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?

My biggest fear .... at just over 9 mos post op I fear being a failure -- that this whole process was for naught and I will never reach my goals. I tuck those fears into a tiny little compartment in the back of my brain & only take them out on very dark days when I am down & out. A little glimpse of the fear reminds me what I am doing and why and I can once again tuck them safely away for another time.

I don't have a specific weight goal ... my surgeon does, but I never did. The whole WLS for me was not about a number, but rather about me health. Part of my decision was to avoid having to go on insulin for my diabetes. I have a real fear of needles and didn't think I could inject myself even if I needed to. I am now off all meds & my fasting glucose is between 95 - 105 (when I test). My fear is that some day this number will start creeping back up and I will need to be on insulin anyway.

In the meantime, I keep following my plan and doing what I need to do. I test a couple times a week just to stay on top of my numbers. Sometimes when I don't feel 'right' I need to test to make sure I am not too high ... those fears come sneaking out of the compartment and worry sets in. I don't know if I will ever get to a point where I am not afraid of the numbers, but I try to keep the fear locked up so it doesn't interfere with the rest of life.

Thanks to all of you for sharing these fears! I know it can be scary to admit them even to yourself, much less to post them publicly! Still, once they’re out there, it’s easier to face them and to figure out what you can do to prevent them from coming true.

Reading through your great answers, it looks like there’s good news – a lot of these fears are within your control! They’re about hitting goal weight and preventing regain, and those are things you can control. It’s about trusting yourself and having confidence.

@@Eric@@ash, surgery and anesthesia definitely are scary…but they shouldn’t be. You’ll be out cold and in the hands of a professional. You don’t need to do a thing! Good luck to you.

Complications are definitely a scary possibility, but even with complications, you have some control. You can at least lower your risk of complications from the surgical procedure by following the pre-op diet right and losing as much weight as possible before surgery. You can also lower risk of post-op complications by sticking to the plan. It helps reduce anxiety when you feel like you’re actively doing your part to stay healthy.

My fear is getting ill from lack of nutrients that I can not ingest.. In big quantities anymore like iron and vit b