Scared and confused

[Tanya Gif 23]

Hi Everyone,

I am new to this sight. I am currently considering the sleeve surgery and am in my 6 month pre-op period and looks like will probably be scheduled for some time in January. I go through cycles of excitement, fear and doubt about the surgery. For some reason I'm very scared of the surgery itself and the anesthesia involved. Just wanted to find out, how did you feel right after the surgery? Were you in a lot of pain? I understand there is a Clear liquids only phase, how was that? Were you hungry after the surgery? Also did you have to loose weight prior to surgery? Or does that not matter much? Please help me understand the whole experience. Thank you in advance!

[Elode 8,093]

@@Tanya Gif, hello. I can't help you with a whole lot but you have some good questions so I'm interested to see some answeres. I am scheduled for the VSG 11/3. I have to start my two week liquid diet onMonday. I think a lot of things depend on your insurance and Dr. I have BCBS Fed and I had to do a 3 month supervised diet (checked in with nutritionist 3 Times) I wasn't told to lose any weight. I had to show in the last two years that I had tried/failed diets and a BMI of 4O or 35 with comorbids. I Didn't have any co-morbids and I didn't have a BMI of 40 or even 35 in two years but they approved me anyway. I do have a BMI of 40 as of today however. I hope maybe that could answere a couple questions I will know more in a couple weeks!

[puttingme1st 143]

I am scheduled for surgery this Wednesday, 10/22. I did the 3 month planned required by insurance. I have Aetna and my weight loss requirement was just that I could not gain any weight. But every insurance is different. Also, different doctors require different things before surgery. I have had to do liquids two weeks prior to surgery, but others are not required that much. I have a lot of weight to lose so I think that factors in to how long you are on liquid before. I won't lie, it's not easy but I know it is going to be worth it. I would highly suggest you find a support group and start going now. I started soon after my consultation and it has helped me so much. Start now with practicing not drinking with meals and chewing your food really good. Good luck on your journey!

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

All the emotions are normal. if you did not feel them all rumbling around then I would think you are not ready for this life changer.

I felt sore and lousy. Took sips of Water and pain killers. I walked a lot as well.

Clear Liquids. You will be okay with that as you won't want to eat anything as your stomach will be tender. Just follow your surgeons guidelines and you will do great!

I lost 27 lbs before surgery. I was on a 2 week liquid diet twice as my first surgery was cancelled due to an emergency. It was okay after the fourth day. Until then I found it hard to get my head around it!

It is also there to shrink your liver to make the surgery easier. All good!

[Babbs 14,680]

Hi! I guess it all depends on who you ask about the pain after surgery. I was in a little pain on the right side where the pulled most if my stomach out when I woke up, but honestly nothing I couldn't handle. They hook you up to some really good drugs very quickly so the pain is short lived I also was pretty nauseous too, but that was gone in a couple hours. You are pretty out of it your first day. I was only on clear liquids in the hospital, then full after. And YES, I was hungry on full liquids. More "head hunger" than anything else, but it was hard ( not gonna lie) but that subsides especially when you start real food. It will all depend on your doctor and insurance whether you're going to be required to lose weight pre op. I had to go through 3 months supervised diet program with the doctor and only lost 5...that apparently was okay with my insurance Good Luck to you!

[Angie413 47]

Hi Everyone,

I am new to this sight. I am currently considering the sleeve surgery and am in my 6 month pre-op period and looks like will probably be scheduled for some time in January. I go through cycles of excitement, fear and doubt about the surgery. For some reason I'm very scared of the surgery itself and the anesthesia involved. Just wanted to find out, how did you feel right after the surgery? Were you in a lot of pain? I understand there is a clear liquids only phase, how was that? Were you hungry after the surgery? Also did you have to loose weight prior to surgery? Or does that not matter much? Please help me understand the whole experience. Thank you in advance!

I just had vsg surgery on Tuesday 10/14 I also went thru all of the same emotions as you did prior to surgery. Again as stated if you didn't I would say you weren't ready. I like you was also scared of the surgery itself, and the unknowns, well I can tell you from my experience only i went in to OR the anesthesiologist gave me my calm down meds and put a mask on me I dont remember anything else after that until waking up in recovery feeling groggy and sore and extremely dry mouth. I will not sugar coat the pain I was in a lot, no nausea just felt a lot of muscular pain trying to lift myself out of the bed and lie back down. I stayed in the hospital for 2 days. They were ready to release me the next day I was not ready I just wanted that extra day.. Once I came home I was also very sore, took my pain meds and rested a lot the first day. Today is my 3rd day at home and I am still sore it does get better every day, I have gone for short walks, focusing on getting fluids in and cannot wait for this to be a distant memory.. Hope that answers some of your questions please feel free to ask anything else.

Best wishes to you

[mrsbailey921 117]

hi! i have not had my surgery yet, but the feelings of up and down are completely normal--i too am going through them. i have been on this journey for 10 months and am finally almost to the end of it! i have been wondering about anesthesia and the surgery, which is interesting for me because i am no stranger to surgery OR anesthesia lol.

i had my gallbladder removed...and my surgeon explained that the sleeve surgery is very similar, except instead of going to the left to remove the gallbladder, he'll be going to the right to remove a portion of the stomach. he has said that the discomfort and healing process will be very similar.

with my gallbladder, i will admit...the first three days i was VERY sore and needed help for everything. i couldn't bend and had to walk very gingerly everywhere. i remember the bumpy ride home from the hospital and each bump had me in agony! after three days though i began to feel ALOT better and while i had to take things slowly...i could move around easier.

i also was very gassy post surgery. the same gasses they use in the gallbladder surgery is what they will use for my sleeve. so you will probably be gassy afterwords...let it out!

i had to follow a liquid only diet too for a few days after my gallbladder surgery because my gallbladder was so diseased it put my entire digestive system under complete duress! so i had to have NO food at all for 4 days...just lots of fluids! not even broth! i was trying to heal and honestly don't remember being that hungry. after about a week i was able to go to mushy foods. it took me about a month to really get back to a regular diet...but even then i was having "phantom" pains from my gallbladder (i still felt the pains i had before the removal). i struggled with that for about a year after the surgery...then they went away.

as far as the pain goes--i went home with pain meds that helped a lot. ill be sure to get more for my sleeve!

the surgery itself is crazy because one minute they're telling you to just relax...and the next thing you know...you're waking up looking at the ceiling! it seems almost instantaneous...you go in....and them bam...you're coming out! i remember with my surgery thinking how cute one of the members of the dr. staff treating me was. he was a red head with a very serious demeanor. and he was the one who was teling me to relax as they administered meds. the last thought i had was confirming his cuteness and agreeing that i would cooperate for the surgeons. next thing you know...i was up and wondering where everyone was! LOL. i couldn't remember ever going to sleep...and when i woke up i was confused and looking for mr cutie! LOL. i even turned my head and asked myself, "where did he go to administer my meds?!" it was like my brain was continuing the same thoughts i had BEFORE surgery AFTER i woke up! very odd! so needless to say...although the surgery takes about 45 minutes to an hour or so...your brain will probably not even recognize going through surgery! the startling thing for me was looking at the clock---over three hours had passed and it seemed like MINUTES! i went through a brief jet lag over that.

take it very easy and within a week you should feel much better. remember to follow the dietary instructions EXACTLY and get lots of rest and you'll do well!

[mrsbailey921 117]

oh, and yes...the dry mouth! i had a very dry, sore mouth too when i woke up! don't know why? i do know when i had my endoscopy i was in a lot of mouth pain for about 3 days afterwards. the tools they used for the procedure left my mouth dry, and cut up! ugh.

[dashofsunshine 875]

My surgery is November 20th and I prayed and thought and gathered research and opinions for months before I decided to have surgery. I know that it is the right decision. There is not a doubt in my mind that I am doing what I have to do to enjoy my life and live a long time in good health. However, I cried in bed last night to my husband about how scared I am. It is life changing. It's major surgery. Anytime you go under anesthesia, there is a risk. But I like to think of it like this: I'm also afraid of flying in airplanes. Do you know how many airplanes take off every day? Thousands. And we so rarely hear about complications...surgery (of any kind) has risks of pneumonia, blood clots, not waking up, etc...the same kind of stuff they tell us about before the sleeve...and doctors, all over the nation perform hundreds of surgeries every day. If there were tons of people dying, we would know about it. Just like an airplane, there are SO many success stories and so very few tragedies. Just try to think of it like that when you get scared ???? and think of how great it will be...to climb stairs and paint your own toenails and live a life full of happiness and adventure as a new, lighter you!