SlimJill

WANT to be a food addict?? WANT?? *deep breaths* My entire life I've felt powerless to food, cravings, and impulsive bad decisions... I could never figure out why this was so hard for me. Why could other people put the fork down, but I ate until I puked? How could people turn down dessert and I couldn't? Why did I hide food? Why did I constantly feel guilty for everything I ate? One day the light bulb went on! This is an addiction like anything else. That is why this was so hard for me... why it is still hard. It's an everyday battle but the surgery has helped tremendously! I found the article to be a bit... condescending. Of course I recognize my own screw ups, I take responsibility for my actions, I seek solutions to my ADDICTION. That doesn't make me a "wanna-be" addict or some weak person looking for an excuse! It takes a strong person to admit they have a problem/addiction, it takes an even stronger person to fight their addiction head-on instead of living in what is 'comfortable'. I could have continued the life I was living, eating to replace love, friendship, and hobbies... I could have gained more weight... I could have stayed where I was comfortable, stuck with what I've done my whole life. Instead I confronted my addiction and changed my life! If anyone thinks I or anyone else wants to be a food addict they can kiss my ever shrinking ass!

I never went to see mine, pre or post-op. I followed the diet the surgeon gave me, which was outlined quite well, and have been successful with my eating. The reason I never went to see my NUT is because my surgeon's office is 4 hours away! I chose him because he was cheaper than my local guy by about $6,000. But from reading here maybe I did not miss out on much from skipping out on NUT visits.

I couldn't say whether I've lost any cup size because I've always been too cheap/poor to buy new bras as I lost/gained weight in the past. I have noticed all my 1-2 year old bras are getting looser/fitting again so that is good, but that means I'm losing weight around, not necessarily cup size. I really don't want to go below a C cup ever! I also think we should mention whether our bras were "real women" bras with the huge cup sizes, or like victorias secret bras... I am a D cup in vanity fair full coverage bras, which would probably make me a DD or bigger in one the more "girly" bra brands.

My family had chocolate cake with Peanut Butter chocolate icing tonight... they offered me some and I gave them this crazy look like "No way in hell!" Although I appreciate them asking me because I prefer to turn down an invitation rather than being told I can't have something. Makes the rebel in me crazy! We can all beat this sugar addiction, one "No way in hell!" at a time!

I am now 3 months post op and hair loss has started. I keep pulling handfuls out in the shower... However, here is WEIRD part... my hair is growing faster, a lot faster. BUT it is growing faster in weird places too... my head, my armpits, and now I'm noticing more hair on the stomach! It's so weird, it's not an unsightly amount or anything someone would notice besides me. Has anyone else experienced this?

My Rockin Refuel Protein shakes are #1 Low fat string cheese Cashew nuts Tuna fish everything else I switch up, but these are must-haves

When the pants you couldn't button before get loose!

I also have no desire to drink right now... but I think most people are asking questions because drinking alcohol is huge part of most people's social lives... and we shouldn't judge people for wanting to have a social life and manage drinking in a effective way (i.e. asking for advice)... I haven't seen any one running around saying "I want to get plastered and drink everyday!" So I don't find it that big of a deal. People are going to determine their own success. Personally I won't drink until I'm at least 6 months out, and that will probably be 1 drink for 21st birthday... And then I probably won't have another one for a while. And I surely hope people don't judge me for asking the question when I do...

I had a food funeral for every meal until midnight of the starting day... not advising anyone do that, but I couldn't let go of my addiction until the very last moment, and even then I cheated 3 times on my pre-op diet, lost 21 pounds. But a slow and steady approach of using shakes for some meals will help you. There is one Protein shake I really love "Rockin Refuel" and I drink 1 everyday even post-op. Tastes like chocolate milk with only 6g of sugar. Those might help if they sell them in your area.

You look very healthy to me, although I wouldn't lose anymore or try to gain if I were you.

If you want to start early I would begin eating like you will post-op. cheese, eggs, low fat meat, nuts, veggies, small amounts of fruit, drink lots of Water. Cut out most carbs. I personally was eating like shit all the way up until my 2 week liquid diet started, so props to you for starting early!

My surgeon waited until I was 2 months out before putting me on B12 so they may just be waiting... I do the self injection at home, first needle I've ever given myself, wasn't bad at all! And 3 months of B12 injections cost me $10 so very cost effective and don't have to chew pills or remember a spray all the time.

I think we can all agree that WLS makes things easier, but not easy... Although reading a lot of here saying that you wished you hadn't let sugar back into your life have given me something to seriously think about... I never want to get back to where I was with feeling helpless and the only sure fire way to make that happen is to not allow it back into my diet.

205.2

I don't think that is weak at all. I would call that planning ahead and creating an environment for success!

I agree, studies have shown sugar is be as addictive as cocaine! How else is all of America hooked? Crazy. My therapist said tapping on your collarbone, or under it releases something that helps regulates cravings (something to do with acupuncture). I haven't tried it yet, but maybe I should.

I wouldn't say sugar played a huge role in which surgery I got... I knew I didn't want the lap-band because the foreign object. Gastric bypass was too expensive and can create new problems for you (or so my surgeon told me at our first consultation). He did say the bypass was the gold standard in WLS but can give you new problems to deal with... So I went with the sleeve ultimately. At my support meetings the nurse has said that people who get bypass experience dumping a lot more, especially with sugar! So chances are you will not be able to tolerate anymore sugar than what naturally occurs in foods like fruits. Also one thing I forgot to mention was... I think a lot of things are mind over matter. I believed the surgery would save me from my addiction, I believed it would make my cravings go away, I believed it would give me will power. And so it did. So I think your outlook on how things will change is just as powerful as what will actually change!

This was my main concern pre-op and I can say that 10 weeks out - it is not gone, but it is much less! Much, much less! I don't eat anything that has a lot of sugar. It is the one thing I avoid post-op like the plague. Carbs - I'll try. Fat - I'll try. But sugar I keep at a distance because I too was a severe sugar addict! One good thing about detoxing off sugar is eventually your body rejects it. My dad brought home a Protein shake that is different than my usual. It had 44g of sugar instead of 6g my normal one has. I drank half of it and felt like shit. That was about 1 month post-op. So eventually your body does say "Keep that shit away from me". Cravings... my cravings have really shifted have sugar to salty post-op. I do crave sweet things occasionally but I keep them out of sight, out of mind. I used to be a person who would have a brief thought of McDonalds and then be in my car at 1am getting 10pc mcnuggets, large vanilla shake, 3 choc Cookies, a mcchicken, and some cheese sticks! Now I can turn down ice cream when people offer me! So much more willpower after surgery!!! I don't know if I will ever have my trigger foods again... it is something I've discussed with my therapist/addiction specialist and she told me that one day I will learn that I can have a treat and trust myself to not go overboard. I don't have that trust yet... but each and every day it builds more. On the same note, our post-op diet is a forever diet. I don't eat perfectly... but no one does all the time. I eat well 90% of the time and 10% of the time I'll have some kind of snack. And I will also add that post-op it is easier for me to get back on track, saying no to food is not a problem anymore. I don't feel powerless to sugar anymore! And it's an amazing feeling!

I felt like crap the first 3 days in the hospital! You WILL feel better, trust us. I was laying there thinking "what did I do to myself??" but you will feel better soon, very soon!

I see no harm at making the meals yourself... just make sure it fits within the calories and nutritional value you get from the frozen meals - which isn't much! Lol

I personally only had my mom come visit me. I was pretty miserable - first surgery ever and never been badly sick! So I'm not sure you'll want people around... I slept a lot, got up to walk down the hall alot... slept some more... And I distinctly remember telling my mom "I don't care" to all her questions! "Want your pillow moved over?" IDC "Want to go walk" IDC "Want your phone?" IDC Hopefully you will feel better than I did, though I wasn't in pain, just felt extremely not myself.

As a 20 year old girl who has never been on a date before... this is a worry of mine. I don't know if I'll be able to let my guard down, to let people love me, after so long of pushing them away because "it's because I'm fat"! I almost feel like when a guy opens the door for me I might say "Thank you, but I'm not going to sleep with you..." <--- joke! It will be tough, but as others have mentioned I think we need to look at ourselves... do I push people away? put up my guard? give off a 'stay away from me' vibe? Check, check, check. But those are all things I hope will change as I change! So the new attention I hope to get will be a combination of their physical attraction, and be allowing people to see the fun, outgoing, sassy, sexy person I am in my head now!

I really like when I got it done... 20 years old. If I could have gotten it done earlier... it would have been before I left for college, so i could enter into college the confident sexy, sassy person I feel like inside. But... I'm not upset because 20 is still quite young and I will enjoy my 20s for sure!

Glad to hear the ladies are taking notice! I can't wait until I see some of my old co-workers in a few months who friend zoned me... and I'll be hot af! And whatever happened that everyone is so sensitive and offended?? Don't like it, move along with your day.

That is very tough! I am fortunate my family semi-tries to eat healthy like me. They occasionally eat unhealthy food but I don't know how I would manage with being around it all the time. Props to you! Have you tried maybe asking them to eat that when you're not home? Or for them to eat it outside of the home so you don't have to see, smell, dream about it? Lol