fatchocobomom

So I meet the surgeon today. I'm nervous for some reason. I'm not really sure what the appointment is though. General meeting? A time to ask questions? Assessment? At this time, my appointment for psych eval, and with the nutritionist is not until the end of the month, and I'm still waiting for the endoscopy appointment. I have a follow up with the nurse practitioner at the end of January, where I get weighed and see if I've made that 12 lb loss to get a date for surgery. I'm really hoping he tells me what the pre-op diet is, even if it doesn't start under just before surgery. I also don't have a long list of questions to ask if I get a chance to ask him. I feel unprepared for this appointment, lol.

My husband had one last year (or the year before that, I can't remember the date.) His dad drove him home, the procedure was short. He came home and vomited, and then slept the rest of the morning. Doesn't remember coming home or the procedure, only that his throat was sore. I'm currently waiting to hear when my appointment is, and atm, I'm more terrified of this than surgery. (Months till surgery... No reason to worry yet!) I don't really like being knocked out... But I also had a friend who did it awake. Just some xanax and a throat spray...she went out to lunch after. So it can't be that bad, right?

I'm starting at 223, have to lose 12lbs to get approval, so around surgery time I should be around the 210 (or less) mark.

Herkimer, NY...an hour from Albany, an hour from Syracuse- right in the middle, lol. Grew up in Rochester, lived in Buffalo (and miss it!!) Getting my surgery done in Cooperstown.

So this is my first post. I've been researching and contemplating bariatric surgery for a few years now, but it's only recently that I decided to put my foot on the road and start the journey. A little background: I'm a 38 year old woman, 3 kids, and husband, cat mom (hoping to bring in a dog soon too, hehe) I've been overweight all my life. All 3 pregnancies were with gestational diabetes, but I managed without meds, and that has been the only time I've ever lost significant weight. Actually, prior to my first pregnancy, I cut out soda, and stopped relying on hamburger helper/boxed meals for dinner, and went from 255 to about 230. My weight over the years has fluctuated between 200 to 230. My biggest problem now is diabetes. I was diagnosed with type 2 a few years back. I'm on metformin, which my body doesn't handle well. In 2015, I lost my mother, who was over 300lbs and had diabetes to complications from diabetes. It has really scared me, enough that I've had anxiety issues since, and what's really pushing me to find a way to lose weight. After all my research, I'm aiming for the sleeve. I've been to my program's orientation, and met with the Nurse Practitioner. I now have loads of appointments, and a goal of losing 12 lbs by January 24. It feels like a lot, only because my timing is poor and I'm doing all this through the Christmas season. While I'd like surgery in March, I'm actually thinking May would be better since my older kids would still be in school, but my husband would be home (he's a professor) so that he can take care of my 3 year old. I could try to time it right so that it happened over his spring break too, but that's going to take the stars aligning just right, lol. Anyways, I feel like I'm taking on a whole bunch of stuff at once, and I'm not sure how to handle it all. My husband is a good man, who listens, but as he says "I'm not a therapist and other than listening, I'm not sure how to help you." I've got an appointment with a therapist, but not until January, so I'm on my own. So I guess here's my questions...how do you keep focused? I have little direction at this point, and find my confidence wavering. It's always a stressful time of year for me, and while I realize that I have to change how I handle stress, I feel a bit "thrown into the fire" by doing all this now and not say...next month, when I'd have more time to learn more ways to deal with everything. (Another back story, December goes like this: Christmas Eve, Christmas, my oldest' birthday, my youngest birthday, and 10 days later but within the 12 Days of Christmas, my middle child's birthday.) I find the site here too big so I'm not sure where to read in order to get more positive stories and other helpful information. I read a few books, but I guess I'm not ready to invest in any sort of emotional eating books. I'm counting calories and watching what I eat, and trying to exercise more, but really, that's not enough to keep me focused completely. So what other resources do you use? Sites with good articles and information, positive stories of success, etc? And finally, on a grosser note, and a rather...embarrassing question to ask, but how are bowel movements after surgery? I mean mostly on the long term, but I ask because one of the biggest factors to not just simply "losing weight with diet and exercise without the surgery" is I can't handle the thought of being on metformin for the rest of my life. Even at 1000mgs, the loose BM's are horrid and painful and interfering with my every day life (with my current primary care physician pushing for me to move up to 1500mgs despite my protests). I have this worry that I'll still be dealing with intestinal issues after surgery. So if you have had the surgery, and were on metformin, did you get off of it? If you've had intestinal issues in the past, have they continued after surgery? Sorry for the novel!

I like this idea, thank you.

Haha, we do enjoy those first warm days of spring! I find visualizing all this really hard. I can't imagine myself thin, not because I think I can't, but because I've never been thin. When I think about what I'll look at, I'm at a loss. But I am determined, even if it's really hard. Today's been rough for some reason...I'm so hungry despite eating enough today. And I can visualize the other stuff! I think I'll feel much better once I talk to the surgeon, and the nutritionist. I like guidance, and like knowing what's expected on my end. I don't even know if the program I'm in does liquid prep diets or what, lol. I guess I'll find out at support group next week. (It'll be my first group.) Thanks for all your advice.

Thanks! I think that's practical. Friends tell me I should relax more and not worry so much, but I'm just that type that likes information, even if it gets to the point of overkill.

Hoping either in March, or May. Have to plan it so my husband is home to take care of the kids.