What do you wish someone had told you, or made more clear to you, before surgery?

Thanks!

(<-- Maybe I was only reading what I wanted to hear!) ...

You might have hit the nail in the head.

I read "a million" old and new threads on this website for 5 months before surgery and to this day (week 11) there is nothing I wish someone had told me. That can change any minute of course. (knocking on wood)

???!!!!!! WHAT, I have never heard this, I will wake up with a tube in my throat??!! Is that standard for every doctor???

No. I didn't have the tube in when I woke up. Don't worry.

I wish id been warned about the one ounce cups for sipping and the restriction from drinking the whole ounce on the second day ...only spaced over one hour...a sip every 15 seconds. Ridiculous. I wish id been warned big time @ ketosis and how u taste and smell like roadkill. I wish id been warned that even sf chewing gum was banned, that I wouldn't be permitted liquids with calories and that the doc wouldn't give me a guideline of x amt of protien/fat/carb so I can pick and choose what to eat after the 2d month. I wish id been told I would be on injectable b12 because the place where that's absorbed is removed.

And I wish someone had talked @ developing emotional resources for dealing with being noticed when u lose weight.

What the heck? If I wake up with a tube down my throat I will freak out and I know I'd yank it out

I'd also like to add that the complications posts are freaking me out too. Thank you for sharing but, it's scaring the ^%$(*&^ out of me. If I have to miss work more than I'm scheduled to, it'd be extremely awkard. I told my boss I was having my gallbladder taken out. Not to mention they'd have to hire a temp to do my work. They would not be happy about that.

the nausea! I wish someone told me how nauseated I was going to be. I spent 1 week afterwards throwing up. the 1st two days were hell. I totally regretted the surgery, but it got better. I just wish I knew in advance.... just to prep my self I guess....

Fitforlife.. YES!!!!!! UGH!!! Morphine makes me nauseous!!! And they pumped me full of it in the PACU and in my room... until after my leak test.. UGH!!! I after the first night and getting up a few hours after surgery (feeling like a Mac truck hit me 12 times), I didn't want anymore pain meds cause I felt like ripping my IVs out!!

I'd also like to add that the complications posts are freaking me out too. Thank you for sharing but, it's scaring the ^%$(*&^ out of me. If I have to miss work more than I'm scheduled to, it'd be extremely awkard. I told my boss I was having my gallbladder taken out. Not to mention they'd have to hire a temp to do my work. They would not be happy about that.

Prolly won't happen for you...I didn't have nausea and they gave me a huuuge bottle of liquid painkiller to bring home and I never needed to take any of it. Also, keep in mind, some of us responding are old geezers and some are younger so...each person different.

I actually was advised on these boards to stop reading the board 2 weeks b4 surgery because I was freaking out, too.

I'd also like to add that the complications posts are freaking me out too. Thank you for sharing but, it's scaring the ^%$(*&^ out of me. If I have to miss work more than I'm scheduled to, it'd be extremely awkard. I told my boss I was having my gallbladder taken out. Not to mention they'd have to hire a temp to do my work. They would not be happy about that.

I'm sorry, I was just trying to keep it real. Complications can happen and is something that should be considered when going into this. It's minimal risk but they do exist. The original poster brought up an excellent topic. I wish I had thought to ask that before I had surgery.

No tube for me either. I was lucky.

I felt pretty prepared for the process thanks to this forum.

This was my first major surgery. I was shocked how fatigued I was for the first month. I still get fatigued easily. I was warned though.

I didn't realize how hard it would be to get my Protein (60 - 80g/day) and Water. Again, I was warned. I just had to go through it.

Oh, the big one: I had a sudden case of serious cold feet about three days before surgery. I called my family for a sanity check and they helped pull me back from the ledge (cancelling the surgery). I'm so happy I did it!

No tube for me either. I was lucky.

I felt pretty prepared for the process thanks to this forum.

This was my first major surgery. I was shocked how fatigued I was for the first month. I still get fatigued easily. I was warned though.

I didn't realize how hard it would be to get my Protein (60 - 80g/day) and Water. Again, I was warned. I just had to go through it.

Oh, the big one: I had a sudden case of serious cold feet about three days before surgery. I called my family for a sanity check and they helped pull me back from the ledge (cancelling the surgery). I'm so happy I did it!

Ya! It's like you suddenly wake up and say "what the heck am i thinking????" then you have to remember all the reasons you chose this.... I'm in 5 day pre op freak out mode right now.

PeaceQueen I was aware of leaks and complications. I agree this was a great topic and it's much better to be aware than blindsided.

Dooter, I'm in day 1 pre-op freal ,mode.

I wish that someone would have let me know just how emotionally challenging rapid weight loss can be. I've been fat for 32 years, and these quick changes are wonderful, but a bit unnerving. Maybe for many of you, this isn't your reality. For me, it has felt a bit like "disappearing."

I wish that someone would have let me know just how emotionally challenging rapid weight loss can be. I've been fat for 32 years, and these quick changes are wonderful, but a bit unnerving. Maybe for many of you, this isn't your reality. For me, it has felt a bit like "disappearing."

Bionic Broad, I feel almost completely opposite of that, and I've been heavy since I was 23 (to 45 now). I feel like I'm finally appearing. People notice me more now and seem to not have that automatic "She's stupid because she's fat" reaction that I've been so used to seeing.

Of course, I meet total strangers all day every day because of my job. It might be my perception, but I often felt like I'd walk into a room and the customer would assume I was stupid or uninformed because I was big. So, I've always worked twice as hard to do my job exceptionally well and blow them away with my knowledge. I'm starting to relax a little now about it.

I have a HUGE personality, which doesn't come through in pics or message boards, but I wonder now if part of that isn't reaction to feeling like I was invisible because I was SO big for so long.

I wish that someone would have let me know just how emotionally challenging rapid weight loss can be. I've been fat for 32 years, and these quick changes are wonderful, but a bit unnerving. Maybe for many of you, this isn't your reality. For me, it has felt a bit like "disappearing."

I was fully aware of the stress and strain. From past experience and reading the boards here and OH but cannot find a resource foe dealing with being noticed. I WANT to disappear