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Pre-Op Requirements



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So, I'm definitely excited to change, get healthy and be a better me. But I'm super terrified of needles, I'm terrified of being put to sleep & I'm terrified of those minor procedures before actually getting surgery. How can I keep calm and keep a clear mind so I don't continue to stress myself out? Help please.

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I don't mean to belittle your fear at all when I say this, but this comment is so very true. I remind myself of it ALL the time. "Fear is as deep as you let it be". You are LETTING yourself have these fears. You are CHOOSING to be afraid. You have to DECIDE NOT to be afraid of these things. When you realize you are in control of your fears, and you have the chance to "lessen" the fears, you feel a great strength and peace within you. It's your choice....are you CHOOSING to be afraid or are you CHOOSING NOT to be afraid? It's one or the other!

I understand your emotions. Been there! One day soon you'll look back and say to yourself..."Wow, look at what I've accomplished!!!" That's a feeling no one can ever take from you!!! You will do JUST FINE!!!! I believe in you!!!

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My secret to success was to live in denial - really! Each time I felt the butterflies in my stomach beginning to flutter, I'd tell myself that today was an ordinary day like any other and pretend that the surgery was not going to happen. If I had to, I'd take it hour by hour. I'd tell myself, "If I can make it through this hour and I still want to back out, I can." But I'd get through the hour or day and the stress went down as I got used to pretending it wasn't going to happen. Even as I lay on the gurney in the O.R. prep room, I was thinking, "I can just get up and walk out at anytime if I want to." Knowing I had the choice made all the difference.

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Mental imagery and deep breathing! Everything is in the hands of your HIgher Power! Enjoy the ride and think postiveily!!

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I'm right there with you...I HATE needles. I can handle spiders, snakes, mice, but in now way can I handle needles. Have been this way since childhood.

My doctor gave me a prescription numbing cream that is stronger than the over the counter kind. Mine had both lidocaine and prilocaine. Most over the counter creams have a small amount of lidocaine, but do work in general. I just know that I didn't feel a thing. Not the blood draw for the lab and not the IV insertion into the top of my hand. They didn't tell me they were going to give me some shot in the muscle of my left arm, so I was unprepared and almost fainted.

We are the way we are. Some people just can't handle some things, even if they seem like the smallest or easiest thing to others. My friend is weirdly and deathly afraid of horses...she can't even get near a horse statue or painting. It is just the way we are all wired.

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    • LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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