So I am in the beginning stages of this journey and I am anxious and excited. I have to get a sleep study, an EKG, an Endoscopic procedure, and psych eval done. It is all a little over whelming. Im focusing on making some of the changes now that I will face after surgery. How did everyone cope with the waiting?

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It goes by faster than you would think. Just take it one step at a time in terms of the procedures and evaluations and hang out here in your free time learning as much as you can to make things a little easier and less stressful post op.

The waiting has been the hardest part for me. I’m a stay at home mom, so I don’t have work as a distraction. I spend A LOT of time online researching anything and everything about bariatric surgery. I also go to YouTube and search for “my bariatric story” and watch those videos. Another good YouTube search is “what I eat in a day” to get examples of meals and shake ideas. I take a lot of notes. I have a list of tips, a list of things to buy, a list of questions for the dietitian, questions for the surgeon and finally a list of projects to do before surgery since I will be recovering for a while.

Waiting was very annoying... What has held me up was the long wait for a appointment for the psyc evaluation (over 2 months for the next opening) EKG is quick and easy takes just a few minutes, Sleep study is no big deal if you get a at home kit you just wear it to sleep and that is it. The Endoscopy i had one done last year (not a part of bariatric surgery) and It was actually quick. They put to me to sleep for it since i had a colonoscopy done as well. What you get all your lab orders and such get to making those appointments to get it done. I personally had a abnormal EKG so i am having to get a extra test done a Nuclear Stress Test but after that if it goes well which it should i should be able to move forward. hopefully you can get appointments quick for your labs. Good luck! Dont stress

Another thing I forgot to mention that happens to help alot with anxiety is organization. What Suzannethemom did by making all her lists was to control what she could and that helps a great deal with anxiety. I was advised to do that during a medical issue that was very stressful by a nurse. I kept a binder with all my appointments and labs and scans, etc and it helped tremendously with my anxiety.

38 minutes ago, ShoppGirl said:

Another thing I forgot to mention that happens to help alot with anxiety is organization. What Suzannethemom did by making all her lists was to control what she could and that helps a great deal with anxiety. I was advised to do that during a medical issue that was very stressful by a nurse. I kept a binder with all my appointments and labs and scans, etc and it helped tremendously with my anxiety.

my bariatric center gives you a binder with all the required info, doctors names, labs and such and we are required to take it to every appointment. Found it very nice and convenient.

I had to wait 8 months to get my surgery, It seemed so long but I wasn't give a date until 6 weeks before the event. Its out of your control so you just have to do what you can to get by. I found this forum and in my free time , I picked a date in the last 20 years and started reading the posts from then on. I gained so much knowledge, it gave me confidence. I researched menus for all the stages and prepared my home for the things I would need, which wasnt much. It will soon pass..

I'm impatient for my revision, but I don't have anxiety over it. I've never really been an anxious type person. But I've read enough about anxiety to know that it sucks for those that battle it. I hope your anxiety eases up and pre op passes smoothly and quickly for you. ?

12 hours ago, liveaboard15 said:

my bariatric center gives you a binder with all the required info, doctors names, labs and such and we are required to take it to every appointment. Found it very nice and convenient.

Same here, he got a "passport". It had all the tests and classes we needed with a spot to write the date/tine of it. A box to check off when it was completed. Also, it had all the numbers to call to schedule your appointments and in what order to do them. My team is awesome, from day 1. I have ZERO complaints. They make the process as easy as possible and support your every single step of the way. I have read so many bad stories about people's teams. I am greatfull I found a great team/surgical center!

I was very anxious prior to surgery, and I had a really long time to wait - 7.5 months. When I decided I wanted surgery, I immediately started to eat like I would have to after surgery, except for the tiny meals. I increased protein and decreased sugar and carbs. I lost 50 lbs prior to surgery which is 50 lbs I don't need to lose now. Keeping focused on healthy activities really helped me feel more in control and less anxious.

Good luck!