need some help with pre-surgery jitters

[skierhj 1]

So, I'm having surgery on May 21st and I'm rather nervous. I seem to be excited and looking forward to losing weight, feeling better, moving better one day to feeling like a failure the next day. I haven't been able to lose weight on my own because food is too tasty and I like lots of it. I have gotten my head around the idea that I need some help but there are those days when I feel like giving into the band is a failure on my part and it really drives me up the wall feeling that way.

What did some of you do to get mentally prepared for the sugery?

[coltonwade 27]

First of all congrats !! Congrats on the rest of your life !!

As for "giving in " Or "giving up " Look at it this way .... Would you consider a person getting a heart transplant , or a heart valve replacement giving up because they are getting an operation to save their life ?

I dont think so ? This is NO DIFFERENT . Your getting something put into your body to help you live longer.

I could not lose weight on my own for nearly 10 yrs . As you can see by my ticker i have no problems with the band !

Nerves are normal . You will be just fine ! Congrats to you ..

HTH

Mindy

[Guest gmoore]

I was banded 3 weeks ago, April 4th. I had the same pre-surgery jitters. I had just lost 35 lbs on my own before the surgery.... did I really need to do this? I knew I did. I have yo-yo dieted all of my life and I know now that at 61 years old, I have to fight to keep it off. Now for the good news.... I have had none of the problems that have been mentioned here, no gas, no head hunger, no hunger period until last week. I gotta mention the new Campbells Select Soups in a box... OMG are they good! I ate them the week before the surgery and for the last week. I have been putting them in the blender, because they do have some chunky pieces of Tomato, corn etc. But every flavor I have found, has satisfied the need to taste real food! broth does get old after awhile! I will also admit to mixing chicken broth 1/2 and 1/2 with the SW Corn Chowder and the Portabella Mushroom soups so I could eat them last week! LOL! Both tomato soups are amazingly good! My favorite though is the Butternut Squash soup! YUM! This week, finally, I am beginning to sample soft easy pieces of real food. I had grilled salmon last night and it went down no problems, but I could not eat the stir fried veggies.... just something I could tell after the first bite that this better wait until next week. I can tell this is going to work, not because I WANT it to work, but because I know I CAN make it work! Learning what I can and cannot do! So good luck to you! You can do it too. Don't let the nerves get the better of you.

This is a good decision you have made! Geri

[1byfaith 0]

Congratulations on your surgery date. I was banded on Wednesday, April 23rd. As far as being mentally prepared...for me I just know:

• I was/am so very tired of my weight being such a major issue in my life.
  
• I am sick and tired of having weight loss be at the top of each New Year's Resolution list.
  
• I am sick and tired of my perception about my weight dictating what I should and should not enjoy (eg going out to certain events where there are a lot of skinny people).
  
• I am so very tired of feeling ashamed and self-conscious about my weight.
  
• I want to be able to sit comfortably in a coach class airplane seat and not have the arm rests raise up on their own.
  
• I dont want to have to scope out the rooms at conferences and meetings for "roomy" chairs
  
• Having a Masters in Public Health-I dont want be a part of the obesity epidemic anymore and have to endure conferences and journals that talk ad nauseum about obesity in the US
  
• I am tired of of my joints aching
  
• I want to be able to fall asleep around family and friends without people waking me up to stop snoring like a bear!:huh2:
  

The lap band cannot promise self-confidence and happiness as it is merely a tool. Hopefully these virtues are in place no matter how large or small a person is. However, I just continue to think of what obesity has cost me in terms of mind, body and spirit. I then think about the advantages of obesity not being an issue any longer in my life and that is what motivates me mentally. Good luck!