Search the Community

They suspected Lupus and thyroid problems with me for years, but all the tests always came out fine. I was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia and CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) in 2006. Stress brings it on full blown. My mom died toward the end of 2005 and it was so stressful for me. It caused the fibro to be full blown and I went to a new PCP. It didn't take him long to diagnose and I believe he has the correct diagnosis finally. It sure does explain all the symptoms I had for so many years. I think I've had fibro most of my life including childhood. He put me on cymbalta, Ultram, and a fab med for the fatigue ....... I'll have to think of the name of it and get back with you ........ It worked GREAT!!!! but then my husband's job changed and we no longer had insurance, so I had to stop the meds. Since then I have been able to control the fibro with stress reduction. I do still have to use some NSAIDS. I know they are contraindicated with the band, but I just take a double does of Jr. Strength liquid ibuprophen. I don't have to take it often because the stress reduction really works like a charm. I think that Rx for CFS is called Provagil. At the time it was new and very expensive. They may have a generic out now. The problem now is that with the band taking pills whole is bad and these can not be crushed. I don't take and Rx meds right now and only take vits. and things in liquid, sublingual, or chewable forms. I don't exercise. I'm not sure if the fibro & CFS can be part of the reason or not. I do find it much easier to be more active in general with all the excess weight gone. I know the FMS & CFS can be blamed for some of my excess weight gain over the years.

Are there any bariatric surgeons/clinics who would go to bat for me for a gastric sleeve operation with Harvard Pilgrim in MA area hospitals? 30 y.o, 5'8", 232 lbs, fluctuates between 225s-240s. Serious yo-yo weight gain/loss between 180-240 over the last 7 years. Pre-Diabetic with frequent urination and low energy, chronic lower back pain (compressed L5/S1 with sharp pain and thrown out pain), chronic knee pain (torn ACL and meniscus), and now I'm getting chronic random toe infections. Numerous missed days due to these issues, especiall the back/weight immobility. I struggling with getting out of bed or even bending down to help my students with classwork. This limits my mobility but not my hunger, and triggers depression more. Attempts: Numerous years of health clubs, trainers, nutritionists, workout and eating plans, yoga and mindful eating, intensive therapy, and even stay away camps focusing on health/nutrition/fitness/therapy. It all centers around the hunger. At the end of the day, I am always hungry and/or exhausted. And the instability is something I can't take anymore. Are there any bariatric surgeons/clinics who would go to bat for me for a gastric sleeve operations with Harvard Pilgrim in MA area hospitals? Thank you for any help or advice that you can provide!

JenniferD - I had the lapband put in Feb 2006, had it revised Dec 2008 then ultimately removed after a really bad prolasp Jan 2010. The first year was wonderful, I lost over 80 pounds and kept it off for about 6 months until the first slip happened. I had it revised and the doc put in a bigger band and after that it was a few years of heck for me. fills, unfills, fills and then unfill. Many, many nights of not being able to sleep because the reflux was so bad that I'd wake up feeling like I was drowning. Still, if it had stayed for me like the first year I would have kept going. Not everyone has slips but, unfortnately a high percentage do end up with issues such as reflux and weight gain again. The bad foods go through the band better than healthy so when you're suffering with all of I mentioned you eat those things to get something down. What I didn't know was that 90% of folks who have had a revision of the lapband to another band or to correct that band end up with it being removed. Had I known i wouldn't have bothered with the revision. Now...that's just my story and many many folks love their bands. One of my best friends still does well with hers, doesn't feel sick etc but, she'll be the first to admit she eats around it and hasn't lost weight in a while. I did the band because I was afraid of the re-routing of organs etc that bypass has to go through but, now for me.....rny is the what I need to do. Alot has changed since 2006 and it's become even safer so I'm more comfortable with it. I've had many friends do very very well with it. I"ve done lots of research and now am comfortable heading in that direction. I do wish you the best with your decision...definitely talk to all your docs about your situation. We're all different and just because some had issues with any of the bariatric choices doesn't mean you will

Generally when we undergo an operation in a hospital we are treated with antibiotics to protect us from harmful bacteria present in a hospital. This kills not only the bad bacteria but also the good gut bacteria in our colons. As a result, many of us take probiotics to reestablish the colonies of good bacteria in our gut. I came across research of gut flora this morning that seemed interesting. Our body’s microbiome, the bacteria living in symbiotic harmony in our gut provides us with a source of wellness. Two small, exploratory studies, analyzed microblome in terms of change and resilience. Influence of Geographical Change In the first study, researchers looked at the diversity of our gut flora as individuals immigrated and assimilated, changing diet and geography. The inspiration may have been the finding that immigrants to the US often develop weight gain and Western diseases - obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease. While refeeding of individuals who came from food challenged areas is felt to be part of the issue, changing diet has also been implicated. The authors collected stool samples, 24-hour food recall surveys and demographics from two distinct Thai populations, the Hmong and Karen. Individuals included those still living in Thailand as well as immigrants (1st generation) and their children (2nd generation). Thai immigrants were chosen because the study was conducted in Minnesota a central site for their immigration; women formed the predominant research population because they were more frequently the immigrants. Americans of European ancestry served as the control. * Microbiologic richness and diversity were greatest in current Thai residents. * 30% of that diversity was lost in the first generation immigrants, and the diversity continued to decline and resemble that of the control group as time in the US increased and in the 2nd generation, American born Thai children. * Bacteroides strains replaced Prevotella strains among immigrants, the extent of that shift again associated with length of residence in the US. * The loss of Prevotella was felt to be the driving force behind a decreasing functional ability of the microbiome to degrade dietary fibers indigenous to the native Thai diet. Think of it as use it or lose it. * Dietary shifts to a Western diet was felt to account for only about 16% of total variation. * Westernization of the microbiome began within nine months of arrival. Resilience A second, "proof of concept" like study, looked at 12 healthy men treated for four days with an antibiotic cocktail meant to mimic common first-line choices for intensive care patients. [1] The outcome was the effect on the gut microbiome over a subsequent six month period, again measured by stool cultures taken at various time intervals. It is no surprise, at least to clinicians, that the antibiotics did not sterilize the gut, but it did bring about changes. * There was an immediate drop in the diversity and richness of the microbiologic populations, but by Day 8 diversity was returning although it never reached baseline values. * By Day 8, the relative abundance of about 50 species changed, some increasing and others decreasing – clearly, the ecology was different. And while some bacterial species were still absent after six months, by Day 42, the ecology had, for the most part, returned to its baseline. * Antibiotic resistance was only one of many virulence factors enhanced by the antibiotic exposure that lead to an early increase in pathologic bacteria. But over time the pathologic bacteria were again overrun by more symbiotic species. Virulence factors * Interestingly, Clostridium species which had not been seen initially were now present – this is a species that forms spores as protection in an unhealthy environment and then returns to its other form when “the coast is clear;” it is the source of antibiotic-related hospital-acquired morbidity, C. difficile diarrhea. Source: I Sing The Body's Microbiome So what are some of the takeaways? First, antibiotic treatment does not sterilize the gut microbiome. But it does reduce the diversity and richness of gut bacteria. Recovery of the colonies of good gut bacteria begins about 8 days after the antibiotic treatment end. So a patient is more vulnerable to pathologic bacteria during that time. For example - it is the source of antibiotic-related hospital-acquired morbidity, C. difficile diarrhea. Therefore using probiotics after the antibiotic treatment ends and you leave the hospital is a good approach in order to quickly reestablish the diversity of good gut bacteria.

May I ask how your surgery has helped your Type 2 diabetes? I am going to have bypass soon and am also Type 2 with great difficulty controlling because of severe insulin resistance. Do you still take meds and how is your blood sugar both pre and post op? Thank you. Ms. renkoss before surgery (vertical sleeve) my A1C was 12. At my last doctor's visit in December 2015, it was 6.5. I too have struggled with uncontrolled diabetes. I was even on the insulin pump before surgery. It helped control the diabetes, but I gained over 100 lbs. I am no longer on the pump and my sugar levels have leveled out. I still take 500 mgs of Metformin twice a day. Although I've been having a lot of lows, which makes me think maybe I don't even need The Metformin. My overall health has improved so much. I am so happy I had this surgery! Thank you so much for your response. This gives me so much hope that I will also be able to come off the insulin pump and only need the Metformin. I've been on so many different combinations in the past, and I've never lost weight while being on insulin. I too gained a great amount of weight since going back to insulin, and the funny thing is as I get older, the insulin resistance gets so much worse and that starts the vicious cycle of greater insulin resistance, more insulin needed, more weight gained in the stomach. It just has to end somewhere. Either the diabetes is going to get me, or gaining all this weight will.

I had a "secret lap band" in 2008 and it was REALLY hard not telling people. only my parents and husband knew of the surgery. The fact that everybody knows me for my hefty eating habits made me self conscious during holidays and dinners with friends and family. This made me try to be discrete and I would eat more than I should have with did not help me in the long run. My band slipped during my last pregnancy (less than 1 year post-op) and I've had reflux issues and weight gain. Now I weigh more than I did at 9 months pregnant and I'm preparing for a revision surgery to get the sleeve after the band comes out. I don't want to hide this surgery, I don't want to come up with excuses for not eating, not being hungry and actually even eating more than I should. Who cares what people say, EVEN IF IT YOUR MOTHER, we are adults and this is a medical decision for our health.

I finally decided to actually join VST. I've lurked on the forums for about nine months as part of my decision-making process. Unexpected things happened when I finally talked with my doctor here, and I ended up being added to a study in progress here in the Middle East. So instead of having to pay the whole shebang myself, I only had to pay the hospital part. That definitely swayed my choice toward surgery. So here I am. April 4 was sleeve day, and other than some pretty incredible nausea afterward for about three days, everything went really well. I had no pain medication at all, much to the surprise of the nursing staff here who are accustomed to giving morphine every four hours on the dot. No thanks. No drains, and no other complications either. Whoo hoo. I guess the biggest surprise is how quickly my attitude toward food changed. I thought a lot about what being sleeved would mean before the surgery, and actually had a grief response at the idea of not being able to eat as before. I didn't really think of specific things I would miss, but rather that I would miss eating itself. My husband (HWHN) and I are Culture Vultures and Foodies... for about the past 30 years. I couldn't imagine how that would work for us if I couldn't eat. So I imagined how I would feel and got all emotional. Reality is that I'm now completely turned off by foods I used to love. I have been reflecting on the change - I HAVE to eat rather than I WANT to eat. It's so different. Sometimes I get "mental hunger" but thanks to reading the forums I expected that, and given what I do, took a little mini self-quiz and recognized that the mental hunger comes when I'm Bored, Angry, Lonely, or Tired (the bane of addiction). That was a bit of a shock, since I would never have said I was addicted to food. Other than the initial weight gain during/after diagnosis, I've remained at a stable weight... too much, but stable. ;P Never would have said I'm addicted to food, but the mental/psychological struggle tells a tale. So I'm getting back to doing some things I loved and let go. Swimming, photography, writing, and reading what my mother always used to call, "Penny Horribles." (Novels with no redeeming value except to pass time pleasurably) And... HWHN and I had our first official date post op this week, and it was great. He orders what he wants, and I nibble off his plate. Beautifully done cube of rare roast beef and a sliver of Manchego cheese. Heaven. Tonight is my regular doctor visit, and I know I've lost weight because of my clothes, but I don't know how much. I don't keep a scale at home. I want the amount to be a surprise, and I want to gauge where I am in the process by how I'm feeling about myself, not by the numbers on some stupid torture instrument. Had enough of that. After 96 days, I'm down 6 sizes and coveting those pink skinny jeans. CE

I had my surgery yesterday. I lost almost 30 during my pre op diet. Why is it today my weight is up about 6 pounds? I've only had clear liquids and meds.

I guess I need to make this clear, the surgery I had had nothing at all to do with the fact that I run, I have had a myriad of foot troubles since childhood including a congenital deformity that has caused me no end of misery. When I was pre and post surgery, I really couldn't do anything, walking, biking, swimming, yoga, pilates, anything, so that is a lof of what contributed to my weight gain. Running seems to get such a bad rap. I love running for a host of reasons, it's not just that it is one of the best ways to burn calories, but it requires no special equipment, you can do it pretty much anywhere or any time you'd like and it really does let you just zone out/get into the zone (your choice!) in a way that not many other things do. I think people criticize running as "injury inducing" out of habit, I actually think that my years of running helped me avoid injuries because it is a fantastic way to strengthen not only big muscles like quads, but all those little muscles in an around the ankles. Running has never been my only form of exercise, but it is one of my favorite forms. Yeah, I have a bike, but I live in a very high density/high traffic area so riding it is not that much fun, you spend the whole time worrying about cars. The trails near Chicago are very dangerous for women, unfortunately and even so, you'd have to pack your bike onto the car and drive some distance to get to one. I'm back to running again and to yoga and to pilates and to doing my usual 5 miles a day of walking (I'm a fanatical fitbit tracker!). The point of my post was to say how hard it is to start again, especially with the additional pounds, but I appreciate your response nonetheless!

Hey Amanda. I guess overall Im cool with the idea of the surgery, my hesitation is just more abt the after effects, and making sure Im doing everything right so that nothing goes wrong. With in the last few years I have had issues with HBP, diabetes, acid reflux, hiatal hernia and sleep apnea. I am 32 and want to live a long life and be healthy. I just want the chance to feel good again and not worry with all the ailments this drastic weight gain has caused me.

5 day pouch reset may be a good restart for some. Good advice. Some other things to think about. It doesn't adress the the mental side of staying on plan. It also may be too restrictive if you are years out, have extra sleeve space and are trying to trouble shoot hunger, you may want to try other options. some do keto. Intermittent fasting, vegan. It may be trial and error to find what works for each of us. Trouble shooting extra sleeve space. I eat dense Protein and other foods on my plan. I eat as much veggies as I want until full. I log to make sure I stay within my weight loss calorie and macros Years out weightloss calories may have to be dialed in specifically to the individual. 600 to 800 calories is not realistic for me years out. Maintenance phase is a different animal. Getting back into weight loss mode after a weight gain is not a one size fits all. Sent from my SM-G930T using BariatricPal mobile app

Dry crunchy food goes down so easily because it doesn't bind together. Foods like Pasta, potatoes, some veggies, egg, meat, etc. will clump together if compressed. Grab a handful of tortilla chips and squeeze them hard, they'll crumble. Now grab some pasta (cooked) and squeeze - several pieces will stick together. Which is why, with pasta, you have to grease it up to stop the starch from sticking together. But, when you eat it, that coating is dissolved and the pasta sticks together - especially as it's forced through a small hole. Same goes for potatoes, etc. If you can't keep solid food down for three days, chances are you're eating sliders to get some food in you - hence the weight gain. Keep a food diary and you'll see what you're eating and why you're gaining.

just want to remind you that one of the pitfalls i have heard about is drinking your calories. drinking things high in calories will not promote the weight loss and can even bring about weight gain. I know how you feel about missing something you loved. I loved icecream and it is one of the few things that still tugs at me saying "eat me".. i haven't given in and i hope not to.. not yet anyways.. still have lots of lbs to lose! good luck!

Agreed. "Detox diets" are pretty pointless since the body has its own mechanisms for detoxing itself. I personally would go back to when you first started full solids after your surgery if you're concerned about weight gain and fell into not eating as healthy. After bariatric surgery you should never give up protein. Just my two cents! Good luck!

During the time that I planned my meals post Gastric Sleeve I never ventured off the "reservation" so to speak. My diet has consisted of dense proteins as these things gave me nutrition and filled me up. The added benefit was, they also helped maintain my weight goal. In my last post I described a slight weight gain that I'm having difficulty taking off. I recently visited my surgeon for my regular six month check up and while all of my blood tests were good my A1c went from 5.6 to 6.5. Diabetes that I have lowered with WLS has come back. I realized that I changed my diet from all dense proteins to a mixture of dense proteins and fruits. Post surgery I did not eat fruits or vegetables ( my choice) as I found the proteins to give me adequate substance and to be filling. A family member had WLS and her surgeon told her to eat fruits and veggies. I went along with her meal plan and it had a negative effect on me. I gained weight and my A1c was elevated. She on the other hand has maintained her goal weight and her blood tests including her A1c are in the normal range. What do I take away from this? Could there be metabolic changes in our bodies post WLS that either assist or deter our abilities to switch diets or to lose weight after a regain? I asked my surgeon and he wasn't sure himself. Since we have many people on the forum who are staying atop the newest science as it pertains to Weight Loss Surgery maybe someone could help me shed some light on this subject. As always, I appreciate the advice and I wish everyone success with your new found health.

By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS When you're trying to lose weight, the question isn't whether or not you'll hit a plateau, it's when. Plateaus are like bad weather on a long hike: it's inevitable that you'll run into it, but knowing that in advance won't make it one bit less frustrating or annoying when it happens. Cheer up! Since plateaus are as common as rain, we have a pretty good idea what to do about them. At least one of the following techniques should help you break through a plateau and start losing again. 1. Be a Calorie Detective When clients tell me they've stopped losing weight, the first thing I ask is this: how many calories a day are you eating? Calories have a way of creeping up while we're not paying attention. Be brutally honest with yourself: how much are you eating? Using a food diary for a while is a great way to monitor this. And yes, sodas and alcoholic beverages count! A good calorie goal for dieters is your target weight times 10. 2. Change It Up When you're not making gains in an exercise program you change your routine. Same holds true with your eating plan. Low-carbers could go higher carb for a few days, high-carbers might switch to a plan like Atkins or South Beach. Varying calorie intake may have a positive effect: If you're averaging 1,500 calories daily, try dropping to 1,200, going up to 2,000 and then dropping back to 1,500. You get the idea. Your body's gotten comfortable, so it's time to shake things up. 3. Try a Temporary Ban Food sensitivities can cause weight gain and bloat, and the frustrating thing is that most of us don't always know which foods are the culprits. So play the odds. Highest on the list of "usual suspects" are grains (wheat in particular), dairy and sugar. Temporarily ban all three and see what happens. 4. Take Your Workout Up a Notch Forget the "fat burning zone." High intensity intervals -- 30 to 60 seconds -- are the wave of the future. If you're accustomed to level three on your cardio machine, ramp it up to level 6 for a minute then slow down, catch your breath and repeat. Ever see a sprinter with love handles? Training like a sprinter will lower your body fat faster than any technique I know of, plus it'll boost your metabolism and lower your weight. 5. Strength Training If you're not strength training, start now. And if you are, ramp it up a notch. Muscle is your greatest ally in breaking a plateau. Unfortunately many women train with weights too light to produce the metabolic boost they need. Don't be afraid of heavier weights. They should be heavy enough that you can only do between 8 and 12 reps. 6. Up Your Protein Studies show that higher protein diets make it easier to lose fat. Protein boosts the metabolism (in one study as much as 100 percent for 24 hours), and increases satiety, making it more likely that you won't overeat. A higher protein diet could be just what you need to break that plateau. 7. Try a Detox Unsupervised fasting is a really bad idea, but the idea of giving your system a rest makes sense. Try a "smart fast" of nothing but fruits and vegetables for a couple of days. The added fiber is always helpful, and the massive amount of nutrients and phytochemicals is like "spring cleaning" for your metabolism. 8. Take Inventory Other things besides diet and exercise could be stalling your weight loss, such as stress, lack of sleep or medication. Take a look at what else is going on in your life that might need attention. Sometimes when you clean up the problems in one area of your life, problems in other areas just naturally take care of themselves.

yup, perfectly normal. If you've just moved from liquids to soft, then you suddenly have mass in your colon. which was pretty empty from the weeks of liquid. Lots of people see the scale move up at this stage. notice I did not say weight gain. Very important. Any weight lost before the first fill is BONUS and not band weight loss. Many people don't lose any real weight until after their first and sometimes second fill. Cheers and Courage!

U get it placed inside u, the para guard is good for ten years, no added weight gain and no hormones, works for 10 years. Worst case scenario an arm can break off and u will have to replace it, luckily I haven't had that problem.

I REALLY needed to see this thread today. I had my surgery 7/19/07, post op was 08/06/07. Between surgery and post op I'd lost 15 lbs. One week after my post op and I've GAINED 5 lbs. I was completely devastated when I got on the scale this morning. I feel like such a failure. I've been getting in ALL of my Water and most of my 70 grams of Protein, and I certainly have NOT been pigging out on garbage. I'm taking this very seriously. I'm still disappointed that I've gained weight, but am somewhat relieved to discover that I'm not alone in that. I guess I'm gonna go back to my Protein drinks and start my walking and hopefully won't step on the scales at my doc's office when I go in for my first fill on 08/20/07 and show a weight gain. I would be just too embarrassed. Thank all of you for your honesty and willingness to share all of your experiences. I really, REALLY want my band filled so that I can feel the restriction. I'm anxious for the hungries to go away, and to start losing weight again. Good luck everyone!

@@Pi Sano for me, at a little over 3 'months post op i can tell you bloated feeling will go away and get better stick to your plan Water sip sip sip. You will feel it fill up and small sips make it more comfortable. You will likely find as i did that it takes quite a long time to finish especially at first. This show rationale for post op liquid diet as it would be hard to abide by 30/30 rule with constant sips! food you loved well I guess that is a philosophical discussion for many on this board. I believe it is about a new way of eating and living as we have changed our body to help change the outcome of eating in long run. That means a long run of eating differently and recognizing what that means to you personally. Will you indulge? Can you one day? Should you and how do you balance quality of that indulgence and monitoring any weight gain? For me that seems way off in future. But many foods can be changed to high Protein and diet friendly --- bunless cheeseburgers, "pizza" interpreted as sauce and cheese on parmasean crisp (or other variations). Your body has changed, now is time for mind and actions to support!

Hi, my name is Jennifer I am getting sleeved today actually and very nervous. I have been reading different blogs on this site prior to my decision to have the surgery which helped me make the final decision to go through with it. I started struggling with my weight after having my first child over 22 years ago but really hit my highest in the last four years. I suffered from depression from it and now beginning to have health problems due to the weight gain, so I need to do something that will help me get my health back on track. I think as many others I tried every diet you could think of and I was going to the gym, but nothing was working. I am ready for a fresh start and I am confident this time I will finally be able to succeed. I have a great support system and I have been doing a lot of research to try and prepare myself as much as possible. I am very nervous about surgery I must admit, but I have to look at it as a means to an end.

I am over 6 months out and I still can't eat and drink at the same time. I really focus on eating my Protein first and seem to forget about the drinking thing. I usually get something to drink when I put my plate away, but let it sit for about 20 minutes and allow the ice to chill the drink really well before I even consider drinking. I sometimes get that bubble feeling when I first start drinking after eating. I think, mostly because I drink a little too much at first. Then, I wait about 10 minutes and sip the rest of my drink for an hour or more. My husband had gastric bypass 5 years ago and I have watched him put on 30 lbs since his big loss. I am terrified that I will do the same thing so I really focus on what the program has taught me this far. He doesn't eat and drink at the same time still, but does overeat and has forgotten the chew, chew, chew method. So, just because you are eating and drinking at the same time doesn't necessarily mean that you will put on weight unless you are overeating. Since I don't really have hunger anymore, I know how much my new tummy can hold and that's all I eat. I believe the weight-gain is more about what you are putting in your mouth and if you are using what you are taught. I do know that my doctor said that if you drink too quickly after eating, it washes away all your nutrition before your stomach has time to process it. So, I try to remember this since I am still only eating small portions. A few times I have forgotten about this and went back to my old habits not even realizing it. Oh my! The discomfort from the Fluid mixed with the food was enough to remind me of it! I have taken a sip if needed if something doesn't seem to go down right and I have been OK with that, but nothing more than that.

I'm about 5.5 months out and my folks so absolutely not. They discussed weight gain with me and said one of the first things they ask is if you are eating and drinking together. They see a pattern there. I miss it a bit but not nearly as much as I thought I would. I miss it most when I am out with a group and see others getting to do it. Here at home, I don't think about it much.

I lost 20 pounds before the surgery on the liquid, I just spoke to my nutritionist who informed me that my weight gain was not out of the ordinary. But thanks for your kind words of wisdom. If you read my post I asked those who had a similar situation for their responses. I already knew where I went wrong. But I guess you're perfect.

Hello! I'm new to the forums. For the last two weeks, I have been reading stories of amazing transformations, overcoming hurdles, regrets and fears. It's positively overwhelming! I'm currently at 118kgs, 26 years old, have been overweight all my life due to many ailments that started around the age of 9. The weight gain was a side effect which, in turn, kickstarted PCOD, thyroid, Insulin resistance, fibromyalgia, deficiencies etc. To top it off, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis 2 years back-which hasn't made things easier. My doctor has been suggesting a Bariatric surgery for a few years now, but I could never muster up the courage. Instead, I kept trying endless diets, fads, shakes, exercises etc. Always managed to lose between 6-10 kgs but it never sustained. Now that I'm unable to exercise due to constant pain, I've given up all hope of losing weight. Decided on getting a sleevetonomy 3 months back but was told have to get my ESR levels (due to RA) down first. I would really want to get the procedure done in November. Just wanted to ask if anyone ever had irrational thoughts and endless anxiety about the procedure? Cause it's keeping me up at night. I've never really gotten any surgery done, or even stayed at a hospital overnight. Anesthesia scares me, waking up mid-surgery scares me, endoscopies scare me, the thought of dying scares me, along with the stupidest things like not being able to wear innerwear during surgery, needing a catheter etc etc. I really need to overcome this!!! Did anyone ever experience similar bouts of panic? -Maggie