears?

I also worry I will not be able to think clearly. I am a doctoral student (don't attend regular classes weekly) and fear I will not be able to do my work for too long. I think this is contributing to my anxiety.

Any help, support, ideas are greatly appreciated! Best wishes to everyone on the board in their journey!

MNB

Yep, crazy like a fox. Probably the best decision you could possibly make for yourself.

Good luck!

BTW, my sister is working on her doctorate, too. She found out she is pregnant last November. She is due in July. Oh, and she is 43!!! With one child that just graduated a week ago. So, this surgery isn't gonna make you get behind. If she can do this, you can too!

Thank you Disney!!!

Wow! Your sister's story is amazing! I'm assuming the pregnancy was a surprise! My two kids are grown up as well and it's hard to imagine a baby again ... but... how cool is that!!! :-) I mostly worry about the first couple of weeks after surgery. I fear I won't be able to get anything done, which is not good. I am prepared for a lighter load but not zero work. Each term is hefty. There just wasn't a "good time" or better time and I didn't want to keep postponing the surgery because I would have to have waited till I graduated.... then post doc stuff ...so when? I really wanted to get on with this. There's always a reason to put myself off. You know!

I really appreciate you reaffirming my decsion. Thank you again and my congratulations to sis!

Yep, crazy like a fox. Probably the best decision you could possibly make for yourself.

Good luck!

BTW, my sister is working on her doctorate, too. She found out she is pregnant last November. She is due in July. Oh, and she is 43!!! With one child that just graduated a week ago. So, this surgery isn't gonna make you get behind. If she can do this, you can too!

VERRRRY Normal!!! I did so well on the liquid part pre surgery I started thinking that maybe I would try it on my own, AGAIN. but who can live on liquids the REST of your life, crazy, I of course came to my senses and have not regretted on minute of it. Ok maybe the drain in the hospital but that was it. I feel great and love my sleeve. It has been 6 weeks since my operation and I have lost 38 pounds so far. I feel confident that this is the best thing that has ever happened to me, all of the "markers" my cholestoral, blood pressure, sleep apnea, Vitamin d defeicency have all gone back to the normal range, and that happended at 4 weeks pre op amazing.

I think of the sleeve as a gift and am thankful everyday for it. I have not had any challenges with eating and keeping things down, I have tried many things so far and had no bad reactions, sometimes I am surprised that I actually went through with it but like I said earlier I have not regretted the decision for a minute. My best to you!!!

Thank you Lyn! Yes, yes, yes!!!! I thought that too: I'm loosing on liquid diet, maybe this is pre-mature. But, hellooooo!!! It's not like I haven't tried to loose weight before and, as you say, how can I stay on liquid indefinitely. Also, I've felt hungry and my stomach growls. It's embarrasing. So a liquid diet on the sleeve will probably be quite different, less difficult hopefully. I really appreciate your way of looking at this as a gift. We are fortunate that others in the past did not have this option available. BTW, congratulations to you on your progress and increased health and vitality. You sound very happy and enthusiastic! Thank you for your encouragement!

VERRRRY Normal!!! I did so well on the liquid part pre surgery I started thinking that maybe I would try it on my own, AGAIN. but who can live on liquids the REST of your life, crazy, I of course came to my senses and have not regretted on minute of it. Ok maybe the drain in the hospital but that was it. I feel great and love my sleeve. It has been 6 weeks since my operation and I have lost 38 pounds so far. I feel confident that this is the best thing that has ever happened to me, all of the "markers" my cholestoral, blood pressure, sleep apnea, Vitamin d defeicency have all gone back to the normal range, and that happended at 4 weeks pre op amazing.

I think of the sleeve as a gift and am thankful everyday for it. I have not had any challenges with eating and keeping things down, I have tried many things so far and had no bad reactions, sometimes I am surprised that I actually went through with it but like I said earlier I have not regretted the decision for a minute. My best to you!!!

Thank you Disney!!!

Wow! Your sister's story is amazing! I'm assuming the pregnancy was a surprise! My two kids are grown up as well and it's hard to imagine a baby again ... but... how cool is that!!! :-) I mostly worry about the first couple of weeks after surgery. I fear I won't be able to get anything done, which is not good. I am prepared for a lighter load but not zero work. Each term is hefty. There just wasn't a "good time" or better time and I didn't want to keep postponing the surgery because I would have to have waited till I graduated.... then post doc stuff ...so when? I really wanted to get on with this. There's always a reason to put myself off. You know!

I really appreciate you reaffirming my decsion. Thank you again and my congratulations to sis!

Yes! It was a surprise, but a happy one. As far as the first couple weeks after surgery, you will be feeling physically ok after a few days and certainly will be able to do any school related work then. Of course you will have the typical brain fog for a few days, but should be good to go after that. Now, I won't lie, sometimes it seems all you are doing is remembering to drink, eat, take Vitamins, repeat....lol but just set yourself a timer and you will keep yourself on track. Plus, that won't last forever. It will become second nature pretty soon.

Congrats on your decision to do this. You are so right, we can talk ourselves out of things so fast. Just do it, get it over with, and feel better than EVER! Keep posting here, you will only grow more confident, I promise

Congrats on making the decision and getting the date! It's coming up quick!

I don't have a date yet, but I know exactly what you mean about being nervous about it. It seems every day I have second and third thoughts about it. But, then I remind myself of the reasons why I made the decision that I did and it seems to help. I even went so far as to ask one of my good friends one day if she thought I was crazy to do this. Thankfully, she immediately replied "No."

I remember the nerves I had for several months before my surgery. When it was time I seemed to have gotten over most of the why's for the surgery. Night before I was given a relaxer pill and it worked awesome I was relaxed.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Disney! You have been incredibly helpfull and encouraging. I can't thank you enough!!!!!

Yes! It was a surprise, but a happy one. As far as the first couple weeks after surgery, you will be feeling physically ok after a few days and certainly will be able to do any school related work then. Of course you will have the typical brain fog for a few days, but should be good to go after that. Now, I won't lie, sometimes it seems all you are doing is remembering to drink, eat, take Vitamins, repeat....lol but just set yourself a timer and you will keep yourself on track. Plus, that won't last forever. It will become second nature pretty soon.

Congrats on your decision to do this. You are so right, we can talk ourselves out of things so fast. Just do it, get it over with, and feel better than EVER! Keep posting here, you will only grow more confident, I promise

Thank you Nancy! My husband has been a good sounding board for me. I asked him the same thing. He also reminded me of how I came to this decision -- NOT an impulse!

Congrats on making the decision and getting the date! It's coming up quick!

I don't have a date yet, but I know exactly what you mean about being nervous about it. It seems every day I have second and third thoughts about it. But, then I remind myself of the reasons why I made the decision that I did and it seems to help. I even went so far as to ask one of my good friends one day if she thought I was crazy to do this. Thankfully, she immediately replied "No."

Thanks AutumLily! Actually, a relaxer pill the night before may not be a bad idea. I will look into it. I have a feeling I may like Samantha and be anxious up to the last moment when the oxygen mask goes over my mouth! :-) I'll work on breathing and staying calm! Everyone here has been extremely helpfull and I'm acutally feeling better already. (I'll just keep re-reading the posts when I freak out! LOL)

I remember the nerves I had for several months before my surgery. When it was time I seemed to have gotten over most of the why's for the surgery. Night before I was given a relaxer pill and it worked awesome I was relaxed.

I was excited all the way up until about 3 days before and then the fear/panic set in and I started doing the whole worry thing. If I had not taken a Xanax the night before, I would have been up all night either panicking or maybe trying to talk myself out of it. Thanks to better living through chemistry, I slept great, the worry didn't come in again until I was being wheeled down the hallway, but I only had about 5 minutes to even think about that before I was off on my date with Morpheus. It would be abnormal to not be worried. I went to work a week after my surgery, I think you will be fine.

TOTALLY NORMAL ...I kept praying, and praying, if this is not your will God PLEASE don't let it happen...well here I am 9 months out today and couldn't be happier that I had my sleeve done.

Thank you Griselda! I am learning to be prepared for the "panic" even up to the moment of. It helps to know others have this reaction. I am afraid to express this panic because those around me, like my mother, panic too and think I'm not ready or that my reaction is due to knowing it's a big mistake. My husband gets it. He's been gently saying, "it's okay, you know what you're doing." But my mother freaks out. I'm in my forties but she still thinks I'm her baby and reacts like that LOL. It's natural. I'm a mother too. So knowing pretty much everyone has had these feelings at some point has been so helpful!!!!

Thanks for sharing your experience. How long since your surgery? How are you feeling now? Looking forward to reading more about your progress!

I was excited all the way up until about 3 days before and then the fear/panic set in and I started doing the whole worry thing. If I had not taken a Xanax the night before, I would have been up all night either panicking or maybe trying to talk myself out of it. Thanks to better living through chemistry, I slept great, the worry didn't come in again until I was being wheeled down the hallway, but I only had about 5 minutes to even think about that before I was off on my date with Morpheus. It would be abnormal to not be worried. I went to work a week after my surgery, I think you will be fine.