COLD FEET ....

Hey im sure everyone had cold feet before surgery but I think im driving my self crazy im 5'7 230 I hold my weight we'll so it dosent look like im big but I feel awful pcos, insulin resistance, stress incontinece, and I cant get preg.. All at the tender age of 21 .. I never really tried will all my heart to diet... Its kinda hard I think I have an addiction to food... I do it for a while loose and gain im sure we all had that problem ...Im just scared to death of dying I mean there is alot I havent done in life notyet.. I been smoking for many years a pack a day and I was told to stop 6 wks before surgery and im still smoking and surgery is in 17 days .... Any one have comments or suggestions or advice of any sort?

Hey Nicole we are so in the same boat with the exception of 100 pounds. I am also 5'7" but 330. I have been approved by my ins co,and have all my clearances except for the pulmonary clearance. HE put me on a C PAp machine for a month before he will clear me. I should get that final clearance on 4/8 and then i just need a surgery date. I too have been on the "am I doing the right thing" kick since last week when i got the approval call from my ins. I also have not quit smoking. I actually don't smoke much. 5-7 a day mon to Fri. I don't smoke on weekends. Only at work don't know why. Byut I haven't stopped if anything with all the aded pressure of thissurgery I havebeen smokonga bit more on somedays and I have cought myself bumming a smoke if I am out with friends on the weekends which I never didi before. Well best of luck to you drop me a line as we are in this boat together. We can lean on each other for support on the smoking thing I am actually going to by the gum this weekend. Hope to hear from you soon

aww.. im sorry to hear that u have to use the c pap... i heard that wasnt the easiest thing in the world to death with... yes we can definatly do this together

Hey Nicole, I had cold feet up until they put me out. I remember walking into the hospital and so wanting to turn around. I read your profile,seems like you're going through alot, give me a holla if u need anything! Aliya

Yes some or even most people have some doubts or cold feet before surgery. Perhaps you should consider contacting your surgeon and asking for a little more time. There should be no shame in making sure that this is what you want and that you REALLY want to take it on. This would give you time to get you head together as regards your conflicted feelings. Surgery is a LAST resort and you're saying that you are conflicted as to whether or not you've really done everything possible to lose weight and are terrified of dying. There are a LOT of adjustments to your life that you will HAVE to make as a result of having surgery. You will need to change the ENTIRE relationship you have with food, remembering that food is used for many things besides nourishment. It's used in social situations and many use it for emotional comfort, and many more reasons that I'm sure you can think of. Even when fully prepared and educated about the changes of wls, many will tell you that it was a big adjustment that they didn't realize would hit them so hard. There is VERY good reason why your doctor said you should quit 6 weeks before surgery. Smoking effects lung function, which will already be less than perfect because of anesthesia, which would make you much more susceptible to pneumonia. Plus smoking effects the healing of tissue. Not a good thing if you're having surgery. I'm not trying to frighten you, but to point out to you the importance of quitting the 6 weeks before surgery. Yes, people have smoked and lived through gastric bypass and other surgeries. If you decide to go ahead with the surgery despite not having quit for the 6 weeks AND your doctor will operate, at least tell the anesthesiologist, so they can give you appropriate care. I hope you don't feel that I've been hard on you or negative in any way. I had many of your same feelings, and took the time to explore and wait. I took several years and one last diet failure to come to the point of surgery. I had to come to the point of realizing that I was willing to risk dying and leaving my only child without a mom. I did it so that I could help myself to be a better mother to my son, and to have better health so that I could enjoy my family. I realized that "staying safe" with my obesity was teaching my son to not take any risks EVER. I taught my son how to be a morbidly obese person... I had surgery 19 months ago, and it's definitely been worth it for me. And now I'm trying to teach my son how to be a healthy person. This is difficult after the years I showed him how to be obese. Whatever you decide, I wish you the BEST!

irene aliya and bk thank you so much for ur responses so much .. i definatly will go through with the surgery i will just pray to the lord that he will keep me safe through this journey

Nicole, I know about cold feet. I am 14 days from surgery and my first and last thoughts everyday are on that day. I am 39 and for the first time I am completing a living will. SCARY but necessary. I am glad that this site exists and that others have been so honest with us. Just keep yourself connected to others. that always helps. Ana

believe me i know all about cold feet! i'm scheduled for surgery march 28th and for the first time i'm having second thoughts. my husband jeff had the surgery jan 30th and all was well except he had a perforated ulcer 5 weeks after surgery and had to go in for emergency surgery. very scary stuff, but the reason i'm telling you this is because i have been a smoker for many years and was told to quit before surgery. i cut back alot but still had one or two a day until my husband went in emergecy surgery for his ulcer. they say another complication of smoking with this procedure is ulcers and let me tell you i'm not taking that risk. so i'm done smoking and going for surgery in 9 days. best of luck to you i know you'll be fine jamie

jamie, hey how are you? how was ur husband after your emergency surgery? my friend had the surgery 7 weeks ago and she is doing wonderful. i was smoking a pack /pack and half a day and now i smoke a few a day like you.. so i hope i will be ok. good luck with ur surgery hopefully we can do this 2 gether since our surgery dates are so close to eachother

my husband is doing ok righ now. he had some bacteria in his blood so he is on heavy anti-biotics that make him feel very sick to his stomach. thankfully he only has 2 take them for 1 more day!!! he is tough and will be ok, but now he thinks maybe i should wait for my surgery, and not do it so quickly, so i'm very confused right now. i think i might need to sit down with a cigarette and think about this (lol), i wish but i have finally quit altogether. good luck with everything and keep in touch also glad everything went smoothly for your friend.