scared

February 25, 2004

I'm brand new to all of this as well. The board, the idea of getting banded, everything. I have my Dr's appointment tomorrow and really am excited just at the thougth of losing significant weight after a lifetime of being over weight. I hate the word OBESE, makes me think of my cousin that is over 600 lbs, she's Obese, I've been overweight fromt eh day I was born. I weighed in at 10 and half pounds! I've tried it all for years and years and years, yo yo'd up and down, my entire life. I have done the twice a day work outs for months, I've done the high Proteins, no carbs, low carbs, liquids, drugs, injections, everything but get my jaw wired.

What I'm scared of is the surgery itself, I don't do well with anesthesia, I just read about the author of First Wives Club that died after slipping into a coma when she was put under for a routine Lipo suction surgery. I'm scared of getting pregnant and having the tube slip and slide and strangle the baby or puncture my lung. I'm also very scared of throwing up all the time. My sisters had Gastric Bypass and both vomitted for the first year post op. I have gotten ill 6 times in my entire life and I'm 36.

I'm just scared but so thrilled with this new option that seems so much less invasive than gastric bypass. This seems to be the answer that I've been waiting for. I'm tired of feeling like a second class citizen, I'm tired of swollen ankles. But I'm scared that in search of feeling better I might die.

Anyone feel scared before or after the surgery, can anyone relate?

Thanks

m

Linda Harrison · February 26, 2004

Hi Maguilar,

Let me tell ya I was so scared of not waking up that I wrote letters to all my kids, my mother, and my fiance. I told one of my daughters that if something should happen to me that I had a letter on my computer for all of them. So YES,,,I was scared as hell. But here I am 5 days later and I'm fine. My daughter who is only 15 had it done the same day I did and she is doing fine too. I won't tell you to do it but I just wanted to share with you that I was so scared I almost changed my mind. I could feel my blood pressure shoot way up on the flight over there and through everything that had to be done before going into the pre op room. Even then I was scared as hell. My daughter started crying and I told her it wasn't too late that she could change her mind. She was to go in before me. Needless to say, we both went thru with it and here we are....banded but hungry. This liquid diet is tough. I can't wait til Saturday so I can have some baby food LMAO.

Have faith...everything will be fine :kiss

dawnsunshine35 · February 26, 2004

hi...I am being banded on Friday. I am as scared as I can be, I have the whole range of emotions, from being so happy, to being so scared, to even considering canceling this procedure. I am scared, but everyone on this forum has helped me so much! Keep a positive attitude and all will work out fine!!

Dawn

Alexandra · February 26, 2004

Hi Maguilar,

I can totally relate to your fear and I know many others can too. My surgery was only the second time in my life under general anaesthesia, and the first time was 20 years ago. Everyone always says the biggest risk of this surgery is the anaesthesia, which is of course a risk in any surgery.

That didn't make me feel better. It just made me want to avoid surgery altogether. But at my age and weight there was no getting around it--I was going to get heavier and sicker eventually without some serious help.

Then I thought about all the gazillions of people who have surgery every day and come through it fine. And then there are all the people who are in accidents and whatnot, and have the necessary emergency procedures done to save their lives. I can't know when that might be me, and what am I going to say if that time ever comes: no thanks to the lifesaving surgery because I don't want a general?

Thinking too much about the risks of anything can make us too scared to make a move. And that's what finally got me over my fear. General anaesthesia has risks, sure, but they were less than the risk I would be taking by doing nothing.

And it's absolutely true that by getting banded you will NOT be risking the side effects and potential bad outcomes of bypass surgery. If things go wrong with your band there is always the option of having it removed, and there you'll be, whole and normal. I see absolutely no comparison between the two procedures.

Welcome to LBT! I hope you'll ask lots of questions and let us help you as you think about this big decision.