New On this Journey
Hi everyone,
Not sure if I posted in the right spot but I need some support. I am going through Penn State Hershey's Bariatric program. I'm at the 5th month, meeting with groups and I am very discouraged.
Don't know if I am getting cold feet or what. My preop diet isn't going well and I need some support and encouragment to continue on. is it normal to be frightened? I've wanted this for so long and finally found an insurance company to pay and a bariatric group I have confidence in.
I am about 120 lbs overweight, have GURD, depression and have been recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I am from Wilkes-Barre, PA and wonder if anyone else is from this area and if the know of a support group. Oh well, I babbled on. Just wanted to stop in and say--HELP!
Bonnie
Not sure if I posted in the right spot but I need some support. I am going through Penn State Hershey's Bariatric program. I'm at the 5th month, meeting with groups and I am very discouraged.
Don't know if I am getting cold feet or what. My preop diet isn't going well and I need some support and encouragment to continue on. is it normal to be frightened? I've wanted this for so long and finally found an insurance company to pay and a bariatric group I have confidence in.
I am about 120 lbs overweight, have GURD, depression and have been recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. I am from Wilkes-Barre, PA and wonder if anyone else is from this area and if the know of a support group. Oh well, I babbled on. Just wanted to stop in and say--HELP!
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie,
WELCOME to the PA board, the best place in the world for information and support.
This is only my opinion and my opinion only, but I think you're making the right decision. This of course coming from someone that has lost over 200 pounds in just over a year. It was the best decision I ever made in my whole life. I can do so many things now that I never could before. I even took on a part-time job at Macy's working on my feet sometimes for 7 hours at a time. So this was the most life-changing decision I ever made and I have not one regret. Well, maybe one...and you'll hear this from a lot of people...that I didn't do it sooner. Because if I knew my life would be this great, I would have done it years ago.
I can't help you out with any support group meetings up in your area, but your doctor should be able to help you out with that. The program that you're going through should definitely have something that you could go to. I know one of our girls here, Gail, is from Scranton, just around the corner from you. Hopefully she will see this post and respond to you. She would be better to help you as far as any support group meetings in your area.
Good luck to you!!! You won't regret it at all. Oh, and all of us were frightened at one point or another in our journey to WLS. I know I certainly was. But that fear will disappear and only happiness will remain.
Take care and, again, WELCOME!!! Don't ever hesitate to ask a question. Someone here will for sure be able to help you out.
WELCOME to the PA board, the best place in the world for information and support.
This is only my opinion and my opinion only, but I think you're making the right decision. This of course coming from someone that has lost over 200 pounds in just over a year. It was the best decision I ever made in my whole life. I can do so many things now that I never could before. I even took on a part-time job at Macy's working on my feet sometimes for 7 hours at a time. So this was the most life-changing decision I ever made and I have not one regret. Well, maybe one...and you'll hear this from a lot of people...that I didn't do it sooner. Because if I knew my life would be this great, I would have done it years ago.
I can't help you out with any support group meetings up in your area, but your doctor should be able to help you out with that. The program that you're going through should definitely have something that you could go to. I know one of our girls here, Gail, is from Scranton, just around the corner from you. Hopefully she will see this post and respond to you. She would be better to help you as far as any support group meetings in your area.
Good luck to you!!! You won't regret it at all. Oh, and all of us were frightened at one point or another in our journey to WLS. I know I certainly was. But that fear will disappear and only happiness will remain.
Take care and, again, WELCOME!!! Don't ever hesitate to ask a question. Someone here will for sure be able to help you out.
Karen 
Hi Karen and Thank you. Actually I think I know Gail. I'm putting two and two together here and I think she's the sisiter of a friend of mine.
So , Gail, if you are out there, are you Linda's sister???? I'm Bonnie!
My surgeon is 2 hours away from me so he can't help with the a support group. Not too many hospitals in my local area do Bariatric Surgery. I also have to pray that my A1C leven is down because they won't do the surgery until it's below 8 and right now it isn't. So many obstacles that I am getting down. I hope it all works out.
So , Gail, if you are out there, are you Linda's sister???? I'm Bonnie!
My surgeon is 2 hours away from me so he can't help with the a support group. Not too many hospitals in my local area do Bariatric Surgery. I also have to pray that my A1C leven is down because they won't do the surgery until it's below 8 and right now it isn't. So many obstacles that I am getting down. I hope it all works out.
Bonnie,
It's all very normal to be scared. Your emotions will fluctuate rapidly during this time period. I've said this about a million times and will say it a million more...Dennis told me when I posted the same basic thing...that to remember you made this decision when you were "sane" when your emotions didn't get in the way. When you knew what had to be done to live the life you wanted to live and no longer let life pass you by.
I was 235 at the beginning of my journey at 5'3" Before surgery I "got down" to 214. I would have been totally happy with 150 (or so I thought) and my surgeon wanted me between 125 and 135. I thought that was a completely ridiculous number. but then I got down to 150. And although estatic with my results and my energy and the fact that my high blood pressure, pre diabetes, sleep apnea had resolved itself...I wasn't happy with my weight at that point. I am currently just about 13 mos out...have been maintaining a goal weight for about 8 weeks now. I bounce between 128 and 133.
Not to say I'm happy with my body. My mind still hasn't caught up with what I look like...and I still tend to see the old me and question things like where I will fit and what not. I have more energy now than I ever did and feel better than I ever have.
I personally would go through this again in the blink of an eye.
Only you can make this decision for you. Fears like I said are normal....but try to remember what led you down this path to begin with.
And as far as coming here - this is the BEST place for support. I have a feeling you will get many more responses during the week than what you have gotten over the weekend....this forum is an absolutely phenomenal place and like a big family of sorts.
Welcome!
Pam
It's all very normal to be scared. Your emotions will fluctuate rapidly during this time period. I've said this about a million times and will say it a million more...Dennis told me when I posted the same basic thing...that to remember you made this decision when you were "sane" when your emotions didn't get in the way. When you knew what had to be done to live the life you wanted to live and no longer let life pass you by.
I was 235 at the beginning of my journey at 5'3" Before surgery I "got down" to 214. I would have been totally happy with 150 (or so I thought) and my surgeon wanted me between 125 and 135. I thought that was a completely ridiculous number. but then I got down to 150. And although estatic with my results and my energy and the fact that my high blood pressure, pre diabetes, sleep apnea had resolved itself...I wasn't happy with my weight at that point. I am currently just about 13 mos out...have been maintaining a goal weight for about 8 weeks now. I bounce between 128 and 133.
Not to say I'm happy with my body. My mind still hasn't caught up with what I look like...and I still tend to see the old me and question things like where I will fit and what not. I have more energy now than I ever did and feel better than I ever have.
I personally would go through this again in the blink of an eye.
Only you can make this decision for you. Fears like I said are normal....but try to remember what led you down this path to begin with.
And as far as coming here - this is the BEST place for support. I have a feeling you will get many more responses during the week than what you have gotten over the weekend....this forum is an absolutely phenomenal place and like a big family of sorts.
Welcome!
Pam
Instead of complaining that the rosebush has thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses. 
On November 23, 2008 at 7:51 PM Pacific Time, bubble273 wrote:
Bonnie, if you look down below your post there is a posting from Gail. Just click on her picture and it will take you to her profile and you can send her a message that way. Her screen name is Gail M. 
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