Weight loss surgery is a big deal. There’s a lot to be excited about. It’s a chance to start your life over and get back to the activities you love. It can let you lose weight and improve your health and energy levels.

But it’s scary, too. If you’re pre-op, you might be afraid that people will judge you, that you’ll get a major complication from surgery (or even die on the operating table!), or that it won’t work for you.

If you’re post-op, you might worry about regaining the weight over time, either because you don’t keep up the diet or you get a stretched stomach. You could worry about plastic surgery. If you have the band, you might worry about slippage or leakage down the line.

So, what is your biggest fear about weight loss surgery? Is it something you worry about a lot, or is it just an awareness that it could happen? Is there anything you can do to prevent it from happening?

I'm only approaching week 4 post op VSG, and I still have anxiety about any number of complications setting in. I've always felt like the girl with the bad luck. But ... nothing has gone wrong! yay!

I am being as compliant as I can, and I hope I understand everything I am being told to do because even I am aware of how I can misinterpret something or forget something.

I'm just a person with health anxieties, they amp'd up this past year. Because of all the changes happening in our medical system I decided to get everything accomplished, surgeries etc, in 2014 and 2015 and I had a few completely unexpected things happen that made me feel completely isolated and alone.

One thing about your health, is that it belongs to you and you alone. No matter how much someone loves me, he can not wave a magic wand and heal me.

I want to know ...at what point am I "out of the woods" post op VSG. So yes, that is my biggest fear.

Edited February 21, 201610 yr by Amelie2016

I'm 18 months post-op. So, yeah, my fear is the classic one: Fear of regaining.

I'm now reached a point where my hunger is a little bit higher than in the past. So that's got my anxiety level a little higher.

I recently raised my daily calories by another 100 because I kept losing weight -- and at 135 pounds I decided that was it, I didn't want to lose anymore.

Also, life is particularly stressful right now due to a family member's health, and my anxiety levels are higher than normal because of that.

I think I'm just stressed.

Breathe in ... breathe out ...! Exercise ... exercise ...!

My biggest fear is that I will stop losing before I hit my goal, that my window of opportunity to lose easily will disappear before I get to my goal. Despite following my plan. I don't know how long that window is open.

I don't cheat, I have no need to, I still don't even have physical hunger and I'd be fine if that remained that way forever. I planned very well, and had a year of therapy for food addiction issues before surgery, so I don't have head hunger.

Still...

I had a month long stall at the 8 month mark of my journey that got me so anxious. I've started to lose again, thank goodness, but I still have 63 lbs to get to goal, and man, do I want it bad.

I have had so many setbacks where exercise is concerned from a bone on bone knee that needs replacement but has been put on the back burner because I just had an emergency unexpected major surgery. Other than a little core strengthening, and some stretching, I can't exercise, or even walk without a walker. I have a tough 6 weeks ahead of me, and a 10 lb lifting limit. It's discouraging, but I keep sticking to my plan and hoping I will keep losing. I've lost 132 lbs so far, without any real exercise. I'm so close, I can even see the finish line in the distance, I just need to make it there!

So now you know..my biggest fear.

Regain, that's what I fear. Yes I worry a lot about it. I worry if the changes I'm adopting are sustainable for maintenance. To combat that fear I'm not really restricting my eating options. Meaning maintenance for me won't look much different than my weight loss phase. (Guess I'll see how this works) I worry about forgetting the basixs as time goes on too. To combat that I keep a notebooks of my favorite meals, snacks etc. So I can easily look back when I get bored with what I eat and forget the fact that I do have plenty of options.

I too am afraid of not reaching goal!! I had the Depo shot injected in January for birth control, and have not lost a significant amount of weight since then!!!! I have lost a total of 107 pounds since surgery in August...but I also have another 80 to my personal goal of 160lbs! So upset as this injection lasts at least 3 MONTHS in your system!!!

I'm only 5&1/2 weeks out and so far everything is going smoothly, but I fear possible complications that can arise within the 6 month post-op phase. Right now my biggest fear is that I'm doing something wrong, or not working as hard as I should be toward losing weight. I've been in a stall for 3 weeks and I feel like it's because I'm doing something incorrectly. I'm also afraid that I'm not going to start losing again for several months and then my window of optimal weight loss will be even smaller for the massive amount of weight I have to lose. I know, I know, I've heard/read all the "embrace the stall" posts but I can't think that way every day.

I'm also very afraid of plastic surgery. I know I will need to get it, but the cost and pain terrifies me.

My fear is now that I had finished my 6 month work up, go back to surgeon on the 10 th to go over pre-op diet and how to administer shots, schedule the surgery,and turn in final paperwork to my insurance which is Molina , that the insurance will find something to say nope we will not approve you... And I feel I've come too far to not get it. I've lost 41 pounds in my own and haven't had a cigarette since June 22nd and gave up alcohol ... Fingers crossed and praying I get my final approval. I've had plenty of surgeries so going under a knife don't scare me, I do fine with all that.

I have typed and erased this twice. Regaining is a huge fear and this making my heart worse is another. So far all readings are good for my heart so good to go. Regaining is something I try not to think about because I cannot control that far out. All I can do is live day by day and choose to do the correct thing. I'm trying not to let either fear ruin enjoying today.

Not so much a fear as a concern as time goes by. How will my tiny stomach react to medications I may need to take, will I get an ulcer, what would happen if this did happen...............a big concern and I hope that I will be fine well into my 90's!!

I'm 3 weeks postop. Not loosing the weight. Not keeping it off. Regaining over the long run. Eating the wrong stuff. Wondering if I'm doing the right thing when I eat 2 oz but feel stuffed. Maybe I over ate but I'm following the directions?!

My biggest fear right now is that I am losing so slow that my window of opportunity to get the weight off will pass and I will still be overweight. I have only lost 17 lbs in 6 weeks. It's very frustrating.

Edited February 22, 201610 yr by beachwalker4vsg

I'm 3 weeks postop. Not loosing the weight. Not keeping it off. Regaining over the long run. Eating the wrong stuff. Wondering if I'm doing the right thing when I eat 2 oz but feel stuffed. Maybe I over ate but I'm following the directions?!

I am also wondering if I am doing things right. Wondering if the oatmeal I added in for breakfast is causing me to stall. [emoji15]

Edited February 22, 201610 yr by beachwalker4vsg

My biggest fear is gaining all my weight back..,

I have the fears that everyone else does, will I get to goal? Will I regain? I'm still waiting for my surgery date so my anxiety and stress are ramped up a little more than usual. But, I have another fear that goes beyond the numbers on the scale.

I've always wanted to do things, but couldn't because my weight held me back. I want to do a half marathon, a full someday, I want to climb the stairs of the Empire State building on a trip to NY just because I can. I vacationed in North Conway, NH a lot as a child, and I want to climb Mt. Washington. I want to walk, I want to run, I want to parasail and ride roller coasters. I dream of doing all kinds of things. But, what if I get to a normal weight and none of these things happen? I won't have my weight to blame for it anymore. What will be my excuse? Losing the weight will make me accountable to myself to do the things I dream of. I'm afraid of letting myself down. That is my biggest fear.

Having been overweight almost my entire life I am worried about how I will see myself- will I always feel heavy even when the weight comes off? How will relationships with others (husband, family, friends) change? There are a lot of unknowns but what keeps pushing me forward is a strong desire to be healthy. What others have voiced also concerns me- hitting weight loss target, regain, etc.