I've been feeling great about this decision to have the surgery but, i'm sure as expected, I'm less than a week away from my weeklong liquid diet beforehand and I'm starting to panic. I've started to double up on my anti-anxiety meds because I am always feeling like a panic attack is only a minute away (and this will only be my second surgery ever, i had my wisdom teeth surgically removed in high school).

I had a dinner planned with some friends and family to have my farewell Thai food dinner and everyone cancelled. :-(

And, i was talking to my mother and we were discussing what I can/can't eat after surgery (which i KNOW we've discussed before) and now she's 'not sure sure this is the right decision'. She didn't withdrawl support, but I don't know.....It didn't help.

So now I'm double guessing myself and I'm sure part of it is jitters but the people i thought were behind me are scattering at the last minute and I'm FREAKED OUT!!!!!!

Someone please give me some encouragement because now I just to know I have someone(s) to talk to that get this, I really don't feel like starting a crying jag this late in the day lol.

Only you can make this decision and know if it is right for you. Review all of the reasons you wanted to have the surgery in the first place. If it is any consolation, I was TERRIFIED before my surgery. I had never had surgery before and I was crazy out of my mind with worry, but I knew having the surgery is what I needed to do for my future health. The surgery went well and I am thrilled with my results so far. I have not regretted my decision for a minute!

Oh, and as far as what you can and can't have after surgery, it all depends on how tight you need your band to be to lose weight. I don't like, nor need, to be really restricted. Yesterday I had 1 slice of pizza and 1/3 of a cheeseburger. Today we had a barbecue and I ate a grilled chicken tender, a small piece of boneless pork ribs and potato salad. Don't start mourning foods you think you can't have. Start thinking about the fat that you will be losing!!!!!

Edited April 12, 200917 yr by crzytchr

Take some deep breaths. I CAN eat ANYTHING and I have fairly good restriction (I eat about 1 to 1 1/2 cups and stay full for up to 6 hours). I avoid carbonation because it could make my pouch swell etc (and honestly I can sip a soda or beer and then i burp for several minutes so it's not worth it) BUT I eat bread, I eat chicken. I eat popcorn. I even had a Peanut Butter sandwich for lunch the other day (1 piece bread and about 1 tablespoon of PB...and I was full. it was great)

Please realize there is a way you will eat to reduce your weight and then a way you will eat to maintain it and live your life. Look at the thin people in your life. Do they NEVER have pizza? Do they NEVER eat a piece of birthday cake? Do they NEVER have Thai food? Chances are they indulge in all those things, but they don't do it as often or as much as you did. See my point? This is a tool and it is portion control, it isn't a punishment. It isn't food prison. I have even had fast food occasionally. But before where a huge burger and fries and a shake wouldn't quite fill me (shameful but true) now I eat 1/2 a burger, a few fries (there are always about half left in a small order) and I pass on the shake.

I don't do that often because it isn't that healthy but I CAN do it if I want to.

Just chill out and trust yourself. Information is good but you can analyze anything to death. Let the worry go if you can, believe you've done all you can to prepare for success, and then quit worrying. (and do NOT double your anxiety meds unless a doc says you can. Too much can be as bad as not enough, depending on the medication!)

Instead of worrying about today, why not spend a little time giving yourself some positive reinforcement...think of what you'd like to do when you lose x amount of pounds, or what style of clothes you'd like to wear that you can't now, or what active lifestyle type thing (bike riding? tennis? shopping marathon? LOL) that you'd like to do as you lose. Focus on the good stuff.

As Jimmy Buffett says, "breathe in, breathe out, move on". Everybody has some anxiety about having surgery. My experience: I arrived 2 hours before surgery. They took me back, gave me a bed, I changed into a surgical gown. They put the EKG leads on my chest. A very nice nurse numbed my hand and started my IV. In a little while, that same nurse walked me to the operating room and I laid down on the operating table (it was heated, which felt good because they keep operating rooms rather cool as part of germ control). I got comfortable where they wanted me and I was given a heated blanket. The anesthesiologist said "I'm going to give you something to relax you" ... and the next thing I knew I was in the recovery room. I drank a glass of Water and got dressed. My brother-in-law came back for a few minutes then he went to bring the truck to the door. A nurse WALKED me out. That's how good I felt. I got in the truck, came home, took a nap and then took a walk.

What you can't eat? Heck, this isn't bypass surgery! Sticky stuff like white bread and white rice may not work for you because those things can get in a gummy ball and get stuck. I don't eat fried foods because of the fat content, but who cares about that? For lunch today (Easter), I had turkey, a little Pasta, some salad with lite dressing and a bite or two of a dinner roll...and a little piece of birthday cake. Quite frankly, I don't even want any dinner. I'm still full.

Immediately after surgery, yes you are on a liquid diet. For at least part of that time, you won't miss eating solid food. You're healing from surgery and your stomach is getting accustomed to having the band around it. From there you go to mushie food. I went straight to KFC after the doctor advanced my diet and got a small bowl of mashed potatoes -- no gravy-- and those were the best mashed potatoes I ever put in my mouth, LOL. From that day, you are adding back to your diet real food. To work with the band, you'll make changes no doubt, but surely you weren't expecting to eat fried food, full fat ice cream and bags of cookies! You can eat almost anything, in moderation.

I'm sorry your friends backed out on your dinner. Go tomorrow night. They didn't back out on you or the friendship, just on some plans for one evening. Like I said, "breathe in, breathe out, move on". Find your center again and relax just a little!

If you need the band for future health, by all means, go for it and smile all the way. The surgery is less than hour and once it's done, you will begin to see pounds shed and you feel so great. Take your time, read more of the folks here and be confident in your decision. Once you are off soft foods, anything goes that your tummy will tolerate. My dinner tonight was 4oz. grilled steak, 4 ounces of fresh green beans with grilled portabella mushrooms. I have an old WW digital scale. I weight out my entire meal in that bowl, on the scale...8 oz and then eat. Tonight, only 5 ounces and I WAS FULL TO THE BRIM. But, it sure tasted good. About the caffeine and diet drinks and all...a major reason to stay away from them is band erosion and problems. Remember, you will have a band around the top of the tummy...respect it and play by the rules!

Caffeine is not a no-no for everyone. My doc asks us not to indulge; when I asked why I was told because it can stimulate the appetite. IT doesn't do that for me, so I have it. It does not erode the band. Just to clarify; your doc may or may not allow it but ask him or her WHY if you want it and it's banned.

Trust your surgeon!

completely normal surgery jitters.. i was a complete wreck a couple of days before surgery.. but the day of i knew everything would be ok..

look at me now im 2 years out, happier and healtier than ever.. not to mention down 128lbs.. and never regretted my decision for one second:wub:

Thanks for all the support everyone! I'm back to being completely confident in my decision, though still jittery lol. I start my liquid diet on the 17th so it's creeping up.