Fear And Doubt And Lions And Tigers And Bears Oh My

[teambarbie 14]

So, I'm about five weeks out till surgery (december 26) and doubt has fell in.

Here are the thoughts that have been raging in my head:

- What if I am the only person that this doesn't work on?

- What if I can't keep any food down?

- what if i get a leak?

- what if i only can get slider food down and never lose anything more then 24#?

- what if i start licking chocolate bars?

- what if i'm in pain and miserable for the rest of my life?

- what if i can't get in the diet mindset?

- what category of loser do i go in if I'm not able to be successful on this?

there are more, but.. I know if I make this post too long, no one will read.

[Tink22-sleeve 528]

- what if you succeed?

[callchrissy 7]

I would suggest making sure u absolitely want this.... keep in mind you will have to eat small and slow for the rest of your life... the small part doesn't bother me so much now but having to eat so slow and not being able to dri k very fast sucks. Sometimes I just want to chug a bottle of ice cold Water but I can't. Get your food demons in line because its an emotional roller coaster. I wish I would have kn own or been told about the emotional part. Just be mentally prepared.

[loveelaura 52]

Use this time to change your habits and get in the mindset of how things will be the rest of your life. I read how people stop smoking, stop soda habits, kick fast food addictions to the curb and start to implement healthy food choices and Water habits. That way you'll already have a good routine down for after as far as choices go

[1SuperBonBon 221]

So, I'm about five weeks out till surgery (december 26) and doubt has fell in.

Here are the thoughts that have been raging in my head:

- What if I am the only person that this doesn't work on? This was a huge concern of mine. I had to believe in the process and all the success stories before me. Mentally I was committed to the change. The rest I just had to have faith in.

- What if I can't keep any food down? I was sooo scared I would be one of the ones who couldn't keep anything down and would cry about what I did. But guess what? I turned out to be one that can drink normally again and never got sick and my sleeve tolerates everything (just in little quantities)

- what if i get a leak? This of course is a concern but if you follow your doctor's orders and eating plan (no cheating it's not a diet. it is to allow healing) you will greatly reduce the chance of a leak.

- what if i only can get slider food down and never lose anything more then 24#? This will be unlikely. It is always a good idea to keep slider foods out of the house.

- what if i start licking chocolate bars? lol cute

- what if i'm in pain and miserable for the rest of my life? Highly unlikely, but think of the other side. What if this is very successful and the quality of your life soars beyond your expectations.

- what if i can't get in the diet mindset? Don't look at it as a diet. It is a lifestyle change. And it does take some adjusting, but I have found it easier than I thought it would be.

- what category of loser do i go in if I'm not able to be successful on this? Think positively. With the support of your surgeon, NUT and Sleeve family you will do great. No one can predict at what rate you will lose at, but if you follow the plan you will get to your goal and succeed.

there are more, but.. I know if I make this post too long, no one will read.

These are all very normal thoughts. I agree with loveelaura too. Take this time to start practicing and getting in the right mindset.

[luv2plumb 315]

OMG ! I feel the same way. Ugh , I don't,now if I can change !!

[teambarbie 14]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the kind words.

The bottle line is I failed at other diet efforts, so of course I am going to worry about this one too!

Last night I got my pre-surgery package from the surgeon and felt loads better. I have a four hour appt with the nutritionist next week and will get versed on all the specifics on the post-op and on going sleeve diets. I think I will feel much better because I will have information that is solid.

[livvsmum 2,368]

I am about 8 weeks post op now. I can say that I had pretty much all of your fears and concerns, and they got more intense as the surgery became more real and got closer. Sometimes I still find it hard to believe that I'm on the other side of it because it took so much to get there. I think that what you are feeling is perfectly normal. What I did when those concerns started weighing on me was to list (or go back to my list of..) all the reasons you want to do this. A lot of my reasons centered around my health and my quality of life with my 4 kiddos. I could honestly say that for those reasons, it was worth it, so I moved forward.

The first couple of weeks were tough, emotionally mainly for me, but I pushed through and I am SO glad I did. No regrets. Good luck to you!!!!!

[livvsmum 2,368]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the kind words.

The bottle line is I failed at other diet efforts, so of course I am going to worry about this one too!

Last night I got my pre-surgery package from the surgeon and felt loads better. I have a four hour appt with the nutritionist next week and will get versed on all the specifics on the post-op and on going sleeve diets. I think I will feel much better because I will have information that is solid.

I completely understand the "I've failed other diets before thinking". But this is NOT a diet. This is a complete change in your lifestyle, and I can tell you 100% that the sleeve will help you change your relationship with food. If you are an emotional eater (like I was), those things do not go away, but you are forced to find a new way to deal with your emotions. Overeating is no longer something that feels "good" at all. You will quickly find new ways to relieve stress. I know you can do it!!!

[Indigo1991 1,612]

I am now 6.5 months out and have no regrets now. But, like you, I was concerned in the run up to surgery, especially about whether it would work for me.

The answer is a big YES. Life is different - but I can't begin to explain to you how good it is. It's hard to start with - I struggled the first few weeks as the way of eating was alien, my head hadn't caught up with my body, I had buyers regret (as in "wtf have I done"), it was hard to get Water and Protein in. But then the weight started to drop off me just by doing what my surgeon told me. Didn't over-think it, tried not to worry when I stalled, just stuck to the programme.

Even now there are compromises in that I can't eat as much as I used to and there are a very few things I can't eat. But I have lost 78lbs (pre and post) after 20+ years of being a failed dieter with the help of my sleeve. My life has been transformed and eating is now in its place - I have so many other things to do and all the energy I need to do it. I eat out 2 or 3 times a week in restaurants and still enjoy the company of friends, even though my portion size is reduced.

You might lick a chocolate bar, you might have the odd square of chocolate, you might have a cookie. But this isn't about living a life of deprivation. It's about being able to be healthy and making good choices. With limited space for food, for the first time in my life I now make decisions about what to put in my stomach in a way that no diet ever made me do.

You are right to ask all these questions, others have done a good job of addressing them here and once you have seen your nut next week, you'll feel even better. I just wanted to let you know that there is life after the initial angst and concern about the surgery - and it is great!!!!

Good luck to you :-)

[rensterness 375]

What if? What if? What if?

What if you could prevent a heart attack, would you?

What if you could walk without feeling out of breath?

What if you could look in the mirror sand say "damn, I look good"?

What if you could stand on the scale and smile instead of pout?

What if you could lower your blood pressure and cholesterol?

What if you could enjoy a meal, and not over eat and still feel totally satisfied?

What if???

I'm almost six weeks out from surgery and down 52 pounds. I was sleeved October 7th, 2013. I am now off of three blood pressure meds, two cholesterol meds, a diaretic, and a seizure med. I eat still, and enjoy eating my meals still, and enjoy it even more knowing I can still eat and have no desire to over eat. All these thoughts you have before surgery are normal, but don't second guess yourself, even though that is normal. You are about to become a new person. I don't mind looking in the mirror now, I actually love it lol. For the first time in YEARS I am in 'Onederland', which is being in the 100's. Stay positive and for the pre ops keep us updated! Wishing you all a speedy recovery (which it will be :-) )!!!!