Scared and excited!!!!

Surgery on Tues and have been pretty calm about it but now it seems so real (cause it is!). I am prepared, a bit worried about pain and post op but generally mostly scared about giving up the food. I know the benefits, have seen them(especially on this site) but just a bit anxious. This site is great and everyones words of encouragement are incredible. As soon as I can figure out how to post a pic, I will. One more day and Im off to Atlantic City for the procedure.

hi wendy dont be scared, you are taking a wonderful and exciting step to a new life!!! i had my procedure 10 months ago, and i have lost 110 pounds in that time, and i feel wonderful!!!!! you wont even want food in the beginning, and by the time you start feeling hungry again, you will have time to work on new and better food habits. you are on a great journey, have faith hon, and we are all here for you hugs, jacki

Hi Wendy, I am in the same boat.  In fact that is why I am replying to a post at 1 in the morning I tried sleeping but last minute thoughts, etc are preventing me from sleeping.  I see we have the same surgeon.  I am RNY on Wednesday in Atlantic City as well.  Were we in Boot Camp together?  Anyway keep the faith and I will pray for you.  Dee

I complately understand what you are going through. I had my surgery on March 6 (down 56.5lbs so far). For about a week before surgery I was driving myself crazy with worry. It got so bad that on the morning of surgrey, they had to give me a seditive before the anestesia because I wsa so stressed. I thought that I would REALLY miss some of my favorite foods. So far I really haven't missed anything. The mental hunger is worse than the actual hunger. I don't get hungery, so unless I smell something, or force myself, I don't normally think about the food. When I do smell something that smells good and get a craving I will either let myself have A bite (if it is something that fits into the diet), or I modify it so I can have it. One example is someone at work ordered the best looking chicken parm I have ever seen, but it was breaded and fried....so, I grilled a chicken breast, put some sauce on it, a little bit of low fat cheese, and put it under the broiler, and had a really good dinner. There are ways around most cravings. But, like I said, I only crave if I smell or see something. I am sure that everything will work out, just take a deep breathe and remember, you are getting one of the best tools anyone could ask for, you just have to use the tool.

I obsessed over this surgery until I am sure my friends and family were sick of hearing me. Every time I went around with it in my head from "why can't  you just go on another diet?/ This is so drastic" to  the realization that  my problem started at age 9 and had only gotten worse over the next 40+ years.  I reminded myself I was doing this for health reasons and would add years to my life- quality years. I think you hit in on the head when you said it was about giving up the food. In the midst of all my indecision, my friend who had had bypass surgery a year ago pointed that out to me. You are wise to have figured that out yourself. As you can see from the message boards, people here eat a variety of foods, and speaking only for myself,  I have not felt deprived at all. Ultimately you are not giving up food- just developing a normal- relationship with it. Feeling full has felt like a monkey is off my back. I still love food- always will- but the obsession with it has been dimished to a place where I feel good.  No regrets.