RNY tomorrow morning and scared!!

Hello Everyone, this is only the second time I have posted but I have been "lurking" for YEARS. My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning! I am really scared and even doubting my decision, even though it is one that I have been researching and wanting for a very long time. I am 55 yrs old, my BMI is 43, and I have sleep apnea. I am not so worried about the surgery itself, or the pain. Mostly I am worried about the changes after surgery. I just can't imagine what this is going to be like! Do you feel hungry and miserable, or are you satisfied with the small portions?  I have anxiety disorder, and I guess my biggest concern is just the loss of control and my "what if" thinking is making me crazy at the moment!  I would really appreciate some reassurance from post-ops!  Was anyone else really scared, but it turned out OK?

Janet....we were all scared as the date got closer.....at least most people have had those fears.

Your eating will change.....however you will just fill up more quickly and won't be able to pig out like we all have!! That is what we want right? You have been researching this for a long time.

Remember "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" !!

You will be able to eat most of the things you love just in much smaller quanties. I am sooooo happy now.....my world doesn't revolve around food anymore. I am so much healthier and have so much morer energy. I would do this over in a heartbeat!! WLS has saved my life!!!

I wish you the very best on your surgery tomorrow. If the Lord has brought you to it he will see you through it!!

Hugs, connie d

Connie, thank you so much for your quick reply and re-assurance! I very much appreciate it. When you eat the smaller quantities, do you feel full and satisfied? Or, are you still hungry but can't physically eat more? It is just so hard for me to imagine what it will feel like.

I am certainly satisfied and too often I am full.  I have to learn to stop at satisfied.  To do that, I need to measure out my portions better and stop when I am done.  I do have to eat more often (every 3 hours or so), but small portions.  Never have I been physically hungry, but unable to eat any more.  The worst, I think, is resorting to something I always did that got me to the stage where I needed WLS.  I eat until I am full, but then I see there is just a little bit left, why put it in the fridge when I can fini**** now.  Now that little bit is an entire meal, so it should be saved for later. 

I find I do have to watch how often I cook, because leftovers start cluttering the fridge.  I have gotten adjust to eating, for example, meat loaf for lunch and supper today and tomorrow.  Then cook something else for the next day.

Best of luck on your surgery.  Remember, we are just a keystroke away.

Janet:

It's all right to be scared. It is surgery, after all, and lots can happen in any kind of surgery. But when I had my surgery, I was so ready for it. I was tired of being obese. I had been fat all my life ... as a child, teen and then an adult. I had pigged out so much. I really didn't like the person I was. I was lonely and unhappy. I was in pain, out of breath, didn't really enjoy life at all. It's funny because I once told a coworker I would never have weight loss surgery because I enjoyed food too much. Well, you know what? I still enjoy food, just smaller quantities of it. And there are so many other things I can enjoy too. If my knees would ever improve (I had knee replacement surgery last year that hasn't worked out), I would be able to walk a lot better and much longer. I have the love of these wonderful people on this board ... I was so lucky to find them. I like myself now ... I didn't really like myself before. I think these are positive changes.

Do I feel hungry? Yes, when I should feel hungry, like normal people feel hungry. I eat smaller portions of good, healthy food. Occasionally, I can have some goodies ... small portions ... like cake or ice cream ... but some people can't tolerate those and early on, you shouldn't eat them at all, until you know what you can handle. Your body tells you what you can tolerate very quickly.

The day I went into surgery, I saw my doctor and he said, "Are you ready?" And I said, "Let's do it." It was the best decision I've ever made. I can't say that about the knee surgery. I wasn't scared at all. I'm not really religious, but I thought, I'm putting my faith in God, that God gave my doctor his talents, and that talent was going to change my life, and it did. And if something went wrong, well, that was meant to be.

Eileen, thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts! It was great to hear that you don't regret your decision.

I was very scared about the surgery to the point of almost calling it off when I was in the waiting room at the hospital.  Now almost exactly a year later I'm glad I went ahead with the whole thing.  It hasn't been a "perfect" experience, but all in all, one of the best things I've ever done for myself.  I am down 162 lbs. with 21 lbs to go for my goal..  I was 55 when I had my RNY and haven't been this size since my 20's!
  Although I do get hungry(about every 3 hours for me) I am definately satisfied with small portions.  I don't feel deprived, though I'm not sure I would have said that right after surgery!  It takes time to get used to the whole thing.
  Good luck to you tomorrow and may the angels watch over you.
                                  Bonnie

Bonnie, thank you for your reply! That is just how I feel, like I am going to call it off. it is very reassuring to hear that you went through with it and have done so well.

May I ask, how long did it take before you could drink water "normally", i.e. more than 2 oz. every 15 minutes? I think that my biggest fear is not being able to drink water.

It didn't take long before I could get in more water which was a problem at first.  Maybe 3-4 weeks po I could get all my water in, but it took longer than that to get enough protein in.  Be patient with yourself, you are going to do great!
                              Bonnie

i guess i am the only one that wasn't worried or scared with having WLS...i wanted it so bad i didn't have a worried thought in the world!!! my only regret is i didn't have it sooner!!! life is soooo much better now that i had WLS!!! it will be 2 years next month and i only wish i hadn't fallen off the wagon and got to goal...i did reach MY goal of being under 200 pounds again...i am stuck at 190 and hoefully after we move next week i will get back on track and lose more!!!

wishing you the best of luck tomorrow and know we will be praying that you have a safe surgery and a speedy recovery!!! remember to take your chapstick along for after surgery and also remember to sip sip sip and walk walk walk....can't wait to hear from you when you get home!!

HUGS