has anyone else felt like this?

So, pre - op, you are happy that you are approved, and maybe waiting for a date for surgery, or have one thats a month or so out, and you come here,  read posts, then memorials, etc, and a surg. gone bad story, and is it normal to for a temporary thing to think to yourself, "ok forget this %$#^ and then you re group. and put things in perspective, and still want it after that feeling settles down? am I normal??? just comparing and want to get a reality check here, today, yes I want, but  read a bad story last night on main board, I swore it was so sad, I thought I didnt want to do this thing, until I settled down, put t hings into perspective. I want it really badly. yes. I am a good candidate. and I have just less than 100 lbs to lose. that I have busted my @$$ to lose, I work out, etc. it does NOT hardly budge... and the good thing is, I have good fitness, but pretty obese still.... thoughts and any advice welcomed,  Ann.

ok, then, no one?? yikes!!

No one what? Anyway,,, anything's normal when you are in the process. You can run the gambit. Just keep it in perspective that you although may feel unique you are one of 150,000 people getting their chitlins fixed. Each case may be different but the process is the same. Your outcome will depend a great deal on how you look at and deal with your health. kp

It is very normal to have all those emotions..I read so many bad/sad profiles before my surgery BUT also read a lot of good profiles too!! This is a very exciting process and it gets better every day!!  Best wishes to you!! Shannon

I wanted to have this WLS sooo bad. I thought maybe persuing it I would scare myself into losing weight on my own. That didn't work. I ended gaining even more weight. As time went on, and it was seeming more real to me, I found this site. Of course the first thing I did was check the memorial board out. I read every single profile on there, and with each one I usually bawed my eyes out. Then I started thinking, maybe I won't have this surgery. Maybe I can do this on my own. But, honestly I knew I couldn't. I have tried and lost some but, would gain back even more. I was widowed at age 32 and at the time my husband passed away I was told I had terminal cancer. I had 4 small children, and I was scared I might leave them without a mother also if something went wrong. My real breaking point was when I was shopping and was in the dressing room almost butt naked trying on clothes. I never saw myself as a big person, even though I knew I was. Well that day when had I seen myself in the mirror I was horrified, that I finally saw myself as I truly was. Really Fat. I said right then and there, this surgery is for me. I went back on the memorial page and started realizing most of those people that had passed had either passed waiting for the the surgery or from a car accident or some other than the surgery. Actually there were less from the surgery than others. After that point I was emotionally ready for this surgery and all my fears had vanished. I knew if I didn't have this I might not be here for my kids or grandkids one day. I knew I would end up getting bigger, with even bigger health problems. My dad wanted this surgery so bad, but because of his weight at about 550 they had told him it would be very risky. He was to scared to have it and at age 51 he had died due to obesity. I didn't want to end up like he did, or live the life he had lived. So in a sense, I also did it for him. On March 5th, 2007 I had my surgery without one complication. I'm down 87 pounds and feel great. I no longer take any meds for blood pressure, I was on 3. And I no longer have sleep apnea. I can do so much, that I wasn't able to do in the last 15 years. I play with my kids alot more. I know I made the right choice, sorry so long LOL just wanted to tell ya how I was and maybe that will help ya..Good Luck, Dorean

I think most, if not all of us have been there, done that.  It is natural to worry about the worst possible cir****tances.  To put things in perspective, how many people die each day driving their car?  Do you excessively worry every time you get into your car to drive?  The only way to calm the fear is if you know your surgeon is talented, know what you need to do post-op to avoid major complications (like walking) and put the rest into God's hand.  Every decision we make in life is a "risk vs. reward" decision.  You know what shedding those 100 lbs. will do for your health.  What lifstyle are you interested in?  The chances of something bad happening during the operation are less odds than you having a major complication from obesity.  If you've made your mind up, don't let those "horror stories" cloud your thinking.  Concentrate on the multitudes of people whose lives have drastically changed for the better because they had the surgery. Jon

Thanks everyone *****plied. I was just checking out if it is normal to have the jitters I suppose. I think I will do what is good for me, and I know the risks are there, but I dont have to choose to read up on them since it adds extra worry when I know the risks already.  thank you once again, for sharing your own perspectives and experiences.  Ann