Terrified Pre-Op Newbie

Thank you bluebags for your support and encouragement.

I'm so glad I found this site.  It truly makes me believe that maybe, just maybe, I can do this.

-Angel

Welcome winchester what jagxclusive said is good advise I think in some ways we all fool ourselves we could get the weight down if we tried harder maybe we can but would it stay off in my case NO.
Should you be worried about the op yes all operations should only be taken after a lot of research and advise.  The Dr is number one and a lot of info is here onsite.  Is this op problem free no it ain't as your Dr must have explained it can go wrong but thank god it goes right most of the time mine went without a hitch.  The time spent in hosp varies from Dr to Dr I was only in for 2 nights including the night of the op but full recovery at home you need at least 2 weeks and longer if you have a strenuous job.  Don't be afraid of hospital if the Dr operates there they have to be trained for our operation.

For those unorganised it isn't that bad I did a lot of prep but hardly used any of it I mostly used shop bought yougurt custard and fresh soups from Woolies if you have one of those hand held blender sticks then you'll be fine they can puree with no trouble just get a large carton of stock to water soup down.  Opti or another brand is fine also again best if blended with ice to make frappe and remember post op 1 packet will last around 3 meals.  Yes believe it or not you really don't eat hardly anything and you aren't hungry.  The head hunger is something to get on top of it does interfere with your success but with counseling it can be helped many people are plagued by it but if you want to lose hard enough you can stop yourself.

The forever part yes a tough one especially for the young. But having said that to be absolutely hard nosed if you have been plagued by weight issues since youth they will only get worse with age so if this op means you have no choice but to stick with small meals so be it.  I was a skinny young person but once weight problems started in my late 30s I just couldn't control them so I think whether young or old the long term benefits outweigh the down sides.  Yes I lament the loss of lollies deserts larger meals but I revel in the weight already lost.

Good luck and do enjoy some pre xmas Celebrations as Xmas itself will be slim pickings but 2014 should be much better.

Thankyou so much for your thoughtful response jagxclusive. :)  It really does make a difference knowing that what I'm going through is exactly the same as others.  I'm also terribly unorganised and it's one of the things which worries me about the eating afterwards thing.

The other thing that is kind of freaking me out is that this is a "forever" thing and those decisions are always the hardest.  It would be so easy to go "oh - I could get the lap band and then if it doesn't work it's no biggie".  But I know that this is what is being recommended for me by those who should know, and that if there is an easy "out" it's far more possible that I will take it. :(

I have, on your advice, posted in the December sleevers thread in the monthly section, so I'm sure I will get to know people who are where I am at, but in some ways it's just as important to see people like you who have both been there and done that as well as, most importantly, survived to tell the tale! :)

Welcome, Winchester. I think what you feel is what we go through. When I was on the opti shakes I thought, gee, I can do this, I am losingweight and I don't think I need the operation.... but then I got sick and my operations was delayed... do you think I could stay on the opti any longer??!!!! I put on 3 kilos of the 10 I had lost... and proved to myself that really, I could not do this alone. I looked at all the times I had tried, all my life, having lost quite significant amounts and hating everyday of dieting. I weighed up the pro's and con's of the sleeve, was prepared for the worst and hoped for the best. Waiting for my head to be in the right space for losing weight (again) simply wasn't going to happen. So I guess it's working the food issues from the inside out. I miss the comforts of food and all what goes with it, but I don't miss the misery of escalating weight problems. I am the most unorganized person, and somehow I have managed to scramble through with liquid diet (tinned and bought and opti shakes) and trying to get through the puree stage now. Looking at others I should be back a a fairly good diet again in a few weeks, and the one thing for sure is that the time will pass. As for the op itself, when I first had a shower I forgot I even had wound cuts and happily scrubbed at my tummy til the bandages made me stop! The first few days are not pleasant, but getting home and every day since has been better and better.
Have you checked the sleever monthly section and put yourself in the december one. There will be lots of ppl at the same stage as you to share with. All the best.

Hi guys,

I'm booked for my surgery on 28th December and I'm very very scared.  I keep thinking that maybe I should try other options yet again or that perhaps I didn't try hard enough before.  Even though I know it's not true and that the Docs all believe this is the way forward for me.

I don't like hospitals and am scared of being operated on.  I'm also very nervous about how I'm going to cope afterwards with my eating.  About how much things are gonna change for me and all the adjustments I'll have to make.

I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for here.  Don't get me wrong, I can see all the benefits that will come with it and how my health will improve etc.  I just really really don't like the idea of surgery (of any kind) and hospitals.

Sorry to rant, and sorry this isn't the best introduction, but I'm very glad to be here. :(