Anxiety

I'm sure this has been discussed so many times that it's like beating a dead horse, but I'm new so I'm bringing it up.

I started this process at the end of December with the information session that turned into my first surgeon visit. And I've had nonstop appointments since then. I've known for about 8 years that I've wanted to have the surgery. I'm an athletic person overall but time and bad habits have taken over. I miss playing sports and being so much more active. Anyway...

Why do I have such anxiety?!?!

It's been relatively dormant lately, since I've decided to push the surgery date back. My surgery isn't officially scheduled but I was eye spring break-which is in three weeks. I feel like if I push the date back, I won't feel so rushed into it. I've had surgery before, both with general and local anesthesia so I don't think that's the problem. I think my problem is the "I feel like something bad is going to happen to me..." And I have a daughter who's almost 5. The thought of never seeing her again kills me.

What are some of your anxiety-related stories? How did you handle it?

The way I look at it is that life is full of risk, and if I want pretty much anything I have to just walk on through the fear and anxiety- as the quote goes "Everything you want is on the other side of fear." So I have to figure out whether the risk is tolerable for me. Unfortunately the biggest risks often have both the biggest costs as well as the biggest playoffs, so it's always a gamble.

Something you might want to consider is the cost/benefit ratio regarding your health over the long haul with obesity versus weight loss- that could effect how long and how easily you will be able to be there for your daughter.

The other thing I would say is that a person is ready when they are ready- not a second sooner.

 I love it that now my grandchildren have to keep up with me since my weight loss and my health and strength being so much better. I wish I had had surgery sooner, but didn't know it was an option.

I absolutely had anxiety before my surgery; my surgeon told me flat-out, "if you weren't nervous, I'd be concerned, since it would mean you don't understand what you're getting into."

Part of my concern WAS around anesthesia and complications and the like. I'd had my gallbladder out, but that was a "necessary" surgery. This felt more like an optional surgery-- though in a lot of ways it really isn't-- so if I ran into trouble, it would be my own vanity (in my mind at the time) rather than anything that was immediately crucial to my health.

Heck, I was so worried about that bit that I wrote up a bit of a "final instructions" document with a "just in case" password. Things like what to do with my remains, what to post on Facebook, that sort of thing. (I'm 31 and don't have any sort of estate-planning stuff yet.)

Another part of the nervousness was because this is pretty much irreversable. Yes, there are things that can be done in the event of other problems down the line-- surgeries can be converted, etc.-- but this is a permanant physical and lifestyle change. You can stop taking diet pills, you can have implants taken out, but WLS is *it.*

And then, related to that, there's the guilt. "Am I REALLY sure I need to go through this? What if I tried on my own, one more time, reeeeeally hard this time? Could I get away without it?" For most of us, the answer is a big fat NO, but that nagging voice can be really hard to shut up.

Bottom line? There are absolutely a lot of things to be worried about. But for a LOT of us here, once we worked on the anxiety and moved ahead, the surgery has proven to be a great tool, and I've seen a lot of people post that they wish they'd done this years sooner.

If you're still struggling, is there a support group locally that you could connect with? Or could you have a session with a counselor to talk through your worries? It's absolutely OK to be anxious, and in the end it's your body and your decision. Whatever you decide, we're all rooting for you.

I really didn't experience much anxiety.  The anxiety came from the cir****tances which finally pushed me to explore WLS - the freakin' cost of the stupid medications I was taking only because I was overweight!

Once I made up my mind - I was a "house afire".  Before I even met the surgeon I had already been to one of his support group meetings and had two required specialist appointments done and out of the way!  Giving up control to finally GET control of my life!  I didn't really think about the "what ifs".  That's negative stuff that just gets in the way of moving forward. 

Make sure that you have answered yourself completely and truthfully - that you are really READY for not just facing the surgery itself part - but the whole, crazy, amazing, and life-changing experience!