Hello! I am about 3 weeks out from my sleeve surgery and I keep having this fear that it's simply not going to work on me and I'm going to be fat the rest of my life - does anyone else feel this way?

I mean, I am following all my doc's and nutrition guidelines and am exercising so there is no rational basis for my fear, except that, on a whim, I got on the scale a few days after a weigh-in at my doc's office and it gave me 3 different results, all were heavier than my previous results a few days before. It really kind of sent me into a tailspin. I mean, what if I just start gaining weight?

Please tell me someone else has had this fear! Thank you!

I weigh myself daily, and there are definitely days when I am up a pound or so from the previous day. Sometimes that is discouraging, because I think I should be down. I have learned from all the "experienced" posters on this sight to just trust that following the program and getting my exercise will produce weight loss.

Don't get discouraged, this will work!

Thank you so much, I can't seem to shake this fear that I'm just going to be fat forever and that nothing will ever work. My BF (who is getting his surgery soon as well) keeps reminding me that I'm doing amazingly well and that if I keep going the weight will come off.

I guess it's been such a long, hard journey that I get nervous. I hope that makes sense!

Thank you so much for your encouragement!

Yep, and I'm 4 months out and 75 lbs down. Every time I hit a momentary stall I wonder if this is where it ends......and then a week later it starts dropping again. It's a head game for sure.

I'm trying not to weigh myself too much because I think that'll make me REALLY crazy but I have to somehow shake off this fear that it "won't work on me" - because it will...I hope!

Bander here, but yes. Don't worry. Just keep reminding yourself that this time truly is different because you are different. It will work. But trust me, everything changes. It's not always easy. But I'll take the hardest day post op over the binging pre op days any time.

YES! Exactly! Thank you so much, that helped me because I feel exactly the same way.

Don't feel like you're alone with your feelings. We all went through this phase. I went through it too. For me, I think the doubts came from having so many weight loss failures in the past, all the miracle diet pills and "I lost ten thousand pounds in 24 hours" diet plans. Low carb, low fat, low calorie, fat blaster, kale extract, red wine extract, rev up your metabolism extract..... and on and on. None of them worked for me, so after years of this, how could I expect to succeed with WLS.

But I can tell you, that it will work. The hardest part is simply committing and going through with the surgery. It is unlike any weight loss program you've experienced. The surgery WILL change your life for the better. I was going to say that the surgery does all the hard part, but you will still have to adjust your eating and lifestyle after WLS to have long term success, but the difference will be that you have a tool that is not all marketing hype!

Starting the day after surgery, all my cravings and head hunger disappeared. It was incredibly easy to control the foods I ate and 2 years later, I still don't really care about food or flavors. I do have to occasionally fight head hunger or stop myself from eating when I'm not hungry, but even when I lose those battles, I CAN'T gorge myself or eat even a thousand calories of the goodie. That's the difference Frankensleeve made in my life.

I hope this helps ease your concerns. I know I had my doubts/nervous moments/fears that I would be the one person it didn't work for, no matter how many success stories and testimonials I watched and read. I know there's no way to describe the change in my feelings about food, that will give you the proof we were all looking for. You have to take a deep breath and take a leap of faith to get to the other side of WLS.

Hello! I am about 3 weeks out from my sleeve surgery and I keep having this fear that it's simply not going to work on me and I'm going to be fat the rest of my life - does anyone else feel this way?

I mean, I am following all my doc's and nutrition guidelines and am exercising so there is no rational basis for my fear, except that, on a whim, I got on the scale a few days after a weigh-in at my doc's office and it gave me 3 different results, all were heavier than my previous results a few days before. It really kind of sent me into a tailspin. I mean, what if I just start gaining weight?

Please tell me someone else has had this fear! Thank you!

Thank you, that was wonderfully thoughtful and helpful. My BF says similar things, that it WILL work because I have changed my ways and I agree, now that I've had the surgery, I don't have cravings like I did and I'm not hungry like I was. You're right and I am hopeful that I'll shake these thoughts off soon!

I'm so glad you said that! My surgery is in 3 days (4/9) and I have started thinking the same thing...what if it just doesn't work for me...what if I keep on eating like I have been... What if...what if...what if!!! I never thought that way until this last week, and it's making me so nervous! When Thursday gets here, I don't want to have any of those negative thoughts in my head!

First off, good luck with your surgery! Mine went really well and I'm SO glad I did it and I am so glad that others have felt/thought the same way. The thing that I have started to tell myself is that 1) if I follow the rules it will work and 2) it HAS to work, I mean, my stomach is TINY now!

@@JLMET - I never had that feeling. I believed in my doctor. He had done a friend of mine bypass surgery the year before so I knew he was good. i also knew that if I had the right tool I could do this. The first thing I noticed when I came home from the hospital was how small my feet were. My feet and ankle were the smallest they had been in years.

That said. It will work as well as you work it. Follow your team's instructions, ask for clarification when you are sure and you'll be fine. The of hundreds of people posting here everyday who likely felt like you who are losing and have lost weight successfully.

You can do this!

Thank you!

I had the same fears before surgery and for the first month after. I was banded and not very successful so I was really anxious that I'd be the anomaly and not lose with the sleeve either. And had been on every diet on the planet.

However, this experience was different in 101 ways and I have no doubt now that I will be successful. I AM successful. So I have no doubt that you will be successful too.

You are all such an amazing and wonderfully supportive group of people, I knew I wouldn't be alone in this and I thank you all for taking the time to respond and help ease my fears!

The surgery is a tool...not a magic wand. Having said that, if you follow the doctor's instructions, and pay really close attention to the feelings of satiety...not fullness, I think you will see that this works pretty damn good.

I'm banded so I can't say how you will feel after surgery but based on what I've seen others write who have had the sleeve, you eat less because the stomach is smaller. You still have to eat smart and likely walk away even if you still feel like you can eat more but...I found my appetite suppressed just enough to stick with around 1,000 calories daily and I weigh today, what I weighed when I was a 13 year old. Even when I got married, I was 125 lbs. and thrilled to be at that weight.

Good luck and keep us posted.