Terrified of needles and never had a surgery!

Can anyone please fill me in on the surgery part of gastric bypass from a patient point of view??? Please be blunt and truthful. I dont want to be sugarcoated.
   To be truthful I work in the medical profession and I poke people all day, but when it comes to being poked *like the IVs I will need for surgery* I am terrified. I have never had surgery and dont know what to expect as far as pain. *I am a wimp*
      How much discomfort is there when you come to after surgery and how long does one typically stay in the hospital. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

First, congratulations on your BIG day approaching!  Secondly, I am sure the answer to your question will differ from person to person, but my experience was much better than I had anticipated, however, I have had surgery before so I did have some point of reference.  My IV went in fine and was not painful...........then they gave me some realllllllllly good drugs to calm me.  After that, I did not care about much else.  Next a mask went over my face and they told me to think of a place I wish I could be........to I started to do that and the next thing I knew I was being woke up in recovery.  I had a fear of waking up on a ventilator, but that did not happen.  I was not in much pain and got to my room and rested.  I was up that night and never looked back.  I was in the hospital 2 nights, but would have gone home the first day after but I developed a low grade fever.  It was gone the next AM and I came home.  I was sore, but this was a piece of cake compared to recovering from my previous 2 c-sections.  I am 9 days post-op and am doing VERY well physically.  I can drive and walk and do stairs.......just cannot lift my small children, which is hard. 

YOU WILL DO FINE!  Good luck!!!

Julie

I had been a human pin cushion over the couple years leading up to surgery (not daily, but every 3 to 4 months) and had one bout in the hospital of getting stuck too much when I was a teenager, so I sort of formed a resiliance to it. For the most part, it's not bad, but you hope for a nurse that is good. I have had a couple bad ones that cause some angst, but when you get a great one, you never feel it!  After surgery, you may have some discomfort, but the pain meds are a good friend, especially the pain pump. Once you get moving it's definitely a help. I had most of my pain in one incision, and once I moved, that went away as it seemed to be from tightness.

Good luck and congratulations.