I'm Skerrred!

[LuvinLife 0]

Hi friends!

I don't know if it's just the unknown, all of the changes that are headed my way, unveiling a new me, or all of the above that have me so nervous! I have been find upto today! I read where a patient had the band on the 24th and died on the 28th from a blood clot. I'm freaking out a little bit but at the same time trying to stay calm. I have a husband and a 11 yr old son and if something happened to me while doing a voluntary surgery, i would feel awful.

I haven't done that great on my pre-op diet which has me a little depressed and upset at myself... so then I think I hope everything goes ok during surgery. I hope my cheats haven't messed me up too bad.

I'm just nervous. I have been reading this board for the longest time and decided today was the day to join! Hope to talk to you all soon! I'll be posting alot, i'm a talker!

[dontgoggilme 0]

wow! now this is scaring me! i was always a little worried about this anyway but dang!!!! my date is friday (pending i get over my respiratory infection by then). i don't wanna die!!!!

[btrieger 21]

I had my surgery last Tuesday. The day before that, a local news reporter in Oregon died of an infection she got during lapband surgery.

I thought about it for a second but was not concerned.

How many times a day to you get in a car? Are you paranoid in the car? Do you have any idea how many people die in car accidents every day?

You have to look at the big picture.

There are many careless idiots on the road that can cause an accident. Surgeons are trained professionals with years of training and experience.

I am more comfortable going under the knife than driving home from work.

[happytobemefinally 1]

I'm pretty terrified myself. The blood clot thing worries me enough to run a marathon after surgery just to assure I won't get one.

I get the car accident theory but it happens to someone and I hope to God it's not me!!!

I couldn't fathom being less than a size 14 but I can see the need for highlights to look better in my casket:ohmy: What's wrong with me!!!!

I only hope this is me being terrified of my very first surgery...but just in case can I get a prayer or two:thumbup:

[LaDawnS 2]

It is totally normal to be worried and scared right before surgery-everyone is. It's such a big step and what a life change! BUT...I would do it all over again in a second! You can't dwell on the negative...POSITIVE, POSITIVE, POSITIVE. It's definately the best thing I've evr done for myself and my family! Best wishes for a very successful surgery!

Edited March 10, 2010 by LaDawnS

[BetsyB 9]

I understand your concerns---truly I do.

But when you do a risk-benefit comparison, getting banded comes out WAY ahead of the alternative: remaining obese.

The risks associated with obesity are just far, far higher.

I wasn't nervous preop. Well--I take that back. My surgeon was running a tiny bit late, and during those last few (extra) minutes, when I was already premedicated, I thought, in my wonky haze, "Hm. I could just go to the cafeteria for a Diet Pepsi and forget this whole thing!"

But I didn't--and really, even immediately postop, I was certain I'd made the right decision.

But I do, truly, understand your fears. And I promise you, it will be all right. You will be happy with your decision---most of us really, really are.

Good luck! You will do great.

[mjbf 0]

About the blood clot thing--that's why they tell you to get up and WALK, WALK, WALK! You should start AS SOON AS YOU GET HOME FROM SURGERY!! They told me to get up and walk 25-30 steps EVERY 30 MINUTES!!! That scared me enough to do it--plus it helps with recevery time too! I also got a blood thinner injection right before surgery to prevent clots.

[jensmallwood 0]

Oh... I know it's hard not to worry (we wouldn't be human if we didn't...) but everyone is right- the risks of other every-day things we do are far greater than this surgery. And the risks of obesity are in the newspapers and on the news everyday.

If you're really concerned... talk to your surgeon about the statistics. How many patients has he or she seen have problems with blood clots? My surgeon has seen exactly one patient get blood clots. AND it was a patient who had *had* problems with blood clots already in his life. (and he didn't die anyway.)

So find out the facts if you need to.

[TCarroll 1]

I know it's easy to be scared when going into surgery-- human nature... but honestly I got the jitters --a few days before surgery then I set myself down and said-- no this is going to be a positive thing in my life... and surgery day is the first day of it... I went in thinking positive and remembering everyone tell me to walk.... so much so that I woke up from surgery demanding from the nurse that she let me walk around.. my doctor came in about that time and said-- well let her up to walk then... and I did.... surgery was very easy for me.... I took it for what it was knew there would be some discomfort but ya know what-- exercising is a discomfort and pain... but you will do that too!!!

Stay positive... say a prayer and look forward to the new you in a matter of months!

[bethey 0]

I'm TERRIFIED as well! So much so that I have moments of saying "no I'm not doing this!" My surgery is scheduled for March 23rd and I'm a basket case. I have a 2 year old daughter who needs her mom!

Then I flip flop and know that at 340 pounds even though I'm healthy now how long can that possibly go on? Uggh I hate this.

I suffer from anxiety anyway so I'm scared of everything from clots to infection to slippage and erosion. I'm literally sitting here shaking just typing this message. I'm on day 2 of my liquid diet and I'm just at a complete loss.......

[Arthemise 1]

I'm scared too, but I just don't think about it. I've weighed the pros and cons and have been careful in making my decision. I'm sure it's the right one. So I just do my best to not think about the surgery itself. That worked for me for the sinus surgery I had in December. I only started getting nervous in the operating room, and as soon as I mentioned it, they gave me something to calm me down. My LapBand surgery's next Thursday, and I'm sure it will be harder to not think about it the closer it gets, but that's my plan!

[chrisdirects 0]

I can definitely relate to how you all are feeling. After having gone through months of preoperative workups of all kinds, I was doing beautifully...until the night before I went to the hospital, when my poor husband had to sheperd me through a total meltdown. I wasn't scared of anything in particular, I was simply SCARED. The following day, I did some work and had a long talk with a dear friend about totally unrelated topics while waiting to leave for the hospital, to keep my mind focused on something else. Once I got there, and things began to happen, suddenly, my fear lifted, and I went through the process with no qualms whatsoever.

Let me share something that my psychiatrist said at my consult...she told me that the people she REALLY worries about are those that exhibit no fear...because they are either damming up a lot of emotion inside them, OR they don't have a healthy respect for what they are about to do. Neither of those things are good.

Remember that our society tends to play up the bad things, rather than Celebrate the good. So, although all of the things you've read/heard about can and do happen, for the vast majority, the surgery process goes well, and, with time, commitment, and a bit of sweat, they reach their goals.

Take heart- we're all pulling for you!

Christine

[ratchetjaw 0]

I'm TERRIFIED as well! So much so that I have moments of saying "no I'm not doing this!" My surgery is scheduled for March 23rd and I'm a basket case. I have a 2 year old daughter who needs her mom!

Then I flip flop and know that at 340 pounds even though I'm healthy now how long can that possibly go on? Uggh I hate this.

I suffer from anxiety anyway so I'm scared of everything from clots to infection to slippage and erosion. I'm literally sitting here shaking just typing this message. I'm on day 2 of my liquid diet and I'm just at a complete loss.......

Hey there, we are in the same boat. My surgery is scheduled on the 23rd also. Also on day 2 of the preop diet. If you dont have any other medical issues seems the main thing is to just be up and ambulating early after surgery. I am a little nervous but being in the medical profession i know that the bad always gets put on the news. Never all the successful surgeries. Well some extreme ones maybe televised but you know what i mean :sad:

[Ruthie1974 34]

Okay guys, here is the skinny from an ICU nurse. I deal with patients who have the misfortune of having blood clots in their lungs, legs, arms ect. all the time. Mostly these pts have a comorbidity (think cancer or narrowed blood vessels, or bad veins) or a clotting disorder. Perhaps they were at a higher risk because of smoking or not walking and getting around after surgery. Some aquire blood clots from sitting in the car for long trips. Any time you lay around your blood pools in your legs and does not flow properly and you increase your chances of getting a blood clot.

Most of the time, clots are found early and can be removed, or eliminated by medication (lengthy process but it can be done) Here is the take away: If you have any swelling in your calves, or pain in your legs arms ect. CALL YOUR DOC! Also if you have shortness of breath that is unusual for you CALL YOUR DOC! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

At any rate we are all at high risk for dying just because we are grossly overweight. That in itself is the reason I am going ahead with this, because I do want to be here for my family.:sad:

[mskutz 0]

yes, i agree with everyone else. please try to

stay positive n prayed up@ ur surgeon would not

have scheduled u for surgery if he did not think u were

an optimal candidate for surgery. my surgery was

orginally scheduled for tommorow but jus got pushed

back a week till next thurs. you will b fine, i am

praying for u!