Hi Pockets!!! WELCOME to this Forum!!!!!
You have made a great decision that will change your life. It is perfectly normal to be scared, everyone seems to feel that way.
I thought about having this operation for the last 10 yrs and finally decided to go ahead with it last summer, June 2013. The way they perform the operation now, laparoscopicly, it isn't even all that painful. I'm almost 8 months post op now (in another week) and I have lost 100 lbs since surgery and lost another 34 lb while I was pre op, doing my 6 months diet for the insurance. I had the R-N-Y and I am so happy that I had the surgery! I feel so much better now and although I have a long way to go still, I have also come a very long way.
This is a journey to a new healthier lifestyle. There are many knowledgeable people on this forum who can help you and answer any questions you may have. Good Luck!!!
Cheyenne
Cheyenne says it all.
And welcome.
You will find that your new life will be rewarding. You will get back to doing things that you haven't been able to do in a long time.
Here is my list of accomplishments to date to further support what Cheyenne is saying. I too struggled with the decision to have the surgery. I put it off for at least 10 years. In the meantime the surgery procedure has drastically improved and become much safer.
Medical/Physical Maladies that have been resolved to date
• Diabetes resolved – off all meds, avg reading 110
• BP normal again – I am still taking bystolic 5mg. Resting pulse is around 60 and BP near or below 120/80. Without the bystolic my resting pulse is still in the 60s. However, my BP goes up to the high 130s/high 80s.
• Sleep Apnea resolved – I am not snoring nor do I believe I am stopping breathing. I will confirm this later this year. The air pressure from the CPAP machine was making me very uncomfortable; lots of burping
• Legs no longer swollen
• Waist size has shrunk – Wearing size 44 pants comfortably and just made it into 42 pants.
• Feet are smaller – I was able to put a pair of dress shoes on that I haven’t been able to wear.
• I stay under 1200 calories a day. Most days around 1000 calories.
• I have a lot more energy
• I can dance, dance and dance
• I can walk up neighborhood hills aggressively without having to stop; no longer breathless.
• My incontinence due to my prostatectomy has been resolved.
• I am able to sleep in my bed again. I had been sleeping In an upright chair to be comfortable.
• Dramatically reduced backaches; almost completely gone.
• I can bend over and tie my shoes now!
• I can see my toes again
• I can do dance steps again that I couldn’t do. The belly is gone!
• Now wearing size 42 slacks comfortably and looking forward to size 40 slacks. Just got into 40s but they are snug.
• Starting to sleep on my side again! This has happened in years!
• Intimacy much improved !!!
So lots to look forward to and welcome.
Ralph