Writergirl

That's all very helpful. Thanks! Annette, I'm definitel going to start on Beans today. I've been reluctant because of the side effects, but maybe I just need to try. Pookey, first, I hope you are starting to recover emotionally. I can't imagine going through travel, let alone a death, right after the surgery. This has been hard enough. I think you have the right attitude about fast food. I actually don't even like fast food, but sometimes just have to rely on it while I'm out. As I said, if I got ff in the past, it was usually a salad. So there I was yesterday, needing something soft, with just no idea of what to order. My nutritionist told me I can eat anything except bread/rice/pasta, hard fruits, nuts, raw veggies, and things with seeds as long as it's chewed to a liquid consistency, and I have been trying a variety of foods. My favorite so far is pureed turkey breast with gravy and mashed potatoes. MoonSiren: Wish I didn't care about food anymore. My focus has really changed, but I'm thinking of food all the time, and I'm sick of it. Mater: It gets better. I ate a lot of strained cream of chicken soup while on liquids. Thanks for all the responses! I'm definitely going to back off of certain foods for now and try the beans.

I've been working on emotional eating for several years. It's not easy, but one of the things I've had to do is learn to let myself feel my feelings and express them, not stuff them down. Every time I wanted to eat for comfort, I'd tell myself that when I was done I'd just have an extra problem--new weight to contend with. Still, food has gotten me through every major crisis of my life, and I dread the day I have to deal with something really tough without food as a crutch. That's why before I even had my surgery I scheduled an appt with a therapist. Good luck.... It's a journey, and as someone else said, we are NOT powerless.

Wow! You've gone down all those sizes in 3 weeks? I'm almost 3 wks out, and I'm only down 14 pounds, and there's NO WAY I could do all that running around at this point. You're doing great! Me... maybe not so great.

I'm 2 wks out and I am hungry about every 2 to 3 hours. On liquids, I was starved 24/7. I know the difference between head hunger and real hunger, and this is HUNGER! My sister suggested that perhaps the hormone grehlin is still in my system. I think my body is starving and sending all kinds of hunger signals. However, I can eat just a little bit and I'm satisfied. I'm actually having very little head hunger. I don't think hunger is your imagination.

Hi, DebiC and all of you... I'm here, too. I want to lose 220, but that may be an unreasonable goal for me as my body just may be configured differently than it was years ago when I was thin. I was sleeved 11 days ago and, I won't lie, it's been a very rough couple of weeks for me. Today I started mushies and many of the problems I was having seem to have stopped now that I've had a bit to eat. I'm down a total of 56.8 pounds since I began a low-carb diet in Oct, and like you, not one person has noticed that I've lost weight. I still haven't gone down a full size! So, yes, we do have different issues and a longer journey than many others on this board. Thanks for posting and "putting out the call!"

I'l be thinking of you and Misha!

Well, here's what I plan to have "normal" look like for me. I plan to eat low carb for most meals, and then when I go out for a special celebration or holiday or whatever, I'll have whatever I'd enjoy, without guilt. That way, although I may not be indulging in a huge multi-course dinner, those big food occasions will still feel special to me. I do think I'm going to find it very difficult to go out with my friends and know that I can have four tablespoons of food, and I'm going to have to choose them pretty carefully. No more appetizers, salads, main courses and desserts. Maybe that won't bother you or others at all, but I do think I'll go through a mourning process over it, and that's why I decided to see a therapist.

I was sleeved on the 24th and since coming home from the hospital I have been obsessed with food. Not that I really want to eat it. But I am starved. Last night at 4 a.m. I laid in bed sobbing for all the starving children in the world, because I've been relentlessly hungry for going on four weeks and it's not pretty. So I understand where you're coming from. However... last night I started to think about my long-term approach to this. Just like every diet I've been on, I can either embrace it and succeed, or try to "beat the rules" and fail. I think the window of opportunity for fast weight loss with this thing seems to be about a year. I'm going to try to be really serious about this. I didn't mutilate my body only to fail once again. So, although I know a mourning period for food is coming, I hope to get over it quickly and just give myself every opportunity to succeed. I found a therapist before my surgery and have an appt set up for two wks from now. She had the bypass, so she knows how I'm feeling. I think it's important to have someone you can howl and cry to as you mourn. Good luck... this surgery ain't for sissies!

I can only say how miserable I would be to land back in and start fluids again at this point, so I'm so very sorry for you. I keep telling myself that this is just the process. Hang in there. And yes, the food commercials are killing me.

LAnn and Retired Loser, we are in this together! I was sleeved the 24th, and I swear to you that when I read your post I had to check to be sure I didn't write it! It's 5:30 a.m. here and I'm up because I can no longer sleep for more than 4 hours. My stomach is roiling. I'm starved and sick. I have constant diarhea, so every time I "go" I'm trying to force down 8 oz of extra water. I'm now having a visceral reaction just to the sight of the supplements. I've tried Unjury, Isopure, and something else. They all make me sick. I can't eat anything sugar free. I break into tears at the drop of a hat, and honestly don't care that I'm losing weight because it feels like the most unhealthy thing I've ever done in my life. This is so awful. E-mail me if you want to call and talk.

I was just sleeved on the 24th and my doc told me I can take tylenol caplets, not gelcaps, so I would think a small tablet would be ok. I'm also taking protonix pills each day. They haven't bothered me. I'm having horrendous acid, and my doc told me I can also take liquid Malox and 2 75mg zantac tablets at a time. It's helped A LOT. Malox gives instant relief. Good luck!

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I'm going to go buy Isopure today and see if that works better for me. I made a decision in the dark hours of the night that I'm not going to have things I can't tolerate (physically) just because they are supposed to be good for me. So I'm going to try the Isopure, which I won't have to add to anything. Got up this morning and had some cream of wheat with NO added protein, and for the first time all week I didn't feel hungry or nauseated for a couple of hours. If the Isopure failes me, I'll head to COSTCO. I'm still so weak and shaky I don't think I can take COSTCO today. I did get in 48 oz of water yesterday, though, so I think my hydration is pretty good. Thanks again.

Anyone have any advice? I was sleeved on the 24th. I've been struggling so hard to get in water and whey protein, and today I did pretty well. I've gone through my unjury sample pack. The problem is, everything single thing I put in my mouth is giving me problems. I have never been able to eat sugar free things without getting sick, so that leaves out jello, popsicles, and pudding. I decided to try them anyway, and last night was up all night feeling like a cauldron of acid was roiling in my stomach. Today I have taken prilosec, zantac, and Malox and am still fighting acid. I am lactose intolerant, so I've added the protein to soy milk, which makes me want to gag. Also, the unjury tastes like powdered milk to me, which I have not been able to tolerate since the 1st grade. So... ok, I'm whining. I am hating life right now. What can I have???? I've got to go through another week of this!! Also, did I add that I'm STARVED all the time? Maybe it's the good old gnaw of acid, but it still feels like starvation. This seriously feels like the most unhealthy thing I've ever done in my life. I'm open to suggestion here, if anyone has anything for me. Thanks for listening. Or reading...

I was dry heaving for three days after the surgery. I actually threw up while they were doing the leak test. I stopped taking the nausea meds and all pain medication because I think it made it worse. Every time I'd take the zofran I'd immediately feel sick. I'm doing ok on nausea now, but the acid is unreal.

I was sleeved on the 24th and I'm starved. It may be acid, but I'm taking protonix, zantac, and malox. I was actually anxious for surgery on the basis that at least I wouldn't be hungry any more from the pre-surgical liquid diet, but I am starved. My sister suggested that maybe there's still a lot of Grehlin (hunger hormone) that just needs to work it's way out of my system. Sigh..

I was sleeved on the 24th and have also been really struggling. I was told I need to get in 60 oz of water and 50 grams of whey--specifically whey--protein. I'm really hating the **** out of this. Sorry about the profanity. I'm feeling pretty profane right now.

That's fantastic! It's so great to hear that your arthritis has improved, because that's a huge issue for me, too.

Had my surgery on the 24th and was released today. I had a pretty rough go of it with nausea and dry heaving, but it seems to have subsided. My insides feel like the creature from the Alien is roaming around, though. Constant gurgling. I can already tell that getting in the fluids is going to be a challenge. Anyway, just wanted to check in with you.

Thank you so much! All your cheerful replies really lifted my spirits. I'm feeling pretty crabby today, so I must be on the mend!

I started on this journey last April when a surgeon refused to replace my knees until I lose 80 pounds. Nearly unable to walk and in constant pain, I still have struggled with the decision to do this. The moment I knew food was going to be "taken from me," I began to eat every morsel like it was my last meal, and gained about another 20 pounds, taking me to my highest and most unhealthy weight ever. The beginning of October came, and the holidays with all the eating events were ahead. I decided to go on a low-carb diet to allow myself some leeway to gain over the holidays without contributing to my all-time highest. To my great surprise, low carb worked for me. I've been struggling with the decision again: if low-carb works, why do this surgery??? But after much prayer, angst, and many tears, I believe I'm finally at peace with this decision. Why am I proud? Because all on my own, I have lost 46 pounds before surgery. Whatever happens in terms of complications, I can honestly say I've done all I could to get myself in the healthiest place possible beforehand. As a food addict, this is huge for me. I'll never know for sure that I couldn't have done it without the surgery, but I do know for sure that I still have a long way to go and I'm now beginning to be excited about the journey, rather than terrified. Just wanted to share!

Thank you to all for sharing your stories. I did forget to mention that my surgery is on Tuesday. I've spent the past several months in terror, and you made me laugh, Lissa, when you said you KNEW you were going to die in surgery, because that's just how I've been feeling. I've called all my friends to say goodbye and have left detailed instructions just in case. I realized today that throughout this entire process there has been a small voice in my heart saying that I was really NOT going to go through with this. That voice is quiet now. No, I'm not 100 percent certain. But I'm as close as I'm going to get and it's time to just put the decision to rest and get on with my life!

How unbelievably painful this time must be for you. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

I'm one week out from surgery and I'm on an emotional roller coaster. One day I'm at peace, the next day i'm in tears. I began using food as a coping mechanism more than 40 years ago, and I associate food--large quantities of food--with all my happiest and saddest memories. I'm not ONLY about food--I know this. And yes, I'm looking forward to being able to wear pretty clothes and do things again. But I keep trying to envision a "me" that feels like "me" without the food, and I'm having a really hard time. I spent 3 months doing low carb and lost 34 pounds in prep for my surgery, and now I'm wondering if I should just keep going with that. The nice thing is that while on that diet I still went out every two weeks and had whatever I wanted. The knowledge that those meals were coming kept me going! I am riddled with fear and uncertainty. And yet... I am so overweight I can barely walk, and I know every diet I've ever tried has eventually ended. I'm a strong woman who has been through so much in life. I know I'm strong. But I also wonder if maybe sugar was the glue that was holding me together all these years! Are these fears normal? Can anyone share some thoughts that will convince me this is going to be ok?

I'm on the 24th and am right there with you! This liquid diet seems so cruel, knowing my last big meal blowout is behind me and I can technically still eat. I've been obsessing over this decision, and crying at the drop of a hat. I even told my husband how I want my life insurance divided up if I don't make it through! I called today and made an appt to see a therapist who had the bypass a few years ago. We talked for a long time on the phone, and she assured me this is all perfectly normal. I actually felt better knowing I have an appt scheduled with her two weeks afterwards. Keep this in mind, too: food is an addiction, and the addiction wants to own us. I've never been able to think rationally about food when I'm eating badly. So I'm telling myself that all the last minute thoughts are my addiction talking, and I need to ignore that voice of destruction. Good luck to all of you. Sounds like there's a group of us all having surgery within a day or two of each other.

When I went for my endoscopy they discovered I have Barrett's esophagas, caused by acid reflux. I consulted with the bariatric surgeon and the gastroenterologist, and then they consulted each other. Here is what the gastro doc said: "I strongly recommend you don't have any surgery at all. You have no idea how many patients I treat who are literally starving due to malabsorption issues, who vomit all day, etc. Find another way to lose weight." I then asked, "Were those sleeve patients?" He said, "Oh... no. Those are all bypass patients. I don't have any problem sleeve patients." I asked him a lot of questions about whether the reflux would increase my chance of getting cancer one day, if the sleeve would make treatment more difficult if necessary, etc. He explained that there's a difference between acid reflux and reflux, and meds would control the acid. After a long conversation, he said he was comfortable with me getting the sleeve. My surgeon didn't agree, but after they talked, he told me I could have the sleeve with the understanding that if I'm totally miserable from reflux I'll have to undergo a bypass. He said the anatomy is changed to the point where reflux is not a problem. I may be crazy for doing this, but emotionally the bypass feels like mutilation to me, and I swore I'd never have it. Let's just hope and pray I never need it. Hope this helps. If she has doubts, she should speak to a gastroenterologist.