Scheduled for surgery with Dr Ungson end of the month!
It has been 2 months since I seriously started looking into the DS in Mexico, I have been on several boards and concluded that Dr Ungson is the safest bet in Mexico. The decision process was difficult, trying to figure out who was just trying to sell me a surgery and get their commission and who was actually offering me a good and safe option. It was stressful deciding and then convincing my DH but once I schedule I felt such relief. As time gets closer though I am starting to panic once again. I am realizing this fear might actually stop me from getting the procedure I sorely need.
I am back to reading board daily and desperately trying to get back into the mindset of excitement and eagerness for my surgery date to get here.
Any advice on how to deal with the mental aspects before surgery?
DSer to be. Dr Gilberto Ungson Feb 2015.
Congratulations!!!
Reading these boards helped me before the surgery and actually still helps me now that I am six months out.
I remember reading a long time ago that "Action fights fear." And so when I started to get stressed, doing something physical helped. If it was late at night or not possible for whatever reason, I dove into the question of what and where would I buy for my new wardrobe when the time was right. If you knew me, this would surprise you. I am not a girley girl and growing up fat has left me with the ridged uniform of stretch black pants and generally some solid color shirt, maybe red if I was in a daring mood. But I figured that if I was having the surgery to change things then it would be better to think my new wardrobe through. And since I had no idea about any of it, it was a safe enough topic to stress about pre-surgery. Close enough to my core worries to keep me from living in denial, but far enough away and fun enough that it did release a little of the pressure.
I also spent hours pinning on pinterest all thing bariatric and protein and low carb. Some of that was just confusing though. Since the recommendations for the different types of bariatric surgeries are opposites, if people don't mention which surgery they are talking about, you have to research if they apply to you or not. But doing that research is a good way to own your life, so it was a good thing in the end. This was mindless enough but helped me feel like I had a lot of information if I needed it.
There was one afternoon I dove into the bad statistics. The odds of death are extremely low and I figured everything else I would just deal with, just like I dealt with my fat comorbidities. I don't know if that helped or not. I think better to have somebody you trust do it for you and then they can bottom line it for you.
I don't think I was ever as prepare for a trip as I was for my surgery trip. Again, hours and hours researching helped calm me down.
I would boost my protein levels to over a hundred your last month and also get on a good supplement routine. If you can talk your doctor into a pre-surgery suite of blood tests that would be helpful. It is recommended by the ASMBS. "Studies have found that 60–80% of morbidly obese preoperative candidates have defects in vitamin [levels]." http://asmbs.org/resources/integrated-health-nutritional-guidelines is not a bad place to dig in.
Good luck! Feel free to ping me if you need to talk.
August 2014 - DS @ Mexicali Bariatric Center / Ungson.
It took me one and a half years to lose 165 pounds.
Weight: High=314, Goal=155, Current=131
