Pre-Admission Testing Complete --- Yikes! It is actually gonna happen

I spent the bulk of my day at the hospital doing all my pre-admission paperwork and testing (labs, x-ray, & EKG.)  All are fine.  Phew!

I'm not anxious about the surgery itself,  I have a great surgeon and I trust that he will do his job well.  

I'm suffering from self doubt that I'm trying to smother
   1.  What if it doesn't work for me?
   2.  I've failed other attempts, can I really do this
   3.  Can I handle life post-op?

My surgeon was great.  He said, "You can do this.  Your new tool will help you change your behaviors."

I'm practicing positive self-talk and I have all of you for inspiration.  I've done many hard things in my life.  I can do this!

Kay

Rock on, Kay. Your surgeon and you hit it right on the head though...it's all about changing your behavior. If you (not just you, other folks reading this as well) go into this thinking the tool will do it all for you forever, think again. The good news is, LWs have a better chance at losing down to normal BMI than higher BMIs. The trick will be staying the course, within reason, to keep the weight off. I have every reason to believe you can do this! You are smart and determined, babeee! 

--gina

  

Yep , i second what Major Mom says , Kay . U CAN do it ...but it means a SIGNIFICANT behavior change and a real change in your attitude towards food n exercise ....

Its almost like we get a miraculous CHANCE to unburden ourselves of the prison of fat were trapped in .... but if were not ready to use food solely as fuel .. if were still playing games and feeling entitled to eat a lot and not wear the evidence ... were kidding ourselves that the recovery's going to last .

I don't think i could HANDLE regain . I cant handle unhappiness anymore either .... so kicking and screaming ... im HAVING to recover from my food addiction and compulsive overeating ...

Kay,
I know that I wondered those same things.  I read and studied for so long before I had surgery that I really felt this would be different from all the other "diets" that I had been on.    You can do this!!  Your surgeon is right, your tool will help you so much at the beginning be sure to follow your surgeon's guidelines. 

As time goes by you can make bad choices - my advise is not to tempt yourself.  Don't try that one cookie early out.  Use the beginning and the fastest weight loss phase the best you can.  Try to get to your goal and then work on your maintenance, that is when you can add back some things to make you feel more normal, but only if you can handle them.  There are some foods I just can't be around.

Stay with your support group either here or in person.  It is so important to have support from people who have been where you are and can help you.  Post op life is not that hard, it helps to get on a schedule and try and keep it.  I do better during the week than on the weekends.

Hang in there and let us know if we can help you.

Linda 

Hi Kay,

WLS really does give us the tool to change our behaviour.  Especially the first several months, you can't cheat or it will not be comfortable.  You probably won't be hungry and won't want to cheat so you will find such a big difference from regular diets. 

You can do it!

Congrats Kay!
I also had the same questions. Which lead me to have a few sessions with pysch. It gave me some good insight to my behavior, and why I eat.
This tool is a gift, and I am learning everyday. I am doing it and you will too!
You go girl!
Maria