Any regrets or "wish-Ida"s?

As my surgery date approaches I can't help but have a bit of apprehension, and just wondering if maybe I should be doing something to prepare myself, or maybe it's going to be a worse experience than I thought....I dunno. I have never had surgery...other than having a widom tooth removed, but I don't think that counts. My surgery is scheduled for August 4 and I just have so many thoughts running through my brain ( I gotta stop thinking so much!), like "what if I die on the table" (I just had a friend die from a cardiac cath, at 31 yrs old)....who will raise my daughter?....what if I have problems with the surgery and have chronic pain or lose all my hair? Oy, you name it, I have thought it. I am starting to freak a bit.

The worries are normal. I have had many surgeries (9 if you do count wisdom tooth extraction). I knew what to expect, but still the "what if's" popped into my head. I left DH a note and made my children all videos. They are young - 2 1/2 and almost 8 months. They are pretty much just random thoughts but...well...what if. I knew going in that I wasn't going to have any problems and I didn't. The only thing I wasn't prepared for was the nausea and apparently I had it worse than most. I was in the hospital for an extra day was all. I have had not pain from my incisions and have been back into my normal routine (minus Curves) since 6 days post op. So take a deep breath. Do what you need to do to put your mind at ease. Remember that the surgeons take all precautions to avoid any complications. They will have you up and walking a lot to ward off blood clots. You will be closely monitored. Then every day after surgery things will begin to get back to normal. The first few days aren't like a cake walk, but tolerable. Before you know it the most you'll be worried about is if you got your protein and water in that day! Best of luck to you! Gwen

None. I would do it every year if I had to. If a DSer is reading,,, I wish I had DS. NOT! kp

You should be freaking out.  It's normal.  You are having a major procedure done, and like any surgery, it does have the risk of complications. I lost my hair, and it isn't coming back (the surgery kick-started hereditary hair loss and nothing will bring it back).  I also didn't lose as much weight as I thought I would.....my appitite came back in full force about 8 months after surgery.  I am hungry all the time, no matter what I eat or how much.  At this point in my post-surg life, I don't show many signs of being someone that had WLS, unless you count the sagging skin.   That beng said, I am still glad I had the surgery.  I lost over 100 lbs. and I would never have done that without RNY.  Now the rest is up to me.  As my NUT says, now I'm just like "every other woman in America that wants to lose 25lbs".   I don't have any regrets.  I think you should know exactly what you're getting yourself in to.  Yes, you will have some discomfort when you wake up.  The first week or so you may ask yourself why you did this.  You will feel so full and not want to eat but you will have to keep drinking anyway and you'll have to get up and walk when you really don't want to.  Then that will pass and you'll be on your way to a new life.  If you follow your surgeon's directions, and ask questions here when you need to, you will be fine.  Go into this experience with your eyes wide open!  Be ready for the bad stuff and strive for the good stuff !

Take a deep breath....there is a risk in everything we do in life. Think of your surgery as a gift.....why a gift? Think of all the things you will be able to do a year from now or even 2 years. Make a list when you have time of things you can't do now and things you want after you lose your weight . Put the list away, Mark the date a year from now and take it out and look at it....then start making your list come true. Make it realistic....I went bowling for the fist time in 19 years...wear size 14 for the 1 st time ever...realistic goals...good luck! Most of all...be true to yourself and stay happy Maria 5.25.06 400/185/160

Some wishes and some glads.


Glad I chose a program that offers so much information and support.  I knew it was good when I logged on OH the first time and knew most of the answers to questions based on the very first seminar I attended.

Glad I checked out my surgeon and determined his experience.  Even gladder that he turned out to be such a fine human being as well.

Glad I could trade a collection of lifetime prescriptions for lifetime of vitamins and minerals.


Wish I had known what PCOS was and how to address it.  Probably would have saved me 75 pounds.

Wish I had pushed my pcp to change my diabetes meds when I gained 50 pounds in three months of a new combination.

Wish I had known that the nagging hunger I felt for a year or two before surgery was actually gastritis, and easily treated.

Wish there was a guarrantee that I will keep the weight off easily.  There is no such thing.

Hey Darlene, It is soooooooooo  normal to be freaking out.  It is major surgery and there are complications.  I know I too had all the same questions running through my head before surgery. I had a few friends who had  WLS before me, so I drove them nuts with questions. But they helped ease my mind( as much as they could).  This was my 1st major surgery other than havin my tonsils out .  Heck I wanted to run for the hills before surgery, but I knew I was making the best choice for me .  Just start thinking how great life will be when you can do all the things you haven't been able to do for so long. You'll be ok. It is not easy at first , but  every step is worth it . One year from now you will look back and say WOW what a amazing ride that was. I am 2 1/2 years out , and I  am so happy I made this choice. Life is good. Good luck with your surgery. Take a deep breath and enjoy. Hugs, De Ann