Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Bariatricpal scared me shitless



Recommended Posts

I was 100% sure about the gastric sleeve until I read some of the posts on this site. Now I'm scared shitless and I'm meeting with the surgeon in 3 days. Anyone else back out after reading some threads here???

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I actually felt more reassured after reading the threads. I feel like I have a good idea of the risks, the behaviors that will set me up for success and how to deal with the inevitable stalls/slow downs. For me, I have to weigh the possible complications (which are statistically small) with the almost certain diabetes, knee replacements and so on that are in my future if I don't get the weight off. Having said that, if you need to meet with the surgeon and then take more time to make your decision...please take it! You have to be sure for yourself.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

:-( I have 4 small children and my husband is active duty army. I want the surgery but scared about the risks...seeing the threads here it seems to be a lot more then 1%

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've thought about it a few time's after reading certain thing's here and I'm really nervous about my upcoming surgery September 8th, But the thing to really get my by was Instagram lol. As funny as it is There are a lot of young people on Instagram who have has WLS including Sleeve and are doing great I love going through and seeing all the success. If a 15 year old can go through it so can I. With that all being said, I think someone here had said something along the lines of "Most people who post here are going to post about the bad side of WLS because they need help and are looking for advice, People who are doing well are less likely to post about their success and have less questions so you rarely hear from them" So your more likely to see the negative/scary stuff in other words...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I read most threads and simply shake my head at some of the complaints posted. I am a little more than 3 months post op have soooo many reasons to complain. (Sarcasm) I hate the fact that I have lost 65 lbs 2/3 of my goal, and have lost much of my appetite. I hate that now I can walk 18 holes of golf, work for 6 hours and still have the energy to chase my wife around the house.

And I hate the fact that now, rather than simply wearing clothes to cover up my size, I wear clothes that make me feel good about how I look.

Go for it and don't waste your time reading negative threads.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

:-( I have 4 small children and my husband is active duty army. I want the surgery but scared about the risks...seeing the threads here it seems to be a lot more then 1%

you should speak with your surgeon about what his/her complication rate is. each doctor is different, each facility is different, each patient has different risks based on his/her medical status at the time of surgery. you should speak directly and frankly with your doctor and only sign the papers if you feel like the risks of surgery are less than the risks of remaining obese. do not rely on what you read here to make your decision, rely on what your doctor tells you.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You should take what you need and leave the rest! for sure, there are a lot of people who need to vent and very few people that have complications. I have not had any complications or issues and I had surgery on July 3rd. No issues for me, I am not saying there are not risks or those individuals didn't follow the rules. Just keep on track and pay attention to your body as you go through phases. I followed the rules my Dr. gave me and researched the risks and new that the risk for me not having it was much higher. Good luck, it's okay to be nervous.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Scared me too. My surgery is Monday.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

As the time gets closer the "what if's" really kick in. The fear of failure, complications etc. but it's normal! Anything that we aren't 100 percent sure about brings in doubts. I know for myself I was like a rollercoaster; reading too much information on too many sites. The bottom line is, can you afford NOT to do the surgery. FOr me that answer was NO. I wasn't going to lose this weight on another diet and I wanted to be healthy. The complications from high cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure etc. should scare you as much as the surgery because the reality is those things can kill you. So......search your heart, talk with YOUR surgeon, and make your decision based on all of the statistics and outcomes. I know for me I am SOOO glad that I made the decision to get the surgery! Good luck!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was 100% sure about the gastric sleeve until I read some of the posts on this site. Now I'm scared shitless and I'm meeting with the surgeon in 3 days. Anyone else back out after reading some threads here???

Absolutely! But, I had to consider that the recently diagnosed diabetes and high cholesterol was going to be worse for my body. In my mind both avenues were hard-I had to pick my hard. I'm 5 days post op. It does get better-and my diabetes meds have already been cut in half!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Absolutely! But, I had to consider that the recently diagnosed diabetes and high cholesterol was going to be worse for my body. In my mind both avenues were hard-I had to pick my hard. I'm 5 days post op. It does get better-and my diabetes meds have already been cut in half!

Thank you for responding everyone...

I have fatty liver, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, PCOS, and BMI is 40. I know I really need this surgery but I am so scared. I have issues with anxiety too and after reading horror stories and watching numerous YouTube videos I am feeling depressed. I feel either way I am doomed and a feeling of hopelessness has set in. Going to see my primary doctor tomorrow and surgeon on Thursday and I hope someone talks me through this...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Your just scaring yourself by doing that..

There are way more success stories with this surgery then there are complications/horror stories. You can not let fear drive you away from a healthier life.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

treat your anxiety. you dont need to live in fear.

there is a great blog i love called megsanity. google it.

you wont be successful with this surgery if you dont deal with your anxiety anyway. so you might as well start confronting it now. there is lots you can do in addition to medication. you are not hopeless or helpless, help is available, you need to be open to it though. its your choice how you want ti proceed. but dont try to push through with this surgery without addressing your anxiety. it will bite you in the ass.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My BMI was 48, and I had high blood pressure, and I have really bad anxiety, too. I got totally freaked out and depressed during the last week or so before my surgery. I was convinced I was going to either die on the operating table, or have massive complications. It was really, really stressful, and I admit, I totally read through every single complication story I could find. It does mess with your head. I hope you feel more calm and you can have a good talk with your doctor.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

BP is a support group, NOT a scientific study on bariatric surgery. Most people that have this surgery do not have complications, but the ones that do are very vocal. Go do your homework using peer reviewed studies. Google Scholar is a good place to start. Your odds of dying are about the same as getting a tooth pulled. There are however risk that come with any surgery. That is why you do a thorough check on the surgeon. If you in the Seattle area I can put you in touch with an excellent group of Docs with a great record. They have had only one minor leak in many years and they do about 500 sleeves a year. Great odds in my book.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×