My Surgery Is Wednesday... Freaking Out/Minor Rant

Hi all,

My surgery is in two days, and I'm freaking out!  I'm terrified I won't wake up from anesthesia.  I'm terrified I won't lose the weight.  I'm terrified I'll misunderstand how and what I'm supposed to be eating and do it "wrong".  After all, I did WW wrong, Paleo wrong, the list goes on.  

Also, I have a minor rant.  Why can't people who are not obese see this type of procedure for what it is... a valid medical treatment for a valid medical problem?  My husband and friends and family have been FABULOUS.  That said, I know my mom thinks this is a bit extreme when I could just try WW again, after all, if I have to work on my lifelong food choices anyway, why not just skip the surgery and do WW (her words, not mine).  She's asked her friend the nurse what she thinks, and the response was positive, so she's coming around.  It took that?  Seriously?  She's watched me struggle with my weight for 35 years.  She has seen me MISERABLE when shopping.  She has said to me, "But you're doing so well with WW!"  Um, losing and gaining the same 30 lbs. again and again while sobbing constantly when it all gets to frustrating is NOT doing well.  I haven't even come within 60 lbs. of my goal on WW, and it's costing me a fortune and my sanity!  My obese dad has Type II diabetes and sleep apnea... HELLO!!!  If I had a heart problem, I'd have heart surgery.  If I had cancer, I'd have chemotherapy.  I'm obese, I've tried everything, and there's a solution that is proven to help.  What's so confusing about that?

I am 6 days post op. I was also afraid of not waking up and had the thought this won't work for me bc nothing has.  Truthfully, the first 4 days were hard but each day I feel better and moving more without soreness. I saw my primary physician today. I was down 20 lbs since my pre op physical on July 14. I was very surprised bc I have not walked a lot due to humidity and soreness.  My advice is stay positive, be patient the first few days and embrace the new you. 

You WILL wake up.  The actual surgery is the simplest part of the process for us.  A little happy juice, and then you're waking up in recovery....and then the real work starts.

There's no reason to believe it won't work for you.  You WILL lose weight.  How much and how much you keep off will be up to you.

Most people like your mother aren't so much against the surgery as they are against the idea of any surgery.  There's a risk attached to the procedure and they're rather not see you take it.  She'll be your biggest cheerleader after the surgery is done.

At some point, you have to come to peace with yourself to take the leap of faith.  Or, put another way, since nothing else has worked, it's time to try something different.  Best of luck on your surgery and recovery!

Let me say stick to the course. I backed out 2 times before I finally had surgery.  Actually 3 times if you count the lap band I was going to do 9 years ago. I always backed out due to fear of death. The morning of surgery I was up at 1am with dry heaves and was off the chart nervous and anxious. I starting reading old posts from many people that said they were scared and had surgery and have never regretted the decision other than not doing it sooner. Reading the posts and the messages from all the people that sent me support really helped.  YES I still had fear to the point of making myself sick but it made me feel that YES I was making the right decision.  Now I sit here and am kind of thinking I am also one that should have done this a long time ago. A year or so ago I backed out 2 weeks before surgery.  I said to myself that surgery is a stupid way to go and told myself I could do it on my own. So I began to exercise and eat high protein. After three weeks I was on top of the world and doing great.  Then I fell off the wagon and went back into old eating habits and not exercising. So guess what?? I discovered that once again I learned that I can't do it on my own. And so from that time to my surgery date I probably gained another 30-40 pounds. So I finally decided that I needed more than just myself and good intentions...what I needed was a tool. I began visiting a counselor as I was so unhappy with my weight and it was affecting my whole life. There were friends I was no longer visiting due to my weight and SO many things I used to do but gave up due to my weight. I also became angry and cranky due to my weight. You sound like you are at the end of your rope trying WW to lose weight.  If things are not working for you then it sounds like you need the tool of surgery.  Believe me if I did this anyone can do it. I was scared to death and had never been in the hospital before. It really wasn't too bad and the staff are understanding.  Best of luck....

Oh buddy, don't freak out!! First of all, I think everyone here has continuously failed on all the other programs, too. If we hadn't, we wouldn't be here **** weigh****chers. Yeah, I said it **** paleo. Yup. Said that, too **** those past failures. You are writing your own future, and if is going to be spilling over with successes! You know how I know these things to be true? Because I am right there with you, just one step (day ) ahead. 

Your mom is probably just scared of surgery, because it is a big deal. But you know what's a bigger deal? Living in constant pain, misery, self-loathing, diabetes, high, blood pressure, dying too young to see you children's grand babies. These are big ******g deals. This surgery is going to not only change our lives, but it is going to SAVE our lives. I know the fear you speak of, but you are going in to talented, skilled hands. You will wake up, and it will be the first moment of the rest of your life.

I am a riled up and running on delicious protein shakes! I feel a fire inside that I haven't felt in a looooong time. All I can think is that tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life. No longer will I be too tired, too sore, too embarrassed, too big, too ashamed, or too fat. This is the moment we've been working towards. Do not fear the unknown, walk boldly towards it with your protein shake in hand. I'll be right there with you!... ( in spirit, of course) 

Your buddy, 

Kelly

(Sorry I haven't replied to you message yet, my mom came into town and...yea...but I will tonight! )

Everyone freaks a little before surgery. You'll be fine. The vast majority have no issues, and you never hear about them. You do hear from the vocal few with complications, as well as the hypochondriacs.

Just remember to follow your plan. Logging food super accurately is the best thing I've done since surgery, and keeps me on track. But after a while you will need to make adjustments to fit your needs and tastes. What works for someone long term may not work for you.

Follow your plan, be honest and accountable about what and how you eat. Use the honeymoon period to develop new habits and a new relationship to food -- something that will work for you for the rest of your life.

You'll do great.

hello...1st thing...Calm down.  I too tried ww, and nutri system, and lots of trys to loose weight. I'd loose then gain it back. Last year I had gastric bypass and lost 119 lbs.  Best thing I ever did...I'm much happier.  Don't think about the bad stuff. Think about all the good things like shopping for clothes, walking, feeling good, walking up   stairs, and so much more.  Enjoy your journey.....:-)