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Surgery is booked and I have mixed feelings



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I'm scheduled to have gastric sleeve surgery on 14 Jan 2017. I will start my full liquid diet on 1 Jan 2017 (what better way to start the new year!). I feel both scared and exasperated at the same time. I need to have this surgery. Im 30 years old, morbidly obese and scared that whilst I'm not sick at the moment, the future will be bleak. The idea of surgery scares me, I've never had surgery in my life. It's a very serious operation and I'm afraid of not waking up or suffering some sort of irreparable damage. On the other hand, I just want it to be over and done with and be fully healed and get on with my life. HELP! How did you deal with pre surgery anxiety?

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One of the things that made me relaxed was knowing that I had a room full of highly trained people who just wanted me to be safe taking care of me. That's their job and they're only there for you during that time.

I was worried about not waking up, but now that I've gone through surgery, I'm no longer concerned about anesthesia.

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Thanks for replying. I trust my surgeon, she has a good reputation not only for her skill but also for her after care. I'm just nervous about the pain, the struggles I'm going to face. However I have to believe it will all be worth it in the end and I need to just stay strong!

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I think we have all felt all the feelings and thoughts you have pre-surgery. Very normal. Maybe look at this as a process, journey whatever resinates with you. Do your checklist again

- why Im having surgery

- surgeon credentials

- well informed of risks

- after care

- support

- possitive gains

Then go for it! Your still going to probably be nervous on the day - but thats good. Others arent - we are all different and so is the journey. As for pain - everyone is different again. Thats what meds are for! Just remember it all goes. Have faith in your surgical team, they have done this before. All the very best mate. Heres to a new you!

PS- just follow your pre op diet. Its important. Its also disgusting hahaha but everyone is different! Hahaha! Its all for the greater!

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im going through it now Trill! there is nothing i can say to get make things better. just take it one day at a time. im sitting in hospital now and my stomach is turning-im very anxious.

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I booked my surgery two weeks ago and like you, have mixed feelings. Right now I'm mostly depressed that I "let" myself get into the situation where surgery seems to be my only option.

Other times I'm excited to be the activity partner my family deserves.

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I don't have much else to add to the other's great comments, except that I'm an RN so I've seen the "behind the curtain" of surgery and recovery. That can either give you a lot of confidence in healthcare or scare the pants off of you. My experience is that it gives me a lot of confidence. Even though I've run across a few (very few, thank goodness) complete idiots in my career, healthcare has a lot of checks and balances so the rare idiot doesn't get a chance to cause a real problem for a patient. And surgery has more checks and balances and better-trained and more experienced personnel than most other areas of healthcare. You really can rest assured that you will be monitored continuously during surgery and recovery and they are prepared to handle anything that comes up.

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I'm exactly like you! My sleeve is january 12! 35 and never had any surgeries, have all the same fears!! Let's be sleeve buddies. We can calm each other!

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I'm exactly like you! My sleeve is january 12! 35 and never had any surgeries, have all the same fears!! Let's be sleeve buddies. We can calm each other!

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Yes! Let's be buddies and get through this together! Best of luck with your surgery

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I was as scared as a little girl contemplating my surgery. It was my first experience with surgery as well, and I had all the worries about things going hideously wrong. I was reasonably confident in the doc and his team, most of whom I never met, but confident because of their track record.

I'm a little different than a lot of people though, because I am a Christian. Some will scoff, but I put my faith in God's will for my life. That did not exactly take away my fear, but it allowed me to deal with it and get through it. This is not a post to tell you you need to get saved and all will be fine. This is just telling you how I made it through. But if you do believe in God, this might be a good time to discuss it with him.

"Courage is fear holding on a minute longer." George Patton

Edited by LittleBill

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I'm with you, @@Monigirl76 and @@clevergirl . My surgery is scheduled for January 30 and I'm nervous and doing a lot of second guessing. All I can say is I really appreciate the expertise and compassion of my care team. Every one of them has been extraordinary. I jokingly asked the surgeon what his kill rate was, and it turns out nobody in his care has died yet! He has a great reputation. Maybe weigh the known risks of continuing on your current path with the risks of surgery?

My surgeon showed me all sorts of pictures of the various complications that can occur, along with stats of how frequently the occur with each surgery both nationally and among his patients. I love stats and work with them a lot so that spoke to me.

Edited by Hollyhock

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@@Trill I'm scheduled for surgery January 20th, the surgery jitters haven't fully kicked in yet but trust me they will shortly. I have to do a high Protein diet for two weeks, then clear liquid for 2-3 days. I'll probably just do a full liquid for two weeks to train my body, get my mind right.

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I'm exactly like you! My sleeve is january 12! 35 and never had any surgeries, have all the same fears!! Let's be sleeve buddies. We can calm each other!

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Yes! Let's be buddies and get through this together! Best of luck with your surgery

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Yes!! Email me or message me, if that's even possible. I start preop next Monday the 1st and I'm going shopping this week for everything including all my post op essentials!! We can do this!

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • 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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