24 hours away backing out is not a option!

Please everyone be patient with me as I am having the pre surgery jitters and need some TLC. I will no doubt continue to post here until I am wheeled into surgery LOL!!!

 My surgery is now only 24 hrs away, and I am sitting here thinking of all the what ifs. I am in so much pain every morning, my lower back, my feet, I have numerous heal spurs, I suffer from extreme leg cramping. I am wondering how my body will react to being in the same position for a long time, with the surgery being 3 hrs. It takes me 20 min just to get my feet on the floor and moving in the morning!

I have been reading on here about the breathing, back pain, drain and stomach pain that people are having and I am wondering how am I ever gonna get through this! I can not back out now, but don't think that thought has not crossed my mind!!!!  I have a great support system with my family, my husband is wonderful, doesn't care if I weigh 500lbs, but wants me to be healthy, and live a long life, knows I will not be able to do that if I do not get my weight under control.

I have had 4 c-sections and my Gall Bladder taken out, I was not nearly as scared with those surgeries and I am with this one! Am I creating futher health promblems by having this surgery? Or am I just being a big baby!!! My husband says I am spinning myself into a anxiety attack, of which I have never had before, and I need to control my thoughts. Oh if it were that easy!

Everyone has been so kind and helpful on this site, I don't want to come across as someone that's needy, but I am in need of all the support I can get in these last 24 hrs.

Hi Victoria,

Take a deep breath and think of what if I DON'T do this! I am sure that you want to be healthy for your hubby and kids along with yourself. The early days may or may not be rough. I didn't have a drain, not all surgeons use them. I actually went to my 1 week check up and jokingly accused my Dr of just making some nicks on my abdomen and collecting $$ from my insurance company  . You are certainly on a path to popping out of bed in the morning!

If you haven't done it already, go to the before and after photos and think that in the future that YOU can post yours! Here is the LINK http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/members/before+and+ after.php

I think that we all had the pre-op jitters, so you are no different  

Martha

I also wondered if my surgeon just made a few little scratches and did not really do any surgery.  I had no complications and was back to work in less than a week.  i lost weight easily and had no problems.  That was five years ago and I still feel great.  The RNY surgery was one of the easiest things I ever did.  The hardest part for me was all of the worrying and fear before the operation.  I was shocked at how much I worried and then how easy it all turned out to be.

I had a wonderful experience as well- only 1 month out but feel great. even went dancing last weekend. Having the case of the "what if's" is normal. I just kept thinking "what if" I didn't do this, what quality of life would I have? I am very glad I did it. My feet were in pain- but not since surgery!! Good Luck tomorrow. We are exactly 4 weeks apart.

Hi Victoria:

I could have sworn I wrote the above blog (yours...)  I'm going through the same thing...what if's...  Just finished my 2 hour dietician appointment, now getting the home and food in order.  The best thing I've found is to keep busy.  I have to do something every day to keep my mind off of this.  Unlike you, however, other than my husband who works nights, I have no other family to be with me so I'm trying to figure out emergency help procedures.  THAT sure keeps you busy hahahahaha   I do find that when I start getting nervous, I just come to this website and look at the photo's.   For me just knowing sooooo many others have done this before me and been just fine, calms me down..   Trust your surgeon and plan for FUN things you can do in the future.    I'll lean on you, and you lean on me, that's the way this goes.   My date is November 16.... so I'll see you on the other side....(of obiesity )

Hugs from Michigan

Patty Jo

Well mine wasn't the glorious experience that the 2 above posters talk about, but I didnt really have any complications either...  except I had a small "Small" intestine and the surgery ended up taking over 5 hrs!  I did come home with a drain, which was unexpected.  My surgeon had me come back in a week and he removed the drain right in his office, didn't hurt a bit.  I have had a C/Section and had my gallbladder removed too.  This surgery and recovery was more like the Lap gallbladder removal for sure.... Being nervous is normal, just pray for peace about your decision, nothing ventured, nothing gained.  You will be fine, just take it moment by moment.  I am 7 weeks post-op and wishing I had done this years ago!  Remember to get up and walk as soon as they say you can in the hospital , it really helps with the gas and getting you started on your new life!  Good luck and keep us posted!!

THANK YOU all so much everyone:) You all are wondefrul, and I needed to hear some positive!!! My husband is thankful for you too!! LOL!! I will update after surgery as soon as I am able. 

Thanks again so much!

I am sure everything will be ok.. Focus on positive things. I have had many many surgeries, 3 CESTIONS, VSG, and Gall Bladder removal-- surgery wise.. this was the easiest for me.. it's just getting used to the new pouch that is the hardest.. I am sure you will be ok..

See you on the other side.. :)

Stop...take a deep breath....close your eyes and imagine yourself a year from now doing something you thought you couldn't do again.  I literally worked myself into panic mode before my surgery.  I became this emotional person the 2wks before that I didn't know I could be.  It's normal...it's no fun, but it's normal lol.  My husband even said he thought I was going to wake up that morning and back out!  Up until the moment they put me to sleep, I wanted to run out of there lol.  I was crying when they wheeled me into the OR not really because of the surgery itself (I've had several) but because of the unknown after.  I'm 6wks out tomorrow and I laugh at how freaked out I was.  As far as surgeries go, this by far was the easiest.  The mental part, well, it was pretty rough the first 2wks but it's getting better.  My feet and lower back used to hurt all the time.  Last weekend, my hubby and I went for a weekend to Galveston and walked and walked and walked.  I realized at the end of the day NOTHING hurt!!!  I no longer snore with sleep apnea and get a better night sleep.  I just bought a size 16jean yesterday!!  Has it been "easy"....at times, no.  I miss certain things like cake and cookies and french fries lol....but that's what got me here in the first place.  I'm not saying I'll never eat those again....because I will, just in small portions.  So set your "what ifs" aside and remember the biggest what if is...what if I DON'T do this?  Trust your surgeon and your God and all will be fine. Good luck.

Hi there.  I was exactly where you are 2 weeks ago today!!!  I kept second guessing myself and wondering if I was going to make things worse.  One of my doctors, who I really trust, told me that he felt this was the best decision I was making for my health, so that helped me a lot, but I was still terrified!

I had my gallbladder out, donated a kidney, and had a C-section.  This surgery was closer to the gallbladder surgery (which was even harder than the open kidney donation!!!).  I won't lie, for me, this was a really hard surgery.  They had a really hard time getting my pain under control.  I've never had that problem in the past.  Be sure to let them know if you are having a lot of pain so they can change something if they need to.

Breathing hurt a lot for me too (something I was NOT prepared for).  And of course then when they wanted me to get up and walk (not until the next day), I had a lot of trouble doing it.  Just ran out of breath (still do and tomorrow will be 2 weeks)  I was on oxygen for 2 1/2 days after the surgery (never needed it before).  So take those deep breathes, even though it hurts.

Thankfully did not have a lot of nausea, but didn't really want to eat the jello and broth they brought me.  I mostly just ate ice chips.

Laying on my back hurt too, but with the hospital bed you can adjust the angle you are at, so that helped some.

HANG IN THERE!!!  You CAN do this!!!