Scared!!!

 Ok, I am man enough to say that I am scared.. I am having my surgery on March 9th and started my liquid diet yesterday..  I have a fiance and two children and all I can think of is dying on the table or after the surgery...  I can not picture myself "skinny" so I am thinking it is not meant to be...  Has anyone had this issue or is it just me?  Thanks for everything fellas...

The panic before surgery is normal. I had it and nearly everyone else on the board here will tell you the same thing. Certainly there is the possibility of problems, however the percentage of real complications is really small. Keep you head on straight and have faith in the ability of your surgeon. It may be a good idea to focus on why you made the decision to have the surgery in the first place - was it to live long enough to really enjoy your kids? was it to regain the ability to do things you no longer can? Whatever it was,  the reason still exists. Keep focused. And don't let your imagination get the best of you.

Good luck. This will all work out well for you.

Kevin,

Dittos to what Ken posted.  

Don't go looking at the complications or failed surgery boards.

 Hey K, 

You would be ab-normal if you did not have any fear or concern about the surgery.  As Ken posted, I think everyone of us that have been down this path will tell you the same thing.  The other thing I know I tell others, and many will share this comment, is we wished we would have had the surgery sooner in life.

There is nothing easy about this choice and having surgery.  Yes, you will have some pain, you may also have some complications.  However, you can get through it.  Do what your Dr and the team tell you.  Do the pre-op diet and try to loose as much as you can pre-op.  It makes the entire process easier for your surgeon and you post-op.

Come back here often with you questions, concerns, and fears.  There is a "ton" of support here!

You will be in my thoughts and prayers as you proceed!  Mike

Hey man...Diet and exercise.  If you just tried it one more time...And I mean really hard this time!!  Been there.  I had my surgery done 4 1/2 years ago.  It was more untested back then...It had been around, but not totally proven.  There have been millions of the most common weightloss surgeries since then.
I woke up my wife about 3 am the night before surgery (I couldn't sleep a wink).  I asked her if I was doing the right thing.  She said "Yes...You have looked at it from all sides, prayed about it, worked hard to get this surgery...Yes, you are doing the right thing!!  Now get some sleep!!"  Still couldn't sleep a wink.  Am I glad I had it done...A hundred times yes.  We've been where you are at.  You'll also get the "WHAT HAVE I DONE TO MYSELF" a few days after surgery.  But if the surgery goes normal, each day should be better and better.  And as the pounds drop you can do more and more activities. 
We would be worried if you didn't think long and hard about this major step in your life.  Those who have, are usually the sucessful ones.  Now get some sleep...

If you look back a little over a month ago, I posted this exact same thing. The thread title was even the same . I can't tell you what's going to happen to you. I work in healthcare so I know things happen, but there are thousands of us posting on this site alone. I'm thinking we made it through, and if you researched and picked a great physician you will too.

By the way found out something awesome this week. I'm 7 pounds from the century mark since March. Freaking awesome. Feel great, hope to keep movin.

Most people go through so many feelings before surgery.  If you are concerned about how you are feeling put up a post.  You will most likely get several post to the effect "Yeah I felt that way too"

Another common feeling people have post op is "Oh **** what have I done?"  For me it was over in a couple of hours, I have spoken with people who this feeling lasted days.  Once it passes the response of my WLS friends has been "I wish I did this a long time ago"

I am almost three years post op my BMI is hanging around 25, my coworkers tell me I am skinny and I shouldn't lose any more weight.  I don't feel skinny, but at least I don't go to try on clothes anymore and look at the pants and think these will never fit and find out they are too big.  

Good Luck

Jim

As Ken and the others have said your fear is very normal. We've all done it.

But, on the positive side, I was very surprised at how well I felt after surgery. (Mine as laproscopic RNY and not a open RNY.) I went in for surgery on a Friday morning at 8:30 and was walking the halls by 1:00 p.m. the same day. I had very minimal pain and was released from the hospital on Saturday.

Spent a couple of days at home and then returned to work on Wednesday (5 days after surgery). I was sent home from the hospital with pain meds but used them.

Although I've lost over 90 lbs, I'm still not picturing myself as "skinny". I think there's still some mental adjusting I have to do before I shed my internal "fat" profile. But, one thing that is helping is seeing pictures of myself with the weight loss. Not quite the same as looking in a mirror.

I know you have a lot of doubts and concerns now. But, I can honestly say I wish I had done this years ago.

I felt the same way prior to my surgery day.... I continually asked myself what I was doing and if it was really worth it. After reading an article about bypass my mind was settled and I started to get excited.

If you look at the statistics, you are more likely to die from being obese and health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc.

People are scared to fly yet you have a higher probability of crashing on the way to the airport than you do of crashing in an airplane. Just be positive, work on that liquid diet and stay positive. Im only 12 days out and I feel good-yeah I had minor complications, but it was all worth it!

As for pain-I didnt have much at all. The only reason I took my pain medication was because I was bored because of being at home all the time after surgery....

Again, stay positive and be ready for your new life.

Hey, its only natural to be scared.  I admit that I was but I had done all of my homework, followed my diet plan before surgery, lost the weight that my surgeon wanted.  Attended pre-op education classes so I knew what to expect before and after surgery.  Read these forums and educated myself even more.  And you know what, the day of my surgery (13 days ago) I felt great and I knew that I was doing the best thing in the world for me and my family (I have a wife and two girls 6&8).  I was not nervous and very excited the day of surgery.  Funny story, as I was laying in the room waiting to be wheeled into surgery the fellow came around and asked me if I was nervous and I was like No, I'm really not.  He gave me a double take and questioned me "you are not nervous?"  I was like no, should I be?  He just said that it was normal to be nervous.  I explained that I had done all of my homework, felt I was in good hands should complications arise and was ready to see him on the other side.   So, just be comforted in that we all are nervous and that these surgeries are becoming more and more commonplace and that the surgeons are more able to deal with any complication then they ever have.  Good Luck and Enjoy the ride.  BTW, in the 13 days since surgery I have lost 20 lbs.  Amazing...