ShrinkyDink

At least for me, and I suspect for a lot of you, food is more of a compulsion than a choice. I think that's what got us to the point where we needed help to control it. When I get something in my mind that I want, I WANT it and usually can't let it go until I have it. I've been controlling that pretty well on the preop diet because it's a short period with a light at the end of the tunnel, but I'm very worried about that feeling after surgery. I know I will be where you girls are, very emotional about what I can't have. My brain tells me 'that's silly, it's just food, eat something else', but something else in me wants what I'm craving so badly I can't be logical about it. I'm hoping that by fighting through this a few times it will get better, for me and for all of you. Giant hugs all around, we can do this!

Thanks guys, I just want to be sure I'm as careful as I need to be, don't want to mess anything up!

The paperwork from my doctor says that my post op diet will be clear liquids for a week, full liquids for a week, soft foods for a week, then adding regular foods as I tolerate them. I see others reporting that they have to do liquids for much longer and I'm wondering if my post op diet is progressing too fast. Any input from others who had a similar diet?

I know exactly how you feel. I debated for a long time over this because I also want that "normal" relationship with food. I want to be able to control whatever it is that makes me fat so I can eat what I want in reasonable portions and not have to worry about it. I finally came around to deciding that there is something in me that makes that normalcy impossible, and I can't have it without help. I'm handling it by focusing on the light at the end of the tunnel. The band will teach us how to have that normal relationship with food. The feeling of being full after a small amount of food will become second nature, and we WILL be able to eat naughty things we want in reasonable amounts and in balance with our more healthful diets. My brother had this surgery, and he was a huge eater. He now looks at the humongous plates served in restaurants and honestly can't imagine how people would be able to eat all that, his thinking has changed permanently, not just his stomach. He can order the same plate, eat his reasonable amount, feel satisfied and take the rest home without feeling deprived. I want that state of mind more than I want to be thin, and knowing it's coming will get me through all the rough spots.

Mrs. Pac Man is the perfect description, I know exactly how that feels. I had that same panic feeling of wanting to have all those things before and I reeled myself in by limiting it to one meal per day. Breakfast and lunch I had Slim Fast or a Lean Cuisine and then I allowed myself whatever I wanted for dinner. For the first few days after I decided to get the band we went to my favorite restaurants and I cooked my favorite things. I held steady during those days, no gain or loss, and I felt satisfied with my goodbye tour. I kept reminding myself that it wasn't really goodbye forever, it was goodbye for now, because really I'll be able to eat those things after the band, just more carefully and in smaller portions. It got it out of my system enough to be good on the preop diet and today I hit the 20 pounds off mark! I did Atkins for 2 weeks and now I'm 5 days into 10 days of protein shakes and one small meal per day.

I'm 9 days out now, will you all help me make a list of things I should have in the house for post op?

That is amazing! Thanks for sharing. Can I ask what effect it has had on your tattoos?

Don't think of it as ruining all that successful time, think of where you would be if you'd spent that entire month not going to the gym or watching your diet. When you mess up, brush yourself off and get right back to it, whether it's a meal or a day or a week or a month. Put it behind you, you are doing great!

I started using thedailyplate.com last week to track what I eat and it's made so much difference. Ask your doctor to list what you should be eating in grams of protein, grams of carbs, grams of fat etc. It breaks it all down for you so you can see if you are approaching your daily limit of carbs or sodium or not getting enough protein etc. Looking at the numbers on there throughout the day helps me make my choices when it's time to eat again. Really took the guesswork out of it for me.

Today my daughter was going through her clothes to see what all she needed before school starts. She came into my room with a few things, saying 'these are too big for me' (she recently went down a size cause she got taller without gaining any pounds). I expected her to ask where I wanted her to put them so I could take them to goodwill, but instead she said 'where do you want me to put these to save them for you?' My heart literally skipped a beat, first at the thought that in a year I could be wearing those size 12 jeans, next at the realization that she could see me achieving that goal and actually believes I will make it! I was hiding tears cause I knew she would think I was a sap. Now I'm going to hang those lovely jeans up on my wall where I can see them every day. Bless her heart, she gave me strength to stick with this without even knowing it. edit to add: I'd love to hear your stories of unexpected encouragement, little boosts of confidence that come out of the blue

Check with your gynecologist. I had this issue after having 4 children but I would imagine carrying extra weight could cause it as well. I never full out lost it but I did have the urgency and the leaking if I so much as sneezed. When I had a hysterectomy last year he did a procedure that lifted up my bladder and the problem is gone. It's a very minor surgery by itself. If infections and other causes are ruled out that might be what your problem is.

Sure will, I hope it all works out for you!

She's an angel for sure. What was so awesome about it is that she just said it so matter-of-factly, there was no 'if you lose enough' in her voice, it was all 'when you lose enough'. I tell you, I'm gonna wear those jeans!

Does GasX help?

Also have a look at the comments on that video, I read quite a few and the doctor is extremely unprofessional in his responses to people's comments. Makes me questions the validity of his practice.

I hear many of you struggling with the idea that the surgery is showing a lack of faith, and I'm sending hugs and encouragement to all of you! The way I see this is, satan does whatever he can do to us to make us weak, and for some of us the dirty trick he has sent our way is to give us this problem with our weight. He will do ANYTHING to get our focus on something besides God. I see this surgery as a big ol kick in his face, telling him he's NOT in charge of me or my body. The surgery is a tool to overcome the challenge we've been given, just like any other tool and I'm using it without a qualm. I also believe what somebody else said about God throwing roadblocks if we are on the wrong path. I'm keeping my eyes open and I trust that if this is something He doesn't want me to do, I will see signs.

Vegas, my thoughts and prayers are with you, I hope the tests show that your problems are not too terribly serious and hope that your surgery isn't postponed by this. I also have heart disease in my family so I'm terrified of it, but so far I've been very lucky. Keep us posted!

Well as gross as the slime sounds, I'm very thankful to hear it's not that awful acid. Thanks for answering me guys!

The question about sliming made me wonder, when you throw up from having your pouch too full, is what comes up really acidic? I know that's gross, but does it have that awful burning that you get from regular vomiting? Seems that it wouldn't since it's coming up from the upper section and hasn't been in there very long, but if it is... blech I hate that!

You are for sure on the right track by realizing now, before it's so far out of control, that this is a problem you can't defeat on your own. I let my weight creep up on me and kept saying, yeah I know I'm fat, one of these days I'll stop being lazy and do something about it, and now I've reached a point where it's impossible for me to tackle it myself and it's going to take my health if I don't get rid of it. Have you seen a specialist yet? Maybe one of the weight loss medications would work for you, it's certainly worth a try before spending so much money on the surgery. I'm self pay also and I feel it's well worth it, but only after exhausting all other options. If you are there, that might be the way to go for you also. It's a lot of money, but I'm looking at it as buying more years added to my life.

Well this is a shame on me story but not entirely. I'm starting to ease into my no carb preop diet today, I have to be on it for 2 weeks preop and I'm 3 1/2 weeks out right now. I went for my preop blood work and xray today and had to be fasting. Waiting for the blood work took forever and I was starving and still had to do my xray in another building. I knew I had to have something or end up with a headache and Jack in the Box was staring me in the face. I ordered the bacon, egg and cheese biscuit and skipped the hash browns (which I adore). I figured on Atkins it was only the biscuit part that was supposed to be a no no, the hash browns would have been an even bigger no no. So far all I've had since then is an Atkins bar and I plan to have another for dinner, so it's a half naughty me/half yay me story (giggle)

Thanks everybody, I'll have to try another grocery store, the one I usually go to didn't have many choices.

Howdy :crying: We are major Disney World nutsos and they have an add on feature to their vacations that covers your meals in one set price per day. With a note from the doctor stating you have had weight loss surgery they will allow you to pay the child's price for this and the restaurants will serve you smaller portions from the regular menu. I was wondering if regular restaurants make any sort of accomadation for us? Sure I can order a regular meal and take most of it home, but that would end up being too much leftover which would mostly go to waste, I'd rather order a half portion for half price. Sharing is an option but my husband and I have different tastes and agreeing on a meal to order wouldn't be easy, and the kids' menu is usually pretty boring stuff. Anybody know?

I hear you. I spent a very long time at 170-190 wanting to be 140-150 and it was hard as all get out to lost more than 10 pounds or so. I do wish I had gotten more serious about it in some way at that point instead of letting it get to where I am now. Not sure that surgery would have been the right thing for me then, but that doesn't mean it's not right for you. Talk to your doctor about it, I'm sure you will be able to get some great advice personalized for you that way. As for hiding it, I'm in the same boat, I only intend to tell a few people closest to me because I want to be as normal as possible and not have every conversation I have over a meal from now on to be about my surgery. I know this will be a challenge but I do intend to keep it low key if I can, not so much to hide it but just because it's personal. So I'd like to hear the answer to your question also, how "normal" can our eating be after this procedure?

Big ouch, and I've hit the end of conservative treatment. I figure weight loss will either allow it to heal on it's own or at least make the chances of the foot surgery being successful much higher. Where I am now my podiatrist says my chances of it working are less than 50%.