HELP, COLD FEET!!!

Hi Everyone, I recently got my date of June 12 and have been having some second thoughts. It doesn't help that I have been reading some horror stories online about wls gone bad. And, also, I've been reading that no one really talks about the long term effects of the surgery, like 5 and 10 years post op. Another thing that I read in wls for Dummies was that my body will never be perfect or like a young person's. I'm starting to think I have my hopes to high and am expecting too much from this surgery. I'm thinking I'll be able to wear a bikini again. I mean, I'm only 35! I'm so worried about the hanging skin and am wondering if maybe the fat doesn't look better from some of the pics I've seen. I don't want my boobs to sag and my stomach to be down to my thighs. Is this really how it's going to be??? Is it normal to have all these bad thoughts? Maybe I am making the wrong decision. I am just so afraid that I will be one of those horror stories I read about who can't control their bowels and are hooked up to all kinds of tubes for the rest of their lives. If that happened to me I would never forgive myself for choosing to have this surgery and ruin my life. I'm scared! Mousie

Mousie - I see that your bmi is 43. Mine was just slightly higher when I had surgery (44.5 I think). I am also close to your age. I am 36 and was 35 when I had surgery. Now, I'm NOT the typically wls patient and I put that disclaimer out there right away. I lost 108% of the weight my surgeon wanted me to and I'll be a year out next week. My surgery worked a little too good. I have trouble absorbing enough! This incudes foods, and vits and minerals. Now, although it's good to read EVERYTHING, the good, the bad and the ugly about wls before you have it (it's the ONLY way to make an INFORMED decision) please realize that the complications are for a small percent of the people having surgery. You very well could wear a bikini again!!!! I've seen women on here do it. I "could" do it, but I choose not to. Do I have saggy skin - oh yes!!!! I'm sure just about everyone does to some extent. But there's no way to know what you'll end up with. It has a lot to do with how much you weight preop, what the condition of your skin is in, how long you've been obese, etc... Personally, I just had a hernia repair and TT. Yes, I have a nice stomach now... but... I have a butt that's gone South (literally) and thighs that look horrible!!! I don't have the finances to change that, so I'm gonna make do with what I'm left with. I'm ALIVE, I'm healthy, I'm a size 4!!! I'll NEVER be a super model!!!! (most of them have had work done to perfect their bodies anyway). You're goal in wls should be to get yourself healthy!!!!!! I got rid of a lot of health issues by losing weight. Yes, my husband thinks I "look" good - but that really really has nothing to do with why I had surgery!! I never thought I'd be smaller then a size 10. I just wanted to be able to walk and play with my kids, and ride bikes, and go camping with out having to sit and watch eveyone else having fun! And this year I can and will be doing all of those things!!! For me - even though I had some life threatening complications - I would do this again in a heart beat if I had to!!!!! The FEAR of staying obese and all that it entails (health issues, mental issues, social challenges) HAS to out weigh the FEAR of complications in order to have this surgery. If you're there - GREAT !!!!! Then this is for you. If you're not there - GREAT !!! then this just isn't for you right now. But only you can decide. I wish you all the best!!!!! We're here to support you no matter what your decision is. Hugs, Laurie

Hi, I want to tell you a brief story. I fought obesity most of my life. However when I was just 8 years old, my pediatrician put me on diet pills. "What's wrong with that picture??????????" Mom was too nieve to do anything about it. After high school I ballooned out and back in and tried so many diets I was just miserable. I***** I started researching "bariatric surgery". I talked to patients, doctors, nurses, people who had it done, people who are post op, and people who had no idea what they were getting in to. After over a decade of research, studying, asking, calling, talking and being in a place where I could do it, I had my notebook jammed full of information and went through the phases. Pre Op I had the following: I WORE A SIZE 32 PANTS, SIZE 4X TOP, AND WEIGHED 310 SLEEP APNEA CHRONIC ASTHMA TYPE 2 DIABETES (OVER 300 MOST OF THE TIME) HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND I HAD NO DESIRE TO WALK, EXERCISE, OR ANYTHING. Since surgery I: WALK 15 MILES A WEEK EAT HEALTHIER, EAT LESS, AND ENJOY LIFE CAN WEAR SIZE 12 SHORTS, SIZE MEDIUM TOP AM NO LONGER DIABETIC MY BLOOD PRESSURE IS ABOUT 100 OVER 70 MY ASTHMA HAS DISAPPEARED MY SLEEP APNEA IS GONE I AM SO COTTON PICKIN ACTIVE THAT SITTING STILL IRRITATES ME I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF LIFE I LOVE TO BE MOVING AND I HAVE NO DESIRE TO SIT AND WATCH TV AND EAT CAKE. I came to the conclusion that this surgery was the best possible tool for me to help me CONTROL my appetite, and that is what this has done for me. It is a TOOL in which it allows us to eat less, more nutritious and healthy living. YES, there are risks, and YES there are people who have complications, I myself had some and still do, BUT THERE ISN'T A DAY GO BY IN MY LIFE THAT I REGRET DOING THE SURGERY AND I TOTALLY SUPPORT IT AND WOULD DO IT AGAIN IF I HAD TO. The thing you want to look at for yourself, is your cold feet because of uncertainties? Life is uncertain. All we do is uncertain. What you need to do is educate yourself on the pre surgery, surgery, and post op surgery lifestyle and see if you are willing to take the risks and consider living a LONGER HEALTHIER LIFE. If there are any doubts, then don't do it until you are sure. I was 100 percent sure and had no concerns, worries and fears and I loved my surgeon and had total faith in him. Confidence and attitude is 50 percent of it. The other 50 percent is support and guidance and education. I certainly wish you the best and hope that the decision you make is the one that you feel is best for YOU and only YOU. God Bless Stacey