Hi everyone,

I'm not sure everyone knows me yet but i've been browsing these boards for a few weeks now and posted a few messages also. I can't say it enough but you guys are all so inspiring!! I am Daniela from NY and will be banded on 9/9/05. Up until today I have been so excited and optimistic about. Today though out of no where the enormity hit me like a ton of bricks. Now I'm having some doubts.

Examples of my doubts: maybe i should go to therapy and uncover the reasons for my struggle and then maybe i can go it alone. maybe this is too drastic. i'm not that obese am i? what if something happens during surgery? I'm a nurse so you can imagine what else i think of like: what if the surgeon nics my liver. what if i throw a blood clot. my luck i'll be the one whose band slips, etc, etc, etc...

I know I will go through with the surgery but I keep thinking negative thoughts (which, by the way, I feel a little foolish about since just the other day I replied to showboatgirl with so much confidence when she had her doubts). I would like to hear from those of you that have already had the surgery. And even those of you who had some problems - would u still do it again?? Did you have the same kind of doubts?I have between 70 - 80 lbs to lose, have been struggling my whole life but in the past few years it's just getting worse. Also what doubts did you have and how do u feel now? I would really appreciate your responses - Thanks...

Looking at the calandar and it's just 1 month away...I start liquid Protein on the 26th. Can't wait till this passes and I hope I have no regrets.

I really have no advice to offer. Just know that you are not alone.. We are here for ya!!

(((((HUGS)))))

It's normal to think all the negative thoughts before surgery. This is a drastic decision that we've all made and I think that every one of us wondered if we were doing the right thing, if we would be able to make the lifestyle change or if we'd be the one to fail. I flip flopped back and forth before my surgery. I was sooo afraid of failing again, but once I had the surgery, I've never doubted that I would succeed even when I hit plateaus and was feeling very hungry. It was the best decision for me and I would do it all over again. Good luck to you!!!

Tricia

I went through a similar thing about a week before my surgery. There are still some days that I think to myself "is this really what I want to do?" and then I remember that I had the surgery 2 weeks ago. :-) It's natural to feel this way, especially since you're a nurse so you really understand what's at stake. But, you also understand the health repercussions of staying overweight.

I do think this surgery should be considered a last resort, so if you want to try therapy first you can always have the surgery a little later. Keep reading this board - it's so informative, and it really helped me feel confident about taking the leap. Good luck with your decision!

Examples of my doubts: maybe i should go to therapy and uncover the reasons for my struggle and then maybe i can go it alone. maybe this is too drastic. i'm not that obese am i? what if something happens during surgery? I'm a nurse so you can imagine what else i think of like: what if the surgeon nics my liver. what if i throw a blood clot. my luck i'll be the one whose band slips, etc, etc, etc...

Hi Daniela, I had my band put in 11 days ago and one of the reasons that I did was because after over 10 years of therapy to lose weight I am bigger than when I started. It was actually my psychiatrist who suggested the band to me - he said something like "you are afraid of being skinny, you are medicating yourself with food - you will never overcome these things because you keep running from them, the band will force you to face your issues and deal with them." And I can tell you it is bloody scary - not the op, but the facing of the issues, but I can also tell you that I would never have begun to face them without the band. If you want to have therapy - have it, I certainly am, but you can have the band too! And as to you fears about blood clots, I did have them. I was in hospital for a week on anti-coagulant drugs - but I am fine now. All I would say about that is just be aware of your breathing - if you get a tightness in your lungs that just doesn't feel right contact your doctor - remember that the only problem with clots is if you dont know you have them! But good luck with thinking this through, I hope this ramble helps :cheeky

I just want you to know, that i'm right there with you. My surgery is in a week, and my emotions change every 5 minutes. Sometimes i'm happy, sometimes i'm nervous, sometimes i'm calm and sure, other times i'm completley ready to chicken out.

Usually when i'm feeling down and scared, I will look at the before and after pictures on this board, and read everyones NSV, and i know i'm doing the right thing REALLY deep down.