Need support!

[vsg2266 21]

Very new here! My surgery is in 18 days. The anxiety is kicking in. I'm trying not to compare myself to others/ but I'm really trying to get advice from as many people as I can about their experiences. How they calmed themselves down, what they brought to the hospital, advice on what to help with the pain the first few days, how long until you can really move around without being in pain, a general idea of how much weight you lost in the first 2 months, I just feel like getting more information and stories and advice will calm me so much more. I have severe anxiety and depression. I know this is going to change my life and really turn things around for me. I also have pcos and I'm really praying that this surgery will hopefully cure some of the symptoms. So please, anyone, I'm reaching out to all of you. I need you!

Age-22
Height- 5'6
HW:270
CW:246
GW:160

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

Just do your best, eat healthy, limit portion intake, exercise, be happy with yourself and your efforts. The forums are rife with stories, great and bad, of countless experiences from others just like you, whether other women, or other women with PCOS. I think doing your best is all anyone can ask of you. I hope the surgery goes well and helps treat your condition. Try and keep a positive outlook, the amount of benefit this has I think is cannot be quantified nor understated.

[joannrmn 20]

Hello Newbie.. I wanted to response to your post with total honesty.. I am post sleeve 6 weeks now. I was you.. exactly! in regards to weight! after multiple attempts to lose weight.. losing only to regain it all back with extra.. I decided to research the sleeve. My weight was the highest ever and I feared reaching 300 pds. spoke with several individuals who were post procedure and I reached out for feed back. Everyone basically said the same things.. I feel great look how much weight I lost no more plus stores etc.. They focused on appearance etc. They all failed to share the post surgery regrets.. depression and how extremely HARD THIS PROCESS IS.. I live everyday with regrets!. If I could turn the clock back would do so without question. This is not easy... Post surgery I have experience horrible depression.. cry myself to sleep.

The first two to three weeks are the worst.. you live on fluids.. but let me tell you ..you will be hungry.. purees follow .. continue to have a hard time because I have lost all taste buds for particular everything.. can't even drink Water. Now that I am post 6 weeks I live off oatmeal .. Soups.. eggs.. tuna fish and mind you take three bites and it's done. I miss eating like a normal person and pray that everything I've been told by long term post sleeve patients it will get better. I hope you don't mind my honesty but I promise myself if anyone reached out to me I would not hold back. BE VERY SURE!.. THIS IS VERY VERY HARD MENTALLY.. EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY. Before you go forward.. ask yourself if you can live for the next year or two eating three morsels!.. and losing your taste buds.Yes I have lost close to 50 pounds and my body overall feels better , but I have no energy and feel so drain. I pray this year goes by quickly,

I REGRET DOING IT. SHOULD HAVE TRIED OTHER NON INVASIVE WL PROGRAMS.

[Navigating the Wilderness 824]

1 hour ago, joannrmn said:

I REGRET DOING IT. SHOULD HAVE TRIED OTHER NON INVASIVE WL PROGRAMS.

You know I felt the same way for a bit as well. I kept asking myself why the heck didn't I just eat properly instead of doing the surgery, I could at least still eat normal portions of food that way!

It was at that time I realized that having the surgery was the right thing, because all I was thinking about was how much more food I could still be eating, which let me know I would have failed at the diet once again. For me the surgery was not about losing weight, I have never had a problem doing that, it was about keeping the lost weight off, that is where I failed over and over again.

I am quite happy I chose the surgery, but you really do need to weigh out the pros and cons.

Edited March 3, 2017 by Navigating the Wilderness

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

1 hour ago, joannrmn said:

Hello Newbie.. I wanted to response to your post with total honesty.. I am post sleeve 6 weeks now. I was you.. exactly! in regards to weight! after multiple attempts to lose weight.. losing only to regain it all back with extra.. I decided to research the sleeve. My weight was the highest ever and I feared reaching 300 pds. spoke with several individuals who were post procedure and I reached out for feed back. Everyone basically said the same things.. I feel great look how much weight I lost no more plus stores etc.. They focused on appearance etc. They all failed to share the post surgery regrets.. depression and how extremely HARD THIS PROCESS IS.. I live everyday with regrets!. If I could turn the clock back would do so without question. This is not easy... Post surgery I have experience horrible depression.. cry myself to sleep.

The first two to three weeks are the worst.. you live on fluids.. but let me tell you ..you will be hungry.. purees follow .. continue to have a hard time because I have lost all taste buds for particular everything.. can't even drink Water. Now that I am post 6 weeks I live off oatmeal .. Soups.. eggs.. tuna fish and mind you take three bites and it's done. I miss eating like a normal person and pray that everything I've been told by long term post sleeve patients it will get better. I hope you don't mind my honesty but I promise myself if anyone reached out to me I would not hold back. BE VERY SURE!.. THIS IS VERY VERY HARD MENTALLY.. EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY. Before you go forward.. ask yourself if you can live for the next year or two eating three morsels!.. and losing your taste buds.Yes I have lost close to 50 pounds and my body overall feels better , but I have no energy and feel so drain. I pray this year goes by quickly,

I REGRET DOING IT. SHOULD HAVE TRIED OTHER NON INVASIVE WL PROGRAMS.

I really don't understand how anyone could possibly go into this thinking they can literally have their cake and eat it too.

I feel bad if you weren't informed that this is a life-long, life-changing process & commitment, but chances are, you likely were. There's absolutely no point in going through with the surgery if one isn't committed. This lack of commitment is why so many fail.

So I agree in the sense that if people want to have the surgery and go back to eating like they were, don't bother with it. It would be a waste of time and money for everyone.

Edited March 3, 2017 by PatientEleventyBillion

[Em_JW 36]

Very new here! My surgery is in 18 days. The anxiety is kicking in. I'm trying not to compare myself to others/ but I'm really trying to get advice from as many people as I can about their experiences. How they calmed themselves down, what they brought to the hospital, advice on what to help with the pain the first few days, how long until you can really move around without being in pain, a general idea of how much weight you lost in the first 2 months, I just feel like getting more information and stories and advice will calm me so much more. I have severe anxiety and depression. I know this is going to change my life and really turn things around for me. I also have pcos and I'm really praying that this surgery will hopefully cure some of the symptoms. So please, anyone, I'm reaching out to all of you. I need you!

Age-22
Height- 5'6
HW:270
CW:246
GW:160

I'm almost 3 months post op. To be honest, every day once per day i regret having had surgery. You know when that is? When I wish I could fit in more food! The post above mine is awesome and extremely accurate! I have anxiety and depression (since a very young age) and I thought I could do this in my own. WRONG. I'm happy with my decision 90% of the time. It's a complete lifestyle change but my body is thanking me for it!
Now about immediate post-op: I brought my phone charger and my phone, capris sweats, long tshirt, hairbrush and hair cream, bipap mask and tubing (I have sleep apnea), and flip flops. Everything else they supplied.
I calmed my anxiety by seeing a therapist beginning a month before surgery and taking photos of myself so I'd get excited about losing weight. I'd suggest starting a project like organizing your closet according to size and even going out to thrift shops and buying a pair of jeans one size smaller than your current size and another pair one size smaller than those. I threw out all the summer clothes I had that could fit me before surgery because I knew by summer time I wouldn't be that size anymore. Starting a scrapbook can help. Taking pics of you with your family and friends before surgery and the day of and the months that follow can help you look back on your journey. Take LOTS of before pics!
The pain post-op is controlled well with pain meds. I had pain but only for about 2 weeks. After I could finally sleep on my tummy I was happy. The air that they pump in you during surgery is probably the toughest to handle (for me) but GasX chewables were a life saver!!!!!
Your diet will change and food will look different/taste different to you. I started craving healthier foods around month 2. I'll leave my weight lost stats at the bottom.
The only advice I can give is that everyone has a different experience so make sure this is really what you want and that you are 100% committed. It isn't going to be easy but for me it was so worth it. Get ready to end your current relationship with food and start a new one. Let's face it, my old relationship with food was literally killing me so I'm grateful.

PS. I met my best friend on this app. She had her surgery 2 weeks after me and we have been keeping each other motivated since pre-op diet. I recommend reaching out to someone who will be getting surgery around the same time and who is SERIOUS.

Hope this helps :-)

Age: 27
Height: 5'2
HW: 299
Pre-op: 268
CW: 225
GW: 140



Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[joannrmn 20]

It's not about having your cake and eating it to!.. YES !!.. I was told this is a permanent life changing surgery and at no time did I not realize that part of this program was to commit to lifestyles changes which I am willing to do, What you fail to understand is no individual who is post surgery wants to go back to their old eating habits.. but want to regain some normal eating pattern with healthy foods in which you don't take three bites and feel like you have something stuck in

However, what I believed what failed in my process is the mental and emotional support that was not provided throughout the pre-op process. Yes I meet with a psychologist and that all took about 5 minutes. .. At no time was I prepared for what was coming. .. I had to figure it out as I went along.

I believe it's important for all MD's providing this WLS to revamp the mental aspect of the pre screening process. The mental health part should entail a more in deep clinical process in which the therapist works with future patients in preparing for the psychological and emotional changes associated with the surgery. They need to provide us with the tools we will need to be get through the most difficult stages of the post surgery days. For me it was finding this site that has provided me with the support I so desperately needed whether we agree or disagreed about our experiences. No matter what I will always document my feelings as honestly as possible so that others out there preparing for this procedure know what is coming.

[Berry78 4,261]

I am 17 days from surgery (18 incl. today). I went through all the horror stories early, but am concentrating on the successes at this point.

Everyone is so different in the immediate post op period, so I hope I feel well soon, but if it takes a month, I am prepared for that too. Incisional pain seems to be an issue for up to 2 weeks.

I plan on not stepping on a scale for at least a month. We'll see if I can stick to that.

For the last month I have been sticking to a modified all liquid diet. It took a little while to get used to, but it isn't so bad now. My actual preop diet starts Monday.

I am kind of relieved to have a strict meal plan post surgery. I won't have to think about what to eat so I can concentrate on healing.

Once I am healed, I want to concentrate more on what is happening in the gym than the kitchen.

My biggest issue with food has been needing to eat a lot to feel full. It seems like it will be nice to learn some table manners and eat like someone other than a starving military man

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

1 minute ago, Em_JW said:

I met my best friend on this app. She had her surgery 2 weeks after me and we have been keeping each other motivated since pre-op diet. I recommend reaching out to someone who will be getting surgery around the same time and who is SERIOUS.

I liked your entire post, but this part right here I think helps especially, if you can have a partner that's supportive, even better, if they're going through what you are.

My wife has been going through weight gain herself. I see her diet is quite high in carbs, and she also has PCOS plus another allergy issue that stems from her pregnancy (was supposed to go away after giving birth but it didn't). She actually tried to get into weight management but they said she's not fat enough (5ft3 208 lbs, up from 115 lbs), though we both thought the PCOS would have pushed that over the top.

Her support during this time is invaluable and it would have made life much tougher had she not been supportive or if I had been doing this alone. She's certainly going to need me in a similar way to be supportive when she goes through her weight loss, and I'll be in a much better position to help, besides kicking her in the ass to quit drinking soda and eating so many carbs per day.

[crum_lisa 7]

joannrmn, I am so sorry you are having such a rough time! I'm only 10 days post op so I can't say it will get better from experience, but I truly believe it will get better for you. Eventually you will definitely be able to eat more normally. I really think you should find a therapist to talk with. I think talking to someone in person will be a huge help for you! Reach out to the place where you had surgery. Ask to meet with the psychologist. Above all, hang in there!

[paulleonard 7]

Hello I had my surgery November 16 of 2016. It was the best decision of my life I don't recall what I was it two months but 4 months post surgeryI have a lost 70 pounds. I lost 20 pounds before the surgery and 50 pound sense. I feel so much better physically and mentally that I cannot describe how great it is. I am happy and I can honestly say I was not happy for years prior to the surgery. My self-confidence is much higher than it ever has been. The first two days post surgery for the worst and trust me you can handle it. I am a big baby and with the medication they gave me it was no problem.


Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

[ursusmaritimus 18]

I'm almost 3 months post op. To be honest, every day once per day i regret having had surgery. You know when that is? When I wish I could fit in more food! The post above mine is awesome and extremely accurate! I have anxiety and depression (since a very young age) and I thought I could do this in my own. WRONG. I'm happy with my decision 90% of the time. It's a complete lifestyle change but my body is thanking me for it!
Now about immediate post-op: I brought my phone charger and my phone, capris sweats, long tshirt, hairbrush and hair cream, bipap mask and tubing (I have sleep apnea), and flip flops. Everything else they supplied.
I calmed my anxiety by seeing a therapist beginning a month before surgery and taking photos of myself so I'd get excited about losing weight. I'd suggest starting a project like organizing your closet according to size and even going out to thrift shops and buying a pair of jeans one size smaller than your current size and another pair one size smaller than those. I threw out all the summer clothes I had that could fit me before surgery because I knew by summer time I wouldn't be that size anymore. Starting a scrapbook can help. Taking pics of you with your family and friends before surgery and the day of and the months that follow can help you look back on your journey. Take LOTS of before pics!
The pain post-op is controlled well with pain meds. I had pain but only for about 2 weeks. After I could finally sleep on my tummy I was happy. The air that they pump in you during surgery is probably the toughest to handle (for me) but GasX chewables were a life saver!!!!!
Your diet will change and food will look different/taste different to you. I started craving healthier foods around month 2. I'll leave my weight lost stats at the bottom.
The only advice I can give is that everyone has a different experience so make sure this is really what you want and that you are 100% committed. It isn't going to be easy but for me it was so worth it. Get ready to end your current relationship with food and start a new one. Let's face it, my old relationship with food was literally killing me so I'm grateful.

PS. I met my best friend on this app. She had her surgery 2 weeks after me and we have been keeping each other motivated since pre-op diet. I recommend reaching out to someone who will be getting surgery around the same time and who is SERIOUS.

Hope this helps :-)

Age: 27
Height: 5'2
HW: 299
Pre-op: 268
CW: 225
GW: 140



Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@Em_JW

Thank you for sharing your experience. It's hugely helpful. Much like the original poster, I'm having serious second thoughts due to reading about ulcers, stomach leaks, thamine deficiencies, etc. It's great to read a real "90% of the time" account. Because, under best circumstance, I can't imagine it'll be a 100% happy situation.

Thanks again.

[RCM 1]

I'm scheduled 3-17-17, also a little nervous.

[vsg2266 21]

I'm scheduled 3-17-17, also a little nervous.

We can be there for each other!!!

[MiaMom 0]

I'm scheduled for 3-17 too! Just finished my first pre op diet day know that this will be a difficult put rewarding experience.