So Scared Now!

Hey everyone! I am scheduled for surgery on August 11,
but I am soooo scared now after reading so many, many,
many, (need I go on?) messages about how horrible the
pain is, and how miserable people are.  I am preparing
myself just like I did for my C-section 17 years ago, but man, I could use
some happy comments!!  Has anyone out there been pleased
and happy after surgery? I mean, I know there's a lot to get
adjusted to, but I am seriously considering not having it if
I'm just going to end up so unhappy afterwards.
Call me: Looking for some hope! 

I had an RNY, and I had also read the horror stories, but I guess everyone is different, because I had very little pain, not kidding, my pain was very mild. I hope you have the same outcome. Good luck, Ithink you will be very happy after surgery.

I didn't have RNY,  I had lapband, however if you are anything like I was...you are in pain everyday right now. All kinds of pains..from knees to back, to not being able to go upstairs without resting. Pain from the emotional feelings that come with being obese. I know my daily pain is so much better now. Even though the surgery hurt and recovery kinda sucked...a heart attack or stroke or losing limbs to diabetes would have been far worse. I hope if the only reason you are reconsidering is the recovery pain that I have helped you. If you have other reasons for reconsidering...definately talk with your dr and surgeon about your fears. God Bless you in your weight loss success!!

Oops! My cat stepped on the mouse and deleted! LOL
My message was: I keep thinking about the
things that hurt now that will be fixed, and I
know it just Has to be worth it!!  After all, my daughter
was worth every ache of the C-section!! Thanks for
the encouragement!  Alisa

It really wasn't that bad.  I was very sore for about a week, but I wouldn't say I was in a lot of pain.  The nice thing about pain is, we soon forget it.  Otherwise, we'd never learn to walk!

Linda

I am thankful and extremely happy that I did NOT read any forums before surgery.  It is much more common to NOT have problems -- but those people aren't the ones looking for help and feedback from forums :)    It's like, if you buy a car and you HATE it, you want to post all over warning people not to buy one -- but if you love it, you just love it....

I had surgery on a Friday morning. I was ready to go home the next day -- I was up and walking and fine.  They wanted me to stay 2 nights just to watch for a leak or whatever so I did. After the first day, I didn't need the pain meds and I never took them again when I went home.   I had my appendix out 2 years ago and I found it to be pretty similar pain wise - maybe a little more but I was so happy about the next part of my life I really didn't care.  

I am almost 4 months out now and have tried eating tons of different things and had no problems.  Just chew chew chew and its been fine.   I avoid starchy carbs but thats my own choice -- no bread, rice, pasta, oatmeal, cereal etc...   Lots of meat, shrimp, turkey... lots of dairy eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, veggies and protein shakes.  I had one dumping incident -- I bought regular pudding instead of sugar-free by complete accident.  Otherwise no issues.

After I found the forums -- I actually asked my nurse why I haven't had any problems -- and she said most people don't. 

Count me in as one of they very happy, problem free Lap RNY people :)

Yeah for some good news!!! My family keeps telling me to stop
reading the forum until after the 11th, but I'm trying to keep as
informed as possible right to the last minute. I truly did need to
hear the good side of this and thank you!!!

I think for every one of those post's about the horrible experiences there are many more who never post and have a great experience. Let's face it, we (people in general) tend to gripe and moan more about the bad than the good.

I had an uneventful surgery (aside from the pneumonia from the anesthesia) my hospital stay was great. I was off of all pain meds by day 2. Went home with minimum pain (and I had an open RNY) My C~section was much more painful post~ op. I carried home a giant bottle of liquid pain killers and there is still 3/4 of a bottle sitting in my medicine cabinet.

I made an INFORMED decision about this surgery, I studied, researched, asked questions and read everything I could get my hands on before I even made the decision to go through with WLS. My husband also did the same so he would know what to expect and how best to support me in this journey.  I knew that I would gain weight while in the hospital from fluids, I knew I would get about 3 weeks out an stop losing while my body recovered. I knew it wasn't going to be a fun day in the part and I would feel like crapola for a few weeks (after all it is MAJOR surgery).

I would not let the post's about the pain, bad experiences deter you if this is truly what you want. There are plenty of other people who would do it again in a heartbeat.

My best advice is get your mind right before you go under the knife, there are no redo's, do overs or return policy in this life change decision.

Good Luck to you,
Kim

I had surgery last October.  I was back to work part time a week after.  I was driivng 3 days after.  I was sore - mostly cause I had a reaction to the bandaids.  I walked did what I was suspose to do and everything went great.  I had a hysterectomy and it was more painful than my rny.  I would do it again in a heart beat.  I can walk without hurting I can clean my house without huffing and puffing.  The little pain I dealt with during surgery is nothing companred to the life long pain I have had and would continue to have weighing 368.

Last weekend I hiked and played in the creek with my grandsons  - something I couldnt have done this time last year.

Good luck on your surgery - you will do great.

Debie