Coping with Fear of Surgery and Physical Change

Gastric bypass surgery reshapes your stomach and changes the digestive process of your body for life. It is major surgery, performed while the patient is under general anesthesia.

For many people, the idea of “rebuilding” their stomach sounds good—a small stomach that can help you control how much you eat sounds like a great tool.

For other people, the idea of surgery and anesthesia can provoke anxiety. The potential for complications also can be a little frightening.

This is perfectly normal. Before letting these fears prevent you from having this surgery, you may want to examine them. In this section, you’ll learn strategies for working through these fears and hear from patients who have had gastric bypass surgery as they describe their own ways of working through these challenges.

Fear of Surgery
The fear of surgery is not irrational or abnormal; in fact, it’s very common. Bariatric surgery reroutes the digestive system and permanently alters the stomach—all while the patient is under general anesthesia.

If the idea of surgery or anesthesia scares you, counter the fear by finding out more. Research the surgeon or surgeons who will be performing the operation. If anesthesia is an issue, you also can research the anesthesiologist. You may be reassured if you find out that your surgeon has performed hundreds or thousands of surgeries.

If you are still afraid of surgery, but would otherwise like to have it, you may want to schedule an appointment with your primary care physician. Your physician can recommend a bariatric program and once there, you can attend support groups and speak with a psychologist. The psychologist is there to help you work through your fears and concerns.

Fear of Complications
Fear of short- or long-term complications is valid. As with any surgery, complications may occur.

If you are concerned about short- or long-term complications, you can talk about them with your surgeon. Every surgery has risks, and your surgeon should discuss the benefits and risks of bariatric surgery with you.

A Permanent and Lifelong Change to Your Body
For many people who have spent years suffering from morbid obesity, gastric bypass surgery sounds like a lifesaver. However, it’s important to be prepared for all aspects of the treatment. Gastric bypass surgery permanently changes your body. Your surgeon will reduce your stomach to a very small pouch. The small intestine is then rerouted, so the digestive process allows fewer calories and nutrients to be absorbed by the body. The combination of restrictive and malabsorptive mechanisms allows for significant weight loss.

After gastric bypass surgery, the amount of food that you eat is less than what you could eat presurgery. At the same time, a feeling of satisfaction, or satiety, is achieved with these small quantities of food. If you eat a large meal or foods high in fat and/or sugar, you very likely will have a painful bout of dumping syndrome, which is an uncomfortable feeling of nausea, lightheadedness, upset stomach, and diarrhea associated with ingestion of sweets, high-calorie liquids, or dairy products. This physical reaction provides a deterrent to large meals and unhealthy foods.

Because your stomach will be a fraction of its original size and your digestive process will be changed, you will have the opportunity to lose excess weight. Dangerous co-morbidities, such as type 2 diabetes, GERD, and sleep apnea, are often resolved or improved. As you recover, you may find that clothes that fit a week ago or even a few days earlier suddenly are too large. You also may find that a walk in the park no longer leaves you breathless, that you do remember how to ride a bike, and that you can keep up with your kids.