Surgery in 6 days...starting to get really nervous

My surgery is in 6 days. As excited I am to get it...I am getting really nervous.

Maybe im overthinking things. I keep thinking to myself...will I regret it? Do I really wanna do this? Will I ever eat "normal" again? I keep thinking about all the changes I'm gonna make.

It also terrifies me when I think about what it's gonna feel like right after surgery. I'm thinking about the pain...the whole walking around after surgery, going home.

Can someone people tell me what it was like for them right after surgery? I would love to hear different experiences

I will let you know as soon after tomorrow morning as I can! My surgery is at 7:30am tomorrow (Thursday).

I can tell you that all of the same thoughts have gone through my head at least a dozen times. I'm just concentrating on how everyone here says they would do it again in a minute!!

~Suzy

"Will I regret it?" -- You'll probably have "buyer's remorse" at least a few times during the healing phase of 4-6 weeks post-op. Healing from major surgery isn't much fun, and at your low moments, you'll probably wonder why you did this to yourself. Accept this as part of the recovery process.

"Do I really wanna do this?" -- What is likely to happen if you don't get the surgery? If you don't like the answer to that, that should settle the should-I shouldn't-I debate. If I hadn't had the surgery, I'd be heavier, sicker, and closer to death. It was a no-brainer for me.

"Will I ever eat 'normal' again?" -- No you won't. That's the point of the surgery. Your portions will decrease dramatically. You must choose healthy proteins and a few healthy carbs to eat. You must stay away from nutritionally empty foods. The surgery will curb your appetite, so doing these things won't be as hard as they sound now.

Sleeve surgery is major surgery. It won't tickle. You may have a lot of pain; you may have next to none. You may be queasy; you may not. You'll probably feel weak for at least a few weeks. My own experience: Immediately after surgery and during my hospital stay of 2 days, I sailed right through it with minimal pain and discomfort. My 6-week recovery period was bumpier because I experienced queasiness that kept me from drinking enough liquids. If you have significant pain, nausea, or other very uncomfortable symptoms, call your surgeon. He/she will have solutions for all of them. Don't be shy about calling! Suffering unnecessarily won't do you any good.

Good luck!

psychoticparrot

I had mine 2 days ago on the 5th. I was just as nervous as you are. Surgery went fine for me. My surgeon even repaired a hiadial hernia that I had at the same time. When I woke up from anasthesia I was not in pain but was very nausiated. It didn't help that the lady next to me was having a very loud violent reaction. Anyway, the nurses gave me good pain meds which really helped. I was very out of it for the first day. I actually was having a very hard time with nausea so I had to stay an extra day. I came home this morning. I am in pain, but can still walk around etc. in the hospital the walking around was actually a good distraction for me. And on the pain meds it's tolerable. I am super happy to be home. Wishing I can get more fluids in without throwing up but that will come with time. I feel a huge sense of relief that the surgery part is over and that each day will get easier. Everyone's experience seems to be a little different. I wish you nothing but the best. Laura

Everyone's story is different, but for me it was manageable. I had little pain. I didn't need anything stronger than Tylenol. I didn't have nausea thanks to the strong anti-nausea drugs I requested. I felt like I had the flu for about three days - headache, slept all day, woozy, etc. But by day 4 I was good.

The harder part was getting used to my new tummy. There were weeks when I didn't want to eat at all and had to force myself to eat. There were times when the thought of food made me queasy, but I could still hold food down. My tummy was so swollen for the first two months that I could only eat about 1 to 1.5 ounces per meal. It got better after week 7. I also couldn't tolerate sweet drinks so I stuck with chicken broth and unflavored protein powder. This was a staple for months.

I think by month 3 things were better. But it wasn't until 6 or 8 months out that I felt any sense of "normalcy" But I did get to the point where I feel like I could live this way comfortably the rest of my life (Good thing, as there isn't an alternative once I had surgery )

I was so scared of the surgery and it was easy. The recovery was unpleasant but always manageable. All in all, I'd do it again regularly if I had to to maintain the loss.

I lost 225 pounds and went from a BMI of 60 to a BMI of 24. I'm a normal weight and I have been maintaining for over a year. I love my sleeve.

best of luck on your weight loss journey.

Carol

Ditto to what psychoticparrot said, you will likely regret it at some point in the next 4-6 weeks, but know that it WILL get better. I threw up all night following surgery until 1pm the next day, but I had very little pain other than the vomiting. I also felt weak for about a month afterwards and tired all the time. This is your body's way of adjusting to smaller food portions or no food, only liquid. If you can get through the pre-op and 4 weeks after surgery, it is smooth sailing from there. Good luck to you!

Relax....easier said that done, right?? :) You will find a new normal when it comes to eating. I still enjoy food very much and I'm use to the new normal!

I was very lucky and I had it pretty easy after surgery! I walked as soon as I could and I sipped as much water as I could. That would be my advice to you.....walk and sip and walk and sip again and again!! I had my surgery on Friday and the two days later on Sunday I drove myself to church and I walked a mile with my Mom. Everyone is different, but think positive! You're doing something great for yourself! Good luck!