SlimJill

Here's the best part of this...I have no guilty pleasures. I eat anything I want. I just do it sparingly and in doing that, without the guilt. For me, the guilt was always the amount I ate...or that I was the fat woman with Ring Dings, chips, and soda in her shopping cart. Life is so much better this way with a cart full of lean Protein, veggies, good carbs...and a few treats like thin pretzels, SF jello/pudding, and unsalted nuts.

Hey @Jillian Boose, I'm sorry that happened to you - it's lousy! SO here's my feedback and experience, since you asked --
I also haven't told many people - (two of three sisters, my mom only just before the surgery, and husband and daughters + two good friends), and for me it was the right choice. And as your post indicated, it should have been YOUR choice.
That said, it's your opportunity to do some course-correcting for the future. Think about what you know of them and how they've acting, with obvious recent behavior included. Tell them you found it disrespectful and that in the future you'll make different choices about how much you can trust them or share with them.
Yes, there was no avoiding telling family you live with about this one, but anything else that arises - I'd just tell them I was having a procedure or appointment and was choosing to keep it entirely confidential (from them!). If they're not up for the drive to the hospital or supportive help under those condition, tell them you're happy to call a trusted friend instead.
I'm also the youngest in a family and found I sometimes used to let myself get pushed into a role of letting them make determinations for me or manipulate me to keep me in a role they were comfortable with. Once, after a very upsetting event (like yours), I withdrew emotionally until they agreed to my terms as an adult. (I'll cop to be the youngest, but not the "baby!"). Happily, after a couple years of retraining myself and them, and occasional reinforcing of my expectations of how I am to be treated, it's vastly better. It won't happen overnight though.
From here on out remember that you choose what to share with them about how you feel, what you weigh, what your doc/therapist/nutritionist says, and whom you tell. Good luck!

Honestly I think it's hard to ask other people to keep your secrets. When I told people in my family about my surgery, I told them I wasn't asking them to keep anything secret but could they please not discuss it on Facebook, and they respected that, thank goodness! I know I would have been angry and hurt if I were in your shoes, but at least now you know for sure not to trust them with anything you want kept confidential.

So sorry to hear that your family disrespected your privacy. I can understand why you had to share but from this point forward you don't have to. Its your journey and you can choose now who to include. I didn't tell any of my family or friends yet, only my co-workers and they are being amazing. Its a shame people can't show more respect and less gossip.
One thing I know is that people treat you how you allow them to. Good luck on your amazing journey and to ALL the lessons you will learn along the way.

Personally I spoke to my therapist before surgery about alcohol and decided I would not touch it until I felt I had replaced my addiction with something healthy... It's just too risky to me.
The way I see it is - alcohol never meant anything to me before surgery and I'm going to keep it that way!
Once I get to a point where I am healthy, happy, and alcohol is purely a social activity then I will experiment a little. The only thing I worry about is my 21st birthday will be approximately 6 months post op in October. Most people know 21st birthdays usually end up in young people getting sick, passing out, or ending up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning ... so the peer pressure will be strong to go crazy but I'll have to reign those crazy friends in and remind them I have something more important to me.

Personally I spoke to my therapist before surgery about alcohol and decided I would not touch it until I felt I had replaced my addiction with something healthy... It's just too risky to me.
The way I see it is - alcohol never meant anything to me before surgery and I'm going to keep it that way!
Once I get to a point where I am healthy, happy, and alcohol is purely a social activity then I will experiment a little. The only thing I worry about is my 21st birthday will be approximately 6 months post op in October. Most people know 21st birthdays usually end up in young people getting sick, passing out, or ending up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning ... so the peer pressure will be strong to go crazy but I'll have to reign those crazy friends in and remind them I have something more important to me.

Kind of hard to have someone drive you to the hospital, live with you, and not tell them you're having surgery...

I know the OP meant for this thread to be light and tongue and cheek. But I have to say, seeing some people consuming alcohol just weeks out from surgery kind of floors me a little. Not only do you have a line of staples going down the whole entire sleeve that haven't even begun to heal yet, you are already trying to sabotage any weight loss efforts by consuming empty, non nutritious calories at a critical time where proper nutrition is important for healing.
Like I've said before, I don't care what people do after your'e all healed up. Drink alcohol, eat sweets to your hearts content. You're only hurting your chances of not reaching your weight loss goals and in danger of the whole surgery being all for not. That's none of my business.
What I don't find funny and won't condone are people making light of behaviors that could potentially harm and put you right back in the hospital. For goodness sake, care enough about yourself to at least heal properly before you choose to continue self destructive behaviors that caused you to have surgery in the first place.
I suggest you find a video of a sleeve procedure on YouTube and watch it just to see the amount of healing that needs to take place after you see your little sleeve that looks like Frankenstein when they are done. The doctors aren't telling you not to drink for a certain amount of time just for shits and giggles.

One thing I can say is this... the pre-op diet made me not fear surgery as much. Before I started the diet I was afraid of dying in surgery. But now I am saying "Cut me open! Get it over with!" I want regular food even if it's pureed into paste!
I moved back in with my parents for multiple reasons (20 and recent college grad) and must say it is so much harder to do the pre-op at home. At my apartment with roommates they never cooked! Now my dad is making Mahi Mahi with mashed potatoes and pork chops with green bean casserole! Ughhh I actually had to leave the room because I couldn't stand to smell it.
Now only 4 days until surgery!!! And I'm down 13.6 pounds! I hate this pre-op but it sure does work!

My surgery is scheduled for May 11th, only 7 days away! This pre-op diet is a real b***h though... my surgeon required a 2 week Protein shake diet, and only a bit of grilled chicken if I had a headache...
I will admit, because I must keep myself accountable, I have cheated 3 times. Tortilla chips on day 2, 4 oreos on day 4, and half a milky way on day 5... As a disclaimer I did not intentionally buy these foods or have them around but I live with roommates and these were all things they put in the "freebie" basket. I walked past them once, twice, a dozen times... but eventually I caved.
Now that being said, I don't think I've done a horrible job overall as I have lost 11.2 pounds in 7 days. And since the last hiccup I have been perfect. I suppose I wanted to write this topic because I have this overwhelming sense of "I JUST WANT TO EAT!" So much so that I can't wait for the surgery to happen because that is sooner I get to eat normal food. I wanted to leave the food addict behind but it seems to be lurking within me more than ever. I find myself watching food videos, looking at grocery store ads online, etc.
My question to you all is... how many of you feel this way? how many of you felt this way prior to surgery and how are dealing with things now?

One thing I can say is this... the pre-op diet made me not fear surgery as much. Before I started the diet I was afraid of dying in surgery. But now I am saying "Cut me open! Get it over with!" I want regular food even if it's pureed into paste!
I moved back in with my parents for multiple reasons (20 and recent college grad) and must say it is so much harder to do the pre-op at home. At my apartment with roommates they never cooked! Now my dad is making Mahi Mahi with mashed potatoes and pork chops with green bean casserole! Ughhh I actually had to leave the room because I couldn't stand to smell it.
Now only 4 days until surgery!!! And I'm down 13.6 pounds! I hate this pre-op but it sure does work!

I know what you mean with the food addiction. I knew I was an addict but I guess I didn't realize to what extent I enjoyed food, the planning, eating, endless eating. I no longer look forward to Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Snacks like I used to. lunch time at work isn't as special with a Protein shake...
I had the same symptoms as you with light headed, headache, a little nausea. My therapist said these are signs of detox.
I have the same worries as you... I'd like to think things will be easy after the surgery, but I know they won't be. The whole pre-op diet I've been fantasizing about an asiago bagel with onion and chive cream cheese! For 12 days now! The only reason I haven't eaten it is because I want to be healthy for surgery and not die on the operating table... but after surgery... I'm not sure what I would do and that scares me.

I feel your pain! Stay strong and if you have to go outside so you can't smell it or see others eating it.
My 3rd day of the pre-op there was an icecream social at work. Gallons of icecream in the freezer, waffle bowls, yum yum yum yum, but I had to politely decline. And even then people were trying to make me eat it! WTF! (Granted none of them know I am having surgery but still, no means no). They even sent someone out to cover my work so I could go stuff my face but I had to stay strong. In my head I was thinking "Stop! I don't want a bowl, I want an Olympic pool filled with ice cream that I must eat my way out of!"

One thing I can say is this... the pre-op diet made me not fear surgery as much. Before I started the diet I was afraid of dying in surgery. But now I am saying "Cut me open! Get it over with!" I want regular food even if it's pureed into paste!
I moved back in with my parents for multiple reasons (20 and recent college grad) and must say it is so much harder to do the pre-op at home. At my apartment with roommates they never cooked! Now my dad is making Mahi Mahi with mashed potatoes and pork chops with green bean casserole! Ughhh I actually had to leave the room because I couldn't stand to smell it.
Now only 4 days until surgery!!! And I'm down 13.6 pounds! I hate this pre-op but it sure does work!

My surgery is scheduled for May 11th, only 7 days away! This pre-op diet is a real b***h though... my surgeon required a 2 week Protein shake diet, and only a bit of grilled chicken if I had a headache...
I will admit, because I must keep myself accountable, I have cheated 3 times. Tortilla chips on day 2, 4 oreos on day 4, and half a milky way on day 5... As a disclaimer I did not intentionally buy these foods or have them around but I live with roommates and these were all things they put in the "freebie" basket. I walked past them once, twice, a dozen times... but eventually I caved.
Now that being said, I don't think I've done a horrible job overall as I have lost 11.2 pounds in 7 days. And since the last hiccup I have been perfect. I suppose I wanted to write this topic because I have this overwhelming sense of "I JUST WANT TO EAT!" So much so that I can't wait for the surgery to happen because that is sooner I get to eat normal food. I wanted to leave the food addict behind but it seems to be lurking within me more than ever. I find myself watching food videos, looking at grocery store ads online, etc.
My question to you all is... how many of you feel this way? how many of you felt this way prior to surgery and how are dealing with things now?

One thing I can say is this... the pre-op diet made me not fear surgery as much. Before I started the diet I was afraid of dying in surgery. But now I am saying "Cut me open! Get it over with!" I want regular food even if it's pureed into paste!
I moved back in with my parents for multiple reasons (20 and recent college grad) and must say it is so much harder to do the pre-op at home. At my apartment with roommates they never cooked! Now my dad is making Mahi Mahi with mashed potatoes and pork chops with green bean casserole! Ughhh I actually had to leave the room because I couldn't stand to smell it.
Now only 4 days until surgery!!! And I'm down 13.6 pounds! I hate this pre-op but it sure does work!

@ - Pre-op is a pain in the rear and brace yourself now because depending on your doctor's protocol you may have 2 - 4 weeks of full or clear and/or liquids. I had 2 weeks of full liquids and by week 1 I was ready to toss every Protein shake in my house out the window! The saving grace was finding unflavored Protein powder that I could add to Soup or broth to cut the constant sweetness of the shakes.
The upswing is those weeks eventually come to an end . Like many I just sucked it up and made it through those 2 weeks. I have no issues or complications, no vomited or slimed and can eat what I want in a reasonable portion.
So when you get fed up just remind yourself this is all temporary and this is training for the new eating lifestyle you are adopting to live a healthier life!

@ I'm sorry to tell u this lol but the food addict won't go away u must control what u eat unfortunately after the first few weeks cravings will come back and like before surgery u have to decide what u will eat and what u won't be careful follow instructions so u don't hurt yourself while u heal I'm a bit over two months post op and because food is everywhere it's hard it smells good it looks good etc it helps to always have things u are supposed to eat at the ready so u don't give in to temptation good luck to you and remember this surgery really doesn't fix wanting or cravings in the long term it's still mostly up to us

Listerine is your friend. It's nasty but it works. Gargle with it, use the pocket spray, suck on the breath strips.

NOTHING tastes good after a healthy dose of it so it will kill your cravings for sure.

Protip: It's a great idea if you're going to comment on a thread that you actually read the opening post.
Or not. Your choice, of course.

Have to say I feel the same. I haven't gotten weight loss surgery yet... but I will.
Sometimes I think to myself why did my parents let me get this heavy! I was 150 pounds in 5th grade, 200 in 8th grade! I have even went so far as to tell my mom and dad that I resent them for not helping me before. I didn't buy the food in the house, I didn't set the rules, it wasn't my fault but now it's my problem... I take full responsibility for my issues now, but the patterns and lifestyle were created way back when.
Every time I see an overweight or obese girl I want to walk up to her and say Please take care of yourself now... lose 20-30 pounds instead of 100, or 150. gain so many happy years of your life that I wasted! Please! But as others have stated I would never ever do it. I know it would most likely cause harm.
Although one thing that had me thinking was this... would you hesitate to tell your friend who was in abusive relationship that it's unhealthy for her, that it could kill her eventually JUST to spare her feelings? Or would you make it your mission to help her get out, even if that meant showing her strength she didn't know she had to change her situation... just food for thought...

Have to say I feel the same. I haven't gotten weight loss surgery yet... but I will.
Sometimes I think to myself why did my parents let me get this heavy! I was 150 pounds in 5th grade, 200 in 8th grade! I have even went so far as to tell my mom and dad that I resent them for not helping me before. I didn't buy the food in the house, I didn't set the rules, it wasn't my fault but now it's my problem... I take full responsibility for my issues now, but the patterns and lifestyle were created way back when.
Every time I see an overweight or obese girl I want to walk up to her and say Please take care of yourself now... lose 20-30 pounds instead of 100, or 150. gain so many happy years of your life that I wasted! Please! But as others have stated I would never ever do it. I know it would most likely cause harm.
Although one thing that had me thinking was this... would you hesitate to tell your friend who was in abusive relationship that it's unhealthy for her, that it could kill her eventually JUST to spare her feelings? Or would you make it your mission to help her get out, even if that meant showing her strength she didn't know she had to change her situation... just food for thought...

My problem is my niece. She is only 8 and has to be hitting 150 lbs and she is short. I want to grab her mother (who is big into the idea that she would rather be a good mother than try and lose weight) and tell her what its like being the fat kid in high school and the huge girl at college. But how to go about it? I just can't help and think that one day her daughter is going to be very upset that mom and dad didn't help her when they could have.

I have not gotten surgery yet, but I will be in the next few months.
I have told only a few people and every single one of them gave me backlash.
"It's the easy way out, but you're so young, just exercise and eat right... it's not that hard... you just have to want it."
I did not think I would receive this much opposition from people who have seen me struggle my entire life, who have witnessed me go through depressions, weight loss, and huge weight gains. It wasn't until a year ago I realized this was a food addiction that I started understanding myself. Not everyone has caught up yet.
If a smoker uses a nicotine patch, or rehab no one calls them a cheater or a little bitch. They applaud their efforts for trying to save their life! This surgery should be no different.
I have an addiction. I am seeking help. I want to save my life.
And in my opinion taking the easy way out, or the wrong way, is to sit at home and pretend that nothing is wrong.