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Hey Bob...the weekends are your worst enemy...you need to stay busy.... Bezoar...sounds about right...Yak!! Russ

No more often than people that do not have WLS. Bob, your over active worry gene is getting the best of you buddy. You either need to dwell on the positives and have a little faith or you maybe you just aren't ready.  Are you looking fo a reason to not do this?

Joe,  It seems my over-analytical brain searches and then imagines every possible scenario, which is bad because I can go from A-Z and see all the good and bad and never get off the sidelines. I'm having surgery Monday, August 20th, and there's no doubt I'll be there because all the reasons why outnumber the few reasons to not have it.  I have to keep these things in front of me at all times or I'll lose sight of them through the possibility of imagined complications of the surgery. The real, pinch me live stuff, is killing me, i.e. diabetes (that 1 month of high blood sugar changed my eyes and prescription of my glasses, hypertension, puliminary function, weak joints, more and etc..Living my life as I do now, I fully expect death within 5 years. To be perfectly heart wrenching open honest with you and the guys, my biggest hurdle is to keep the real (co-morbidities) focused on and how the surgery will provide a tool that can reverse several of these and the imagined problems that are associated with WLS.  What amazes me that despite the post op problems that occurs with some people - they are still happy with the outcome of the surgery! Preparing my mind, body, and soul for surgery! BobM.

Bottom line, people who have WLS die at a rate of less than 0.7% over the following five years (and that includes surgery deaths).  People with identical starting weights/ages/morbidities who don't have surgery die at a rate of nearly 7%.  (I posted the full study a couple weeks back.) The rest is just window dressing.

Bob -  You are worrying yourself to death.   Like everything else in life, there can be negative consequences.  For ezample, driving to the store, you could be killed in a car accident.  Does that keep you a hermit and locked in the house - no.  The point is, you can find fault in anything.  In regards to the WLS, the positives (better lifestyle, being here in earth for another 30+ years, being there for your kids, health issues going away, etc, etc) outway the negatives. If you focus on those positives, you will be ok.  If you do as the Dr's say, you will be OK.  The issue of the food and eating what you need to do is going to be the hardest part.  One you get over the battle of the mind (the wanting to eat like you used to) all will be great. If you continue to focus on the negative possibilities, you will not show up fpr the surgery and as YOU said - might not be here to much longer. Everything will great.  Put it in Gods hands.

It's great to gather as much info as possible, however you need to really focus on what's important.  And your saying that you will be getting the surgery on the 20th shows you doing just that.  You know why you're doing this.  Does any of the extra information (some of it maybe not so positive) change anything about why you chose this path. We all knew going in that life would not be all roses.  There would be challenges. There would be ups and downs. (but wasn;'t that the case before??) This board has been a godsend for me.  As I go through each situation and can learn from those ahead of me it makes it easier.  I am not alone and I thank everone here for all the advice, questions, support, (hard love sometimes) etc. Hopefully I can return that favor in some way to those coming after me. Brian 

At 4 weeks out post op I haven't had a desire to eat hair.  Now, my cat seems to like it but so far I haven't cultivated a desire.  I've only had a little fiber since I am on liquids and soft foods.  Sounds like it could be common with both wls and non wls as far as the fiber goes.     Either way it must not be critical as my cat has been doing it for the last 12 years.    In this world anything can happen and that is not a negative thing.   Concentrate on the positive, close your eyes and see yourself after surgery with the wonderful weight loss and clearing up most of your other challenges.    Looking forward to your day. Mike

Hi Bob! I too worried about alot of things pre-op, but the truth is that without losing the weight my chances for something going wrong healthwise were alot higher.  If you think you have a shot at losing 150+ pounds without surgery then you're much stronger than I.

Bob,

Don't swallow those hairs! Ther're not good for the digestive system, even if they do make you feel full faster. (Holy hairballs, Batman!)

Dave