I think I'm sabotaging my upcoming surgery

hey! I just wanted to know if anyone who was about to get the surgery... if your mind is getting the best of you?. Because I have about 5 more pounds to lose and I feel like my mind is corrupting my movrivation. I was all about my protein shakes and my diet. And now I feel like because of my fears of this surgery (loose skin, hair loss, etc) I'm just eating whatever. My next appt to check weight is in two weeks. I feel like I gained instead of lost any. I wish my mind would just let me rest and let me get back on the ball. I just feel like disgusted with myself that I'm allowing myself to destroy the one thing that will technically be beneficial for me.

Can someone help me... or maybe can relate?.

Good luck! I was lucky, didn't have to lose for insurance, & only 2 day pre-op liquid diet. I wasn't sabotaging myself, I viewed it as a last goodbye to my good friends. & my mind was in a good place for surgery. Maybe make agreement with yourself that you'll enjoy 1 last food, & then right back on track. You can do it! It's so worth it! Keep reminding yourself of all the benefits you want from the surgery.

Therapy is always a big suggestion in cases like this. However that might not be an option for you though I personally think it's great. Have you tried finding your way to relax that's not food related? A walk, meditation, listening to music? My way to get my mind off of food when my head is bad is video games. Find that thing that will keep your head busy.

I was far from confident going into surgery. I didn't have a thought about skin or hair at the time... I worried about dying on the table, and not actually losing weight. Either way it is all very real.

I remember this one weekend I did a lot of soul searching- was I really doing this? I read this random woman's WLS blog and something on there just made it click. I was still afraid, but had resolve I was doing it. I also made a decision that if I was going to go this crazy thing I was going to make it my job.

It is really in our brains.... therapy, soul searching... whatever it takes. That is part of why I stay on here I need my brain and thinking challenged regularly.

Hi,

I did not have to lose any weight due to insurance but my surgeon wanted me to lose as much as possible for safety reasons during the surgery. I know it seems silly that they ask for us to lose weight, but that's the whole reason we're getting the surgery, because we can't! I understand the safety of it though and you do want them to be as safe as possible.

I stopped eating sweets, cut out the soda and ate salads, watched my portions and the weight came off. I lost 20lbs prior to surgery.

You do get weighed the day of surgery, at least my surgeon did and I was scared I put on weight because I had a small chicken parm sub a couple days before as my last hurrah meal! but I was down 4 more lbs. I wouldn't suggest doing that though, I was scared ****less that he would cancel my surgery.

It definitely is your mind playing tricks on you. Think about it.. The hair loss? Your hair will grow back and some people do not even lose a lot!! The excess skin? Everyone's skin is different. I see some people who look amazing even with excess skin, so should those things prevent you from losing weight and feeling healthy and great?

Just try your best. Don't binge eat. You must be serious about this surgery because you've come this far with only needing 5 more lbs to lose. You can do it!!

I can absolutely understand your anxiety, but I want to warn you-- if you don't get your worry under check, you will fail your surgery. If you feel like giving up at any point post-op, you can STILL "eat whatever." Reaching goal takes hard work and full commitment; this is why a lot of people on OH seek therapy to help deal with the emotional side of surgery.

If you think you've gained, you need to step on the scale and check ASAP, and stop it now. It would really suck to delay surgery or be disqualified.

I did this too. I had my final labs and testing the week before Thanksgiving (11/16)and then they just told me to be good and they would see me on my surgery date 11/28. So for 12 days I just acted like I was done with preop and prep and I don't know what happened to me. I ate whatever I wanted and gained 3 pounds. I also smoked a cig or two and chewed nicotine gum. Even though it was hell to quit smoking 3 months earlier. I still had my surgery and they didn't test for nicotine again. ( I did straighten up in time to do a 3-day liquid fast preop) After surgery, I am fine and motivated to do everything right. So I don't really have any advice just can say yeah I get it. I did it too. The thing that got me in shape to do the 3-day liquid was imagining telling everyone that they canceled my surgery and starting over again.