Hey all!

I have my surgery date which is February 3rd. I know everyone gets nervous, scared and anxious, but my fears are having me questioning if I'll actually be able to go through with it.

Here are my biggest fears along with questions....

Clots!!! I'm freaking out about this!! I know - walking, walking, walking! BUT, how long after the surgery are we at risk for a clot? What is the likelihood or percentage of people who actually get one?

Drinking!! I'm so nervous about being super thirsty and not being able to drink much and therefore not quenching it.

Throwing up!!! I'm sure I will throw up at some point and I can't even fathom what that must feel like after going through what our stomachs go through during surgery.

I'm really scared about regretting it because of any or all of the above. We all know it's not reversible. I know everyone has a point where they think or say "what the hell did I do??", but I'm talking about long term regret.

Thanks for reading!

Josh

Hey Josh,

I'm having my surgery tomorrow. I'm getting my lap band taken out & having the sleeve done. I've been doing liquids since Monday, then no Water after midnight tonight.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit nervous, and probably moreso tomorrow, but I'm trying to focus on staying positive. I have a friend that did this in October. She's been updating me on what to expect, and I've been doing a lot of reading on here

Keep in mind that every surgery has risks. This is no exception. I'm not going to focus on that, only the positive. My plan is to do what I'm told: Get up & walk around when they tell me (I believe 4 hours after the surgery). This allows our lungs to fully expand and the circulation to our legs to return to normal. Slowly sip water as much as I know I won't want it. Do my breathing exercises so my lungs expand & work as normal.

Basically, what I'm saying is to focus on everything we need to do for a full recovery. There are no guarantees in life. But, we need to make the best of everything & stay focused on what we really want from life.

What do you want to gain from this experience? Are you willing to do what you're told, stay focused & make it work?

I'm ready, understand it won't be easy, but am hopeful (ok, confident), that it will all work out in the end.

You can do it if you set your mind to it.

Best of luck Josh!

Take care

Fran

Hey there,

I was sleeved on December 11th, and although everyone is different, I can tell you my experience...I was so nervous, but it was much easier than expected.

They put these little squeeze booties on me the day of surgery for clots, but once I was up walking they took them off.

I could drink Water and chew ice fairly normally the second day. At five weeks today, I can easily drink 6-8 oz in a couple of minutes. You cannot gulp without some discomfort, but you can drink normally. Remember, our small intestines are about 20 ft long, so liquids go through the sleeve pretty quickly.

I never had nausea until about a week ago...surgeon told me about 1 person in 4 will have trouble with nausea right after surgery. My recent nausea was completely my fault...ate too fast. Not painful at all, but uncomfortably full, and became sick very quickly. As soon as nausea passed, felt fine.

I was so scared my life would change forever, and it has. For the better :-), I can still eat things I enjoy, just much less...and not hungry :-)

My best, Beth

Hi Josh, good luck! We could all have a blood clot without this surgery. Any surgery has risks, but you might have risks without surgery, right? My husband was 320 prior to sleeving 12/2. He is diabetic, has a heart stent, was on 3 BP meds, sleep apnea (terrible), neuropathy, back problems which limit him walking or doing anything much but sitting. He is at 278 now. I was sleeved also on 11/18.

We have never once thrown up. We drink without restriction today. We drank slowly after surgery but we always could drink liquids, just a bit slower after surgery.

No regrets here! We have been going to seminars 10 years. Just wish the sleeve had been available/covered by insurance many years ago before our health worsened. We are 67 and 66 and thankful we have a chance now to do things and get on with living. Rather than sitting in a rocking chair. God Bless! Life is wonderful!

My surgery is for 2/27/14 and my major fear is a leak!! What are the odds of that happening to someone? Very scary! But the benefits out weigh everything else for me

Nsena, we put our faith in God and our wonderful surgeon. Of course you worry. But these surgeons have been sleeving for years. They are experts. Best wishes for your decision!

Its a BREEZE!!!,, Good luck to all .

@lindafromflorida... thank you!

My surgery is the 20th. I have done a lot of research, know all the risks. But I also know I chose a great surgeon and that this surgery is done all the time now. Don't worry, you will get through this, and usually our fears are worse than the reality.

Don't know how you feel about this sort of thing, but this is what I say to myself in times like these:

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

Hey Josh,

I'm having my surgery tomorrow. I'm getting my lap band taken out & having the sleeve done. I've been doing liquids since Monday, then no Water after midnight tonight.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit nervous, and probably moreso tomorrow, but I'm trying to focus on staying positive. I have a friend that did this in October. She's been updating me on what to expect, and I've been doing a lot of reading on here

Keep in mind that every surgery has risks. This is no exception. I'm not going to focus on that, only the positive. My plan is to do what I'm told: Get up & walk around when they tell me (I believe 4 hours after the surgery). This allows our lungs to fully expand and the circulation to our legs to return to normal. Slowly sip water as much as I know I won't want it. Do my breathing exercises so my lungs expand & work as normal.

Basically, what I'm saying is to focus on everything we need to do for a full recovery. There are no guarantees in life. But, we need to make the best of everything & stay focused on what we really want from life.

What do you want to gain from this experience? Are you willing to do what you're told, stay focused & make it work?

I'm ready, understand it won't be easy, but am hopeful (ok, confident), that it will all work out in the end.

You can do it if you set your mind to it.

Best of luck Josh!

Take care

Fran

Best of luck on your surgery, today, I will be thinking of you!!! Keep us posted!

Hi Josh, good luck! We could all have a blood clot without this surgery. Any surgery has risks, but you might have risks without surgery, right? My husband was 320 prior to sleeving 12/2. He is diabetic, has a heart stent, was on 3 BP meds, sleep apnea (terrible), neuropathy, back problems which limit him walking or doing anything much but sitting. He is at 278 now. I was sleeved also on 11/18.

We have never once thrown up. We drink without restriction today. We drank slowly after surgery but we always could drink liquids, just a bit slower after surgery.

No regrets here! We have been going to seminars 10 years. Just wish the sleeve had been available/covered by insurance many years ago before our health worsened. We are 67 and 66 and thankful we have a chance now to do things and get on with living. Rather than sitting in a rocking chair. God Bless! Life is wonderful!

Thank you so much for the reply, I really appreciate it! I am so glad that you guys did it together and that you are both doing well...congrats!!! I have sleep apnea as well and hopefully will be able to ditch my CPAP (fingers crossed)! Has your husband been able to get rid of his yet??

My husband needed the cpap 5 years and was forced to get it before he was sleeved (12/2) thank God. He got it 1 month prior to surgery, so he is still being monitored by the pulmonary doctor. Medicare has strict guidelines and he must use the machine to keep it. He just had another sleep study this week. For years he would quit breathing when he slept. The few nights he goes without it now he sleeps normally and no extreme snoring. Hoping he will be able to get off it. But I worried more about the diabetes than the cpap. Good luck, I hear lots of people come off the cpap!!!

Hey all! I have my surgery date which is February 3rd. I know everyone gets nervous, scared and anxious, but my fears are having me questioning if I'll actually be able to go through with it. Here are my biggest fears along with questions.... Clots!!! I'm freaking out about this!! I know - walking, walking, walking! BUT, how long after the surgery are we at risk for a clot? What is the likelihood or percentage of people who actually get one? Drinking!! I'm so nervous about being super thirsty and not being able to drink much and therefore not quenching it. Throwing up!!! I'm sure I will throw up at some point and I can't even fathom what that must feel like after going through what our stomachs go through during surgery. I'm really scared about regretting it because of any or all of the above. We all know it's not reversible. I know everyone has a point where they think or say "what the hell did I do??", but I'm talking about long term regret. Thanks for reading! Josh

Josh you are going to do great!!! Today is the beginning of the rest of your life! Thinking of you today!

@LindafromFlorida

Yea, that's one of my top 3 reasons for doing the surgery is to (hopefully) not have to use the CPAP for much longer!! I read something that said that nearly 85% of people with sleep Apnea no longer have it after a significant amount of weight loss. I have been using mine now for about 8 years. I am used to it, but who wants to sleep with something strapped to their face with a huge tube going abound them for the rest of their lives?!?! I am pretty confident that after I lose a significant amount of weight and another sleep study that I will be able to ditch the machine!

Thanks for your posts!

@ashrn80

Thank you so much for the kind post, pretty lady!

JOSHCOOP, I BELIEVE IT WILL HAPPEN! Keep up the good work. That weight is going to come off and you will be a new and improved version of your self. Yay 2014, here we come!