Starting to get cold feet

I'm pre-op and nearing the end of my assessment stage (and therefore nearing the time I get a surgery date). Throughout this process I have had bouts of anxiety where I sometimes feel overwhelmed by all of this information I'm trying to absorb, changes I'm making, and the occasional feeling like I'm not going to succeed. I mean, part of the requirement for surgery is to have failed a zillion diet plans. So, if I failed those, why would I succeed now?

anyway, just curious if anyone else got cold feet beforehand? I'm telling myself to suck it up and stop being a baby. I have started going to support group meetings at my medical centre. Getting support from real, live people will help (I think).

Most of us have had those feelings and of course it is normal.  This is a major surgery not to be taken lightly.  Heck, I was ready to walk out of pre-op when they were running a little late!  Thankfully they gave me something to relax a little to make it to the surgery.  It is so worth it.  I feel so much better and able to  do so much more. 

Perfectly normal to get nervous -- you're so close, and it hits you in the face that you are physically altering your body; and this is major surgery; and you're not going to be able the way you've eaten all your life.  Perfectly normal.  But if you've been reading the boards here for any length of time, you've seen again and again people commenting that they would do it all again and their life is so much better.  Your life is going to improve greatly!!  Do a search about NSVs and see how life changes in small ways and big ways.

Hang tight - it's almost time!!  It's so great on "the Losers' Bench!!"

Mary

Totally, its completely normal to get cold feet.  There are so many things going on, you are putting all of your eggs into one basket and hoping for the best.  Just keep in mind some basics.

This is a tool.  It is not a diet.  It is not a solution.  It is a tool.  It is there to help you with the diets and other solutions.  It is there to make sure the diets you go on actually do work and you don't fail.  After you have the tool your doctor puts you on a diet and that is the diet you live with for the rest of your life.  The tool works best for the first 18 months of its life, then slowly decreases in effectiveness yet still has some usefulness in the long run. 

Prepare yourself for the diet you are going to go on again.  And be positive in the thought that THIS TIME you will have the ultimate tool to make that diet succeed.  No more failures.  This time you will reach goal.

I know what you are feeling.  It is the same for me.  I am pre-op.  My second surgical visit will be on 7/17.  When I am doing well on my pre-op diet, I think why would I want to have the surgery.  Then I eat bad foods for a meal or a day and I think I will fail after the honeymoon period.  BUT, what we are learning now, is how to get back on track, after days that are only 60-75% successful.  That is an important step. When I read how others have to watch and log their food for life, or periodically, I know I will be able to handle the rest of my life.  I will have to weigh daily (even when I am not 100%) so I can see the weight climb and stop the bad habits.  I will have to take vitamins for life, and I will have to step on the scale everyday (for me).  In my  binder from the hospital, we were given a list of several books to read.  One that I especially liked was "Becks Diet for Life"  It is a book about cognitive behavioral changes.  It goes step by step on how to prepare for events, how to reward yourself when you are doing well, and how to stop binges.  I found the book very helpful.  I find reading the daily food logs of people on OH very helpful.  I see that I will have to give up food for comfort.  In the book, one saying is: I will either have to deprive myself of this particular food, OR, I will deprive myself of feeling and looking great.  Good Luck, and I'll see you on the Loser's side.

Whew!  Good thing you are normal.  Great words of wisdom from everyone.  You are going to be fine and joining a support group is a terrific idea.

I must be the rare one. My only fear would be that they cancelled . I was soooo mentally ready. It's a big decision 

Same as Kathy.  I kept thinking something would go wrong in pre-op and I'd be canceled.  I couldn't WAIT for surgery.  Good luck!

My only fear was that my liver didn't shrink enough and they would close me up and not perform the surgery.

I was ready to start my path to a better, healthier existence.  I did have some "WTF did I do" moments a few days after surgery.  Ultimately this was the best decision I made and I couldn't be happier with my VSG.

Kathy---I was the same way. *lol* They kept asking me in prep--"Are you nervous? Are you nervous?" I told them, "Well, if you keep asking me that stupid question I will be! Let's get this show on the road!"