Pre-Surgery Anxiety?!?!?!

Hi everyone! I am scheduled for my Open RNY on July 7th --- only 17 more days!!! I am so excited, yet find myself getting nervous as well! I'm NOT big on pain! I think most everyone has fears before having ANY type of surgery, and that's what I'm going through...Did any of you have the same fears? How did you handle it? OR! Are some of you about to have surgery, and are experiencing these SAME fears as I am, right now?!?!?! If so, please write! I'll be having my surgery with Dr. Bollman at Junction City. Of course Deanna K is a good friend of mine, so she is a MAJOR source of support! But I was just wondering if there are more of you out there?!?! Thanks for everything, and also, thank you Deanna, for being such a special friend!

Hi Joyce! Just remember the pain is controlled with a morphine pump that you controll so you will not be in pain. I was told I was pushing my button in my sleep. HA HA! I take meds for anxiety and they took me off everything a week before the surgery so I was a basket case before surgery. I just tried to keep myself busy so I didn't think about it and read these posts and boards like it was a job. My poor mother had to put up with me since she went with me for the surgery. If you want to meet for lunch or dinner and chat or just to get out and occupy some time and keep your mind off it for a bit just let me know. I had such a good time visiting when we all went to eat after our meeting there in Hutch last month. Take care and if you need anything let me know. Angie

Joyce, I really began 2nd guessing myself about 2 weeks prior to surgery. I thought alot about what my doc said my ability to eat would be like after surgery... and that as I got my appetite back I would need to try to eat healthy, no snacking on chips and that sort. I told myself hell, if I could do that now I wouldn't need the surgery. So I began contemplating the idea of just 1 more diet... maybe I should try just 1 more time before going to such extreme lengths as surgery. I went back and forth for several days. Then it hit me... I had been dieting for 30 years! I had dieted myself up to 418 lbs! Obbviously 1 more diet wasn't going to work and once I made that realization I was fine... had no more anxiety about the surgery at all... I was actually very calm, so much so that it was sort of wierd. As for the pain, I previously had my gallbladder out and suspected that the discomfort would be similar. It was. They attempted to do my surgery lap but in the end had to go ahead and open me up. I didn't have the morphine pump like many others say they had. I was in the hospital for a week and the only time I took pain meds was about 30 minutes prior to taking my walks, which I did 2 or 3 times a day, and then at bedtime to help me sleep. I had my surgery on Nov 7, 2002. I last weighed about 2 weeks ago and I have lost 162 lbs. I had some real struggles with eating and have lost faster than I should have. I did fine on clear liquids and full liquids, did okay at the pureed stage, but once I started trying to eat regular food I got so, so sick over and over and over. Each time this would happen the doc would tell me to go back to puree for awhile and let my stomach calm down. I believe what eventually happened is that I got so sick so many times that I scared myself into thinking that I couldn't eat anything but yogurt and soft foods. I went for almost 3 months with days where I would only eat 1/2 cup of yogurt. The next day I might manage to eat a spoonful of peanut butter. My protein drink even made me sick. It was a very trying time but things finally leveled off for me about 2 months ago and I am eating like a champ now! My biggest issue now is making myself eat S-L-O-W-L-Y. Pre-op I was a horribly fast eater. Trying to slow down has been one of the hardest things for me to remember to do. I said all of that to say this... Good Luck! Be Strong! There will be days when you will wonder why you did it... then you will go for a walk and realize that you're not sweating and completely winded within the first 2 minutes... you will stop cruising the parking lot looking for the absolute closest parking spot... you will no longer have to shop at the specialty clothing stores... and by george, you will just feel damn good!! You go, Woman!! HugZ, Trina...

Hello all. Yes, I am having anxiety about surgery. I have now had my initial consultation with Dr. Steward, and am on the road, surgery will be in September. Now, I am getting that feeling, like, should I have this? Why am I doing it, all the questions that we have asked ourselves. I sat down the other evening and went over the information I have collected, and I have answered them. Why--so i can lead a healthy, productive life, without pain in my knees, and my back. So I can spend time with my family, especially grandchildren, and not tire out so quickly. without the fear of diabetes,and heart-attack. I want to be able to walk into a store, to buy clothes without the "PLUS SIZES" banner over it. I want my husband to be able to put his arms "around" me-- all the way around. My granny told me that things worth doing could cause pain and suffering, so, I think that the surgery fits this category. We can do this, for ourselves!! So, it causes some pain and discomfort, haven't we suffered that already?? We are strong, and we can do it. After all, we have each other for support. Keep thinking about what you will look like in a year!!! WOW!! Hang in there, Ginny Graham

Hey Joycie!!! BIG HUGS to you sweetie!!!! YOU are going to do GREAT!!!! Doc. Bollman gives us LOTS of good drugs;)!!!! Just remember, Jeff's job is to push that button while you are sleepin' and those first few days will just FLY by.