Talk me off the ledge

[fireman9302 9]

I am so scared..Surgery day is Wednesday. ..I am so scared..and i just HAD to google the mortality rate for the VSG! DONT EVER DO THAT!

I am seriously thinking about cancelling and if i do Ive wasted 7 months trying getting approved for this.

I need a pep talk

Starting weight 300

Current weight 275

So Ive lost 25 lbs..but its taken 6 months to do it!

[Miss Shyv 12]

Hi Fireman,

It is natural that you should be scared and have anxieties, you are about to have surgery. But you have to look at the bigger picture you are going through this process so that you can be a healthy weight, and hopefully not suffer from any of the ailments that come with being overweight, which in the worse case can be fatal.

I had surgery on 6 Feb this year, and trust me I was petrified, I considered cancelling, but my best friend said to me do I want to be here for my children, who are 22 and 12 and my Grandchildren who I don't even have yet. Yes I do, I owe it to them and most of all myself. Only you can take control of your weight and your health and by what you have said you are doing a great job.

Everyone is different, but having had the surgery I can say it sounds worse than it is, I had very little pain and today five weeks out I am fine totally back to normal, apart from the fact I can only eat very small portions of food and it's great, I have lost 35lbs since my two week pre op diet and today and I feel fantastic.

I'm not gonna say you will be fine, because I don't know, but I think you will be, life is about taking risks, and this risk is so worth it, this surgery is one of the safest you can have. Feel the fear but do it anyway. Good luck!!! And let me know how you get on.

Shyv

[4MRB4PHOTO 3,900]

What is the % rate of mortality that you saw?

Dying of a comorbidity at a younger age due to long term obesity is much higher than that.

I can't write you paragraphs of why you should have this surgery, you already know and there are thousands of posts here why you should too.

Contact your surgeon's office and if necessary make a quick appointment to speak to them to reassure yourself.

Good luck.

Edited March 14, 2016 by 4MRB4PHOTO

[Dawnie Doo 184]

I am so scared..Surgery day is Wednesday. ..I am so scared..and i just HAD to google the mortality rate for the VSG! DONT EVER DO THAT!

I am seriously thinking about cancelling and if i do Ive wasted 7 months trying getting approved for this.

I need a pep talk

Starting weight 300

Current weight 275

So Ive lost 25 lbs..but its taken 6 months to do it!

I'm in the pre op stage and I share a few of your fears. However, I look at it like this. It feels like my morality rate is even higher if I don't get the surgery. I can't stay this way. Yes, I've thought if I can lose the weight before surgery maybe I don't need it...until I hit a snag and weight loss slowed down. Don't change your mind. Be hopeful and have faith that all is well! Be encouraged!

Dawnie_doo

Edited March 14, 2016 by trinity33

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

If you really are that terrified ... don't have the surgery.

Having WLS and making the necessary lifestyle changes to be successful long-term would require your full commitment and a lot of focus on your long-term health goals.

[robin125 16]

Yes, have the surgery. Anxiety is normal an does not indicate any lack of commitment. Don't let your anxieties defeat you. You've made it this far. I had rny March 7 and I'm doing fine. I suspect you'll be fine, too. Hang in there!

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[Essence46 493]

_{Fear is normal. Don't let it block you from seeking a healthier lifestyle. This indeed is a lifestyle change. If you are a praying person, pray and let it go. You will be fine.}

[Phillygirl_in_DE 20]

Hang in there! Don't wig out now. You got this!!!

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[GibbsGirl 483]

It's ok to be scared. We all had this moment and had to weigh the consequences against the benefits. If you haven't written down your top ten reasons for doing this, please do. It helps to center yourself, this is a life long commitment, but also is a life long benefit.

In my case, my number one reason was to see all my son's senior moments. Even if it was hot, extreme temps play a number on my heart. I had excess sweating to the point it would make me sick. I'm proud to be counted amount the cold blooded now and I don't fear any football game, or outdoor event.

I am thankful my sleeve reminds me not to sacrifice my health for one more bite or a piece of cake. It was the right decision for me.

After all your hard work, you have earned the right to do this for yourself.

[fernandfj 469]

@@fireman9302, your fears are normal. I had them before i had my surgery, but in my case the potential upside was far greater than the downside as I had lots of co-morbidities and mobility issues. Seven and a half months later and they are gone. I feel better and much healthier than I have in decades and I have no regrets, save for wishing I had been ready for this change earlier. There is a lot of commitment involved here, and if your fears extend to whether or not you can handle that, think seriously about whether or not you can do this. Also, if anyone told you this was easy, they never did it. But nothing really worthwhile in life is easy. You have to work at it. I am a huge proponent of WLS now, but recognize it is a very personal decision. Good luck whatever you decide!

[The CUDAMON 6]

What, being rendered unconscious and allowing a man you barely know to filet you open and excise a considerable portion of your insides is leaving you feeling a bit uncertain? Why?

Seriously, there are risks associated with every medical procedure. My wife has had two c-sections, which is major, open abdominal surgery. I have my reservations, but I can't wuss out after what she's been through. I could die from this procedure, or from something else.

In your line of work, you're touched more often than most with life's fragility. You've seen people have the rug of life jerked right out from under them in the blink of an eye, from an SUV that swerved over the double-yellow line to the unattended space heater that claimed a family of three. Faced with that every day, I can imagine you're one who's hesitant to take anything for granted. You've seen too much go wrong too fast.

But also worth considering is the kind of life you have now, and the kind of life this gamble might lead to. I have trouble sitting next to strangers in theaters because the seats are too small. I haven't been on an airplane in years. I can't take my kids to an amusement park because I can't shove my butt into the rides. The life I have now is pretty limited. Granted, it's not as limited as some -- I can buy my groceries without having to use one of those little electric scooters, and despite my size I'm still pretty athletic (much to the chagrin of my knees and ankles) -- but there's so much I can't do and that people presuppose I can't do.

I want to open the door. This surgery is the key to that. I've tried for years to do it every other way -- pills, diets, exercise -- and all I've gotten out of it are some shirts that are too tight because of my temporary weight loss and a bunch of frustration.

All surgeries have their risks. And this is a pretty serious one. So you have to gauge your fortitude to proceed. Personally, I think it's worth it. And I think you realize that as well, or you wouldn't have come this far. Godspeed, brother.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

[VMS1990 30]

Stay off Google. They will always give you worse case. Think what you will be like. Month, two months for now. Even 6 months. You can do it. Positive thinking, positive healing.

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[Baddrabbit 7]

Your over thinking it.

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[shrinkingkimber 200]

It's ok to be scared. We all had this moment and had to weigh the consequences against the benefits. If you haven't written down your top ten reasons for doing this, please do. It helps to center yourself, this is a life long commitment, but also is a life long benefit.

In my case, my number one reason was to see all my son's senior moments. Even if it was hot, extreme temps play a number on my heart. I had excess sweating to the point it would make me sick. I'm proud to be counted amount the cold blooded now and I don't fear any football game, or outdoor event.

I am thankful my sleeve reminds me not to sacrifice my health for one more bite or a piece of cake. It was the right decision for me.

After all your hard work, you have earned the right to do this for yourself.

I just have to ask, is your nickname because you're a redhead who watches NCIS?

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It's ok to be scared. We all had this moment and had to weigh the consequences against the benefits. If you haven't written down your top ten reasons for doing this, please do. It helps to center yourself, this is a life long commitment, but also is a life long benefit.

In my case, my number one reason was to see all my son's senior moments. Even if it was hot, extreme temps play a number on my heart. I had excess sweating to the point it would make me sick. I'm proud to be counted amount the cold blooded now and I don't fear any football game, or outdoor event.

I am thankful my sleeve reminds me not to sacrifice my health for one more bite or a piece of cake. It was the right decision for me.

After all your hard work, you have earned the right to do this for yourself.

I just have to ask, is your nickname because you're a redhead who watches NCIS?

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App