Is it normal to be this frightened

[lotsabeefy]

Hi,
When i was going trough the proceedure for gaining funding for my gastric bypass i was so excited and happy thinking about my new life post op.
But now i have it and as the operation approaches i am very frightened, i have an over active imagination and keep thinking about stuff which i can't even repeat.
Please post and tell me if you guys felt this way cos i may go mad thinking about it

 

[Delly]

My op date in monday the 7th and i can totally totally sympathise with you.,
Im not sleeping but when i am im too having nightmares...
At the mo im thinking is it worth it... but if i pull out i,l be letting alot of people down including myself.
All im doing is keeping my chin up and trying to get monday out of the way.

Good luck and you know where i am if you need to talk
delly x

 

[lotsabeefy]

Thanks Dellyi feel better to know tha this is normal xxx

 

[sukay]

It happend to me too - although it didn;t hit me until I was being wheeled up to theatre and before I went into the theatre room I was sobbing

I knew it was what I wanted but I was scared. The surgeon and his team assured me I WOULD wake up which was comforting.

The other side of it was deep concern about pain and how I would cope afterwards.

I was very emotional for quite a few days afterwards and did feel I had done something to punish myself.

I have to say that, three weeks post op, I feel great. I have had times when I have cried, mainly because I felt nauseous and knew I had to try and eat and keep up fluids AND take tablets etc etc - and I didn;t seem to have enough room in my tummy to take it all!

I have gone on to protein supplements now to help me which means I don't have to eat as much - volume wise. Much easier..

Sorry to go on lol!! Just wanted to give you the full story. I think it is natural to worry and we all worry about different things.

Good luck guys

 

[emergingbutterfly]

Hi,
When i was going trough the proceedure for gaining funding for my gastric bypass i was so excited and happy thinking about my new life post op.
But now i have it and as the operation approaches i am very frightened, i have an over active imagination and keep thinking about stuff which i can't even repeat.
Please post and tell me if you guys felt this way cos i may go mad thinking about it

I think this is very normal. Although my surgery is not until the 19th January 2010, I am already having sleepless nights and panic attacks about the whole thing. Whilst the programs I have been watching on sky health about the surgery are very helpful, sometimes they show too much and although I don’t watch the bits about the surgery itself the whole idea of what is about to happen during the surgery scares me and I have nightmares about it.

Also I have an ex ( well, kinda ex) person in my life who is totally against it and keeps sending me horror stories/nasty emails about what will happen to me. I am trying to be strong but I am human!

I try to tell myself that I am being very grown up (yes I am 37!) and brave having this operation and also that it is my decision and the right one for me. I console myself by saying that I can always change my mind, even though I know I won’t. And lets face it, what is the worse that can happen. A bit of discomfort for a few days???? And not being able to eat yourself sick like before???? There is a very good thread on here asking what is the worse that has happened after surgery and it is reassuring to know that no matter how bad you think it is going to be there are very very few that regret their decision.

So, yes, it is normal to be scared. Try to take your mind off it and go Christmas shopping, that is what I am doing. That said, I am sure once Christmas is over the panic will set in for real.

Keep reading the success stories from the post ops on here and be reassured you are not alone. We all understand.

 

[Glenville]

It is normal to be anxious and have lots of thoughts swimming around your head. You have made your decision and you know it is the right thing for you in the long term.

As you lose weight on the runup to your op it is a common thought that "I am losing all this weight without the op", but you know it would only be temporary if you didn't go ahead with it.

The other distraction is fear of what might happen to dependants. I was not in that situation, but can fully appreciate how some might have that fear. What you are doing is not only for you but for them as well. Just think how they will feel when they see you so much fitter and able to join them in their activities.

Keep your attention on the positives and don't dwell on the negatives.

Good luck,
John xx

 

[IRJ]

I had the Bypass 16/11 and ive got to say i wasnt nervous, anxious or most importantly regretting what i was doing, yes there is discomfort of course there is, yes you will have to take medication and yes you will have to change your whole attitude to eating but was it worth it, no doubt, in this short time ive already lost 3 stone incl 8 days pre op, you have to be strong mentally, something i used to do is this, write down the pro's and con's of the operation write things like looking at chairs to see if you can fit in them write down trying clothes on that you love that dont fit write down how you feel when you do 1/2 hours walking write down how you are going on holiday and thinking about the aircraft seat write down how you feel in your relationship are you happy etc etc etc and then think WHEN i wake from this life saving operation these feelings and embarrassments WILL start to go away in time from that day of your life, i for 1 am looking forward to the challenge of losing 13 stone 3 has gone 10 to go, please dont think this is a go at anyone but dont forget the hospital has and will check everything to make sure your life will be better and happier in the future, and finally think how lucky you are.

 

[candie]

I was nervous but kind of fatalistic tbhI knew the mortality rate was low for the bypass, and knew i'd be happier having it done than living as I had been before
Having said that it is a very scary thing going through any op imo
Good luck hun x

 

[BlueDiamond]

Hi,
When i was going trough the proceedure for gaining funding for my gastric bypass i was so excited and happy thinking about my new life post op.
But now i have it and as the operation approaches i am very frightened, i have an over active imagination and keep thinking about stuff which i can't even repeat.
Please post and tell me if you guys felt this way cos i may go mad thinking about it

The mind is a powerful tool, its normal to go through various senarios/feelings etc, thats wot makes us human and keeps the reality of what we are doing real.

All the best - MeJulie xx

 

[Cuppacocoa]

Hi Lotsabeefy, to answer your question, yes, it is totally normal to feel the way you do right now! I asked exactly the same question before my op on 7th November and was so reassured by all the replies telling me it was so normal to be scared, anxious and questioning your decision to have the op. It's a big thing you're doing, of course you are going to be nervous!

I'm now 3 1/2 weeks post op and don't regret the decision one little bit, it has changed my life for the better already.

I wish you the very best of luck,
Cuppa xx

 

[kathleen1960]

hi ... i was pretty nervous too a week or so back, but then i got to thinking a thing or two and firstly i thought "I may acutally die due to this op" but then countered that thought with "actually i MAY die on my way to do the grocery shop today too, but it's not going to stop me driving to Asda"... and that is it in a nutshell really, every single day we take risks but because we take them so often we forget they are risks this is just another risk....lets all take it and be glad we did xxxxx

 

[jasonslaphead]

I wasnt really nervous much although all the time I knew in the back of my head it has its risks. It was more like a bit of an adventure really. Even when I went in to the operating theater I was more interested in being nosey to see what gadgets they had. The anesthetists started doing there stuff and I was just about to ask why they had two clocks next to each other on the wall and next thing I knew I was in the hdu recovering
Try to keep yourself busy and try not to let it worry you too much.

 

[Cuppacocoa]

Jason did you ever find out what the two clocks were for? I'm curious!

Cuppa xx

 

[Mark01/05/2009]

As everyone has said it is totally normal. You are about to go through a major operation which everyone knows carrys dangers, but when i went through it, the benefits definately out weighed the dangers in my eyes and now I am 7 months post op and 9 stone down, i would 100% do it again...

Keep thinking positively and look past the op and the new you that it will bring...

xxxxx

 

[Sappho]

It is absolutely normal, the days before my op I was a nervous wreck, saying I wasent sure I should do it and thinking about all the things that could go wrong, so I really took some time to reconsider my decision and for me the point it came down too was how high the risks were of staying this size, on a medical, physical and emotional level. It is still early days for me but so far I think I made the right decision. Best wishes for you

 

[lotsabeefy]

Thankyou all very much for your comments i really feel more at ease

 

[Tyraboots]

The last appointment I had was to see the surgeon. Usually I was excited to go to the hospital etc. But this time when I got off the bus I felt a large stab of fear in my stomach. It took me by surprise, I thought I had all this under control. I just know I am going to be terrified on the day I have mine, which will be 21st January 2010. Luckily I can come in on the day of the operation, not having to spend the night in the hospital before is a god send. The less I think, dwell and mull over things the better.

 

[jasonslaphead]

Jason did you ever find out what the two clocks were for? I'm curious!

Cuppa xx

No idea I never asked, maybe the doctors need to know what the time is in Tokyo