I'm beginning to have doubts

Okay, I'm scared ****less!  There, I've said it! I keep thinking - 5-10 years down the road, the malapsortion of vitamins and minerals can't be good, your stomach bypassed not being flushed with food and water regularly can't be good.   Then I talk myself through it only to read this woman's profile:  http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/daniellehny/   This woman is 5 years out, she's 34 years old and does everything right and she looks awesome..but...now something's wrong....I'm really scared. Maybe I can do this on my own, change my eating pattern on my own, fall from 377 to 277 and be happy. Starting my liquids Monday....then surgery, once you've done it - you can't back out...,I'm scared!

How long have you been trying to correct your weight and where are you now? Will you be alive in 5-10 years without this surgery?  I would not have been. I am healthier now because of surgery than I have been since I was 20. Would you like a chance at that?? Buck up Bob,  you are going to be OK and its going to be OK.  You are doing the right thing. Did you get a calmness after praying about doing this?  Hold on to that and rember that you have that confirmation. Don't quit on yourself and those that want you to stick around a while longer. Think of the example you can be to your congregation, your wife and kids, and friends. Reflect on the success me and sooo many others have had on the men's board. That can be you too,  but it won't be if you quit. You've worked too hard, endured too much, and come too far to quit. If you stop where yuo are, what has happened every time yuo've lost significant weight in the past/ Are you where you want tp be now?   Do you want the opportunity to lose 100+ pounds in the next 6 months? It helped me to keep looking at those befpore and after pictures and reading others profile pages to keep myself motivated that it could be me too. Now it is me and I could not be happier and healthier than I could have imagined in my wildest dreams. It can be you too Bob. But you have to go through with it have the new life. Your friend, Joe

Okay Bob, take a deep breath and relax.  We all go thru doubts and fears. No I haven't check out that link and probably won't. There are some horror stories out there. Yes people do die from this, I could have and you may but lets be realistic. How many people have had the surgery and how many have died? Problems, hey look at Dxe, I can't imagine going thru what he did and look at him now. As for doing it on your own, no offense but I doubt it. If we could we wouldn't be on this forum, right? I know each of us is different and so is our surgical experience but for me, it was a breeze. I only wish I had done it sooner. So hang in there and be assured there are alot of us thinking of you, praying for you and most important, here to support you. God Bless, Don

Be sure to read ChuckNut's SURGERY ROCKS!!!!!  post and take it just as seriously.

Bob, I think that being scared is a normal emotion pre-op, but it doesn't mean that you are doing the wrong thing. I read the site you gave, and in my humble opinion, she may have other issues besides weight. She says she is tired all the time - well her BMI is 19.3 but she says she still sees fat when she looks in the mirror. I am not being critical of her - everyone deals with their own issues. But don't get too worried about her experience. just my 2 cents worth. Joe

Whenever you have a malabsorbtion surgery, it means that you are making a commitment for the REST OF YOUR LIFE...never to stop taking your daily suppliments several times a day, to always get in your protein, , and never to go more then a year without blood work to check your vitamin levels.  IT IS A HUGE COMMIMTENT....and it is something to take into consideration  before you have WLS. I woudln't feel pressured into have WLS...if you don't feel ready, cancel surgery and reschedule it for another time. But know at  477...your quality of life will be crap...I know I wasa there....and thank GOD daily that I'm not there anymore.   good luck in your decision.  Scott

Bob this may be below the belt BUT thats what you need right now.  Look at the kids, imagine all the things you could do with them if you could walk further, play on the ground with them, kick, throw a ball and just run around and chase after them.  Fast forwrd 20 years when your son needs some fatherly advice because hes about to make a career change or life altering decision. When you Daughter meets Mr right and needs your approval, will you be here if you don't do the surgery? Who will walk her down the aisle and give her away ? who will raise yourt grandkids ? Will they know their Gramps if  you don't have the surgery?  I have asked myself those very questions we are in similar positions in life as far as age and family, the kids are the reason for getting healthy, if not yourself you owe it to them.  Do you want them to have a STEPFATHER? sorry Brother, had to do it

Hi Bob,

Just do it. You probably won't have any of those physical problems. I can't see that malabsortption is harming all but a few (who knows what they're really eating?).

I was 280 when I started and I wanted to be thin so bad I did it.

If you weigh 477, your odds of being alive very long won't be good.

Don't worry, you'll be fine.

Dave

 

There's alot of doubting just before the surgery because it's so permenant.  After surgery you'll realize that you did a good thing. Believe me!  I was in your shoes thinking the same thing.

Bob, I had my surgery in April of 2004. Check this out... I am almost 40 years old, and had this RNY surgery in April, 2004. When I was in the hospital, they drew bloodwork, and I had the following results... Cholesterol --- 240 Triglycerides --- 185 HDL Cholesterol --- 19 LDL Cholesterol --- 210 Blood pressure was 155/102 Pretty bad, and I was refusing medications. I just got my recent results.. Blood Pressure 115/75 (wow) Cholesterol --- 160 Triglycerides --- 53 (double wow) HDL Cholesterol --- 55 (triple wow) LDL Cholesterol --- 94 (quadruple wow) HDL is also linked to exercise, pretty funny as I loathe exercise. I am active, perhaps that is enough exercise? All I take a day is one Centrum, and Sublingual B complex sublingual once weekly. I stopped my calcium 1 month out, as it is obvious that I am absorbing my minerals/vitamins. I also stopped my pepcid 3 days after I was home from the hospital, as I have never had an ulcer so why would I start now? So not everyone has crappy labs at 3+1/2 years out, and I am far from a compliant patient.