It is scarey...but my anticipation of my new life totally overrode any fear I could have had. I fairly bounced (a real feat!) into the hospital. When they took my blood pressure in the room before they took me down, it was something like 90 over 60. They laughed and said, "Wow, you aren't stressed about this at ALL are you!" and I said HECK NO...Bring it on!!!! But then they said my BP was too low and the anethesiologist wouldn't take me with that number, so I had to get up and march around until it went back up (hahah). Listen to me here folks....you are NOT giving up the foods you love. You are only giving up the
GOBBLING, CRAMMING and INHALING of the foods you love. I can eat ANYTHING I could before....if I
take ENOUGH time to do it. I too felt like I was giving up an old friend...until I woke up and I was just the same, except my NEW friend was helping me shed pounds like I have NEVER experienced before, and knowing it was
permanent made it pleasureable (as you know, when dieting when you are overweight the goal is just a stopgap. You and I always know we'll just sail those numbers right back up within the year...it's pretty much a guarantee...so it's really hard to get excited about ANOTHER diet in a long list of diets we go through in our lives....). You will hear all kinds of stories on the forum, but I got my band at 55 years old, breezed through the surgery (WITH all the ammunition I had gained by researching before I went in...ALL my bases were covered and there was NOTHING that could surprise me...I was ready for everything), and I have to say all things considered breezed through this last year. All of a sudden it was over and I was at goal and I couldn't believe how fast it went and how great I felt and how happy I was!!!!!
There is no substitute for knowledge prior to getting banded. You need to know, expect, anticipate EVERYTHING. Prepare for the worst and you could be pleasantly surprised. Prepare for the gas. That's probably the worst thing you will face. Get your gas-X and know your de-gassing positions. USE your pain meds as you need them. Don't be a martyr. Make sure everything you COULD possibly need is within arm's reach for the first two weeks and you will be fine. Better to be overprepared than underprepared. I'll be thinking good thoughts for you all!!!