Blueslily

Thank you!

You make a great point about transfer addiction. I'm preparing for surgery and there is a lit out there about WLS patients drinking alcohol after surgery. Luckily I never drank alcohol so that's not a concern for me, but i wonder what might be something I need to watch out for since eating will be less.

What do you all mean by head hunger? Is it a thought that you want to eat something? If that's the case, then its mental, not physical, right? Right before starting my pre-op diet, I noticed that I thought about food more than I realized. I realized that I would graze some evenings and some weekends. I was not hungry, it was just something I wanted to do. So, I addressed that with a therapist. I could certainly figure out the difference between hunger and thoughts of eating. Sometimes I would have just finished eating something or sometimes I would even be full, but I would go looking for more. I would have a thought about wanting to eat something. To me, the thoughts cant be fixed by WLS. Addressing why I want to graze is better fit for therapy for me.

Tylenol is the new pain medication option after WLS surgery since NSAIDS are out. I have a good relationship with Motrin. Does the job for me all the time. Never used Tylenol. Wondering how Tylenol and I will get along in this new relationship post-surgery next month. Hahhaha.

Great thread. Hopefully more people will start similar ones so the topics can be discussed more in this community. My surgery is coming up soon. I'm glad that I found this site.

Totally agreed. I'm glad that the program I'm using does not focus on starvation, BMI, or weight numbers. Relationship with food is discussed early in the program and continuously during the journey. I learned that I think more about eating than I thought. I'm not craving sweets. More like just good tasting foods like dinner from a Mediterranean restaurant that I like. I live their grilled chicken and Greek salad. Portion size is my issue with them. It's so good that I eat too much. Also, eating when bored. So, I'm working on those two areas. I also don't see people mentioning on here that it was recommended that they work on unresolved challenges with past traumas before having WLS. That's a biggie. People use food to cope, soothe, distract, etc from thoughts and feelings related to their trauma experiences, especially different types of interpersonal traumas. Working on that before WLS is recommended. Hopefully programs suggest that. If not, it's a setup for unrealistic goals and unrealistic fixes for being overweight.

I'm glad that the program that I'm using is not like this. They understand that relationship with food matters and recommends working on that. Binge eating is discussed and not shamed. Therapy is recommended not as something punitive but to help with awareness, understanding how we got here, and creating realistic goals. There is not a fixation on numbers like how much weight or certain BMIs. Hopefully more folks on here will post about topics discussed in this thread so there can be more discussions.

How is Overeaters Anonymous? Just thought about that while reading these postings? Are the meetings virtual now? They are free, right? Anyone find a supportive community with OA? I'm sure that varies from meeting to meeting. Like virtual groups for eating disorders in our communities. Varies depending on the therapist.

I'm reading these posts as I prepare to have surgery. I'm a huge supporter of therapy so I'm glad that you are seeing someone. I wonder if adding an online group activity with others during the evening will help. Like an online book club, WLS support group, Bible study meeting if you are into that, etc. Years ago there used to be the site meetup.com that is for social groups not dating as it sounds. It's all about meeting people with similar interests and doing things. Maybe some of the groups are doing virtual things now due to COVID. Not sure if there are evening volunteer opportunities near you that are ok with your physical functioning. Just some ideas I thought about. I realized that I eat when bored also, so I try to stay focused on something I care about during the evenings. I have a young niece in another state. So, a quick video chat with her before her bedtime is an example of a quick pick me up or distraction for me. I find that smelling some of my hand creams from Bath and Body works is a nice lift up also. I have a few of them in my stash, so I will rub a few on and enjoy their smells. Brings a nice smile to my face and boosts my mood a little. Just a quick distraction so I won't eat when I don't need to.

For those who report not knowing you had a HH before surgery, did your surgeons not do a EGD before your surgeries and tell you if he saw anything? My program schedules everyone for one and that's when he noticed mine and explained that he would fix it during my sleeve surgery. I interviewed two surgeons and both had that procedure in their pre-op process. Ironically my program's booklet, it mentions doing an EGD during the sleeve surgery and fixing any hernias that they see at that time with the goal of reducing issues with acid reflux for patients after the surgery. So, maybe some people dont do one in advance. I had read on here horror stories about acid reflux after the sleeve. I do not want that issue. So, from the very beginning, I've talked with my surgeon a lot about my concern about having that issue after the sleeve. He assured me from that first visit that he would look for a HH or anything else that might trigger acid reflux during the EGD and if he found anything, he would fix it during surgery so I won't have to worry about acid reflux later. When I did my EDG in Jan, my surgeon said he saw a small HH. He showed me a picture of it inside my stomach, and explained that he would fix it during my surgery. I don't want to be taking medication or have major Gerd afterwards. I see my surgeon Monday for my pre-op appointment. I will talk with him again about my concerns. Like others have said, I also dont want to be taking PPIs. Not ok with me.

How are you doing? How was your surgery?

Welcome and congrats!

Hello all, hope you all had a good Friday! This site has been very helpful. It's very helpful connecting with people here. This will be a significant support for me during this process as I have not talked with many people in my life about having the surgery. With COVID still alive and well, family would be very concerned about me having a surgery right now. Plus, they are states away. I live here alone, so I'm doing the best I can to prepare as much in advance. Productive day of cleaning out the pantry of stuff I won't eat ever again or maybe for a few months. I live alone so I don't have any worries about bad or tempting stuff being in the house , lol. Bought a few supplies. Packed my hospital bag. My surgery is not until April 6, but I don't want to spend my final weekend running around. Surgery is on a Tuesday. The weekend before, I want to be home relaxing and nursing my nerves, hahaha So, I'm doing my prep work this weekend. Thanks everyone!

Wonderful!

I was informed during pre-op that doing a liver biopsy is common in my program if patients have a fatty liver and most WLS patients do. So, I expect that they will do one for me in April as well.

Hope your surgery went well!

Congrats! I wasnt weighed at my pre-op appointment. Not by my program or the hospital (had both appointments on the same day). I was a little surprised that no one weighed me.

Man, another day that I didnt get thr full pre-op diet done. I had a wisdom tooth remove today. I had one full shake before the appointment and then around a half one so far to take pain meds and antibiotics. I'm not feeling hopeful that I will get a lot more in today or much water. I drink on the opposite side of the area where the tooth was removed, but the irritation of the area still happens. Surprisingly I'm not feeling hungry though. I have thoughts about food I want to eat, but no hunger. Hoping for better luck tomorrow. At least I'm not overeating, I guess that's good.

When you said you passed your weight goal, what does that mean?

Thanks. Yes, I think it was the realization that omg, I won't be able to eat that again for a loooooong time. I feel better now. I think it's out of my system. Glad the pre-op is two weeks. I work away from home so forgetting some stuff at home made a challenge. But, I'm taking a nice bag of supplies to work and stocking my little fridge there so I wont have that issue again.

Oh how did I forget, I'm also getting a fresh pedicure this weekend. Hahahaha. Thinking of things I might not be able to do for a little while post surgery. I dont want to be out a lot soon after surgery with COVID still alive and well. I want to stay safe at home immediately after surgery. Plus, I will be recovering solo, so just want to take care of stuff before the surgery. My food scale arrived today! Bought a couple things from Dollar Tree yesterday. Stuff I might only need the first few weeks so I didn't want to spend a lot of money on them. I don't like being wasteful.

I had a lot of food funerals. Had one the first day of the pre-op diet. Just needed to get that last one item in. Did ok today, but was at work and forgot a couple things at home. Tomorrow will be better. I'm doing a deep clean at home this weekend since the weekend before surgery is Easter. Packing some items in my hospital bag tonight. Pulled it out this morning when I was getting ready for work. Not taking much at all. It's only one night and from what I read, I will either be walking or sleeping, lol. I have a couple items to buy this weekend, like liquid Tylenol. Tonight I'm also reading the rest of the book that my program gave me to prepare and tomorrow I will compile all my notes and make a little shopping list. As many have recommended, I'm not buying a lot in advance because tastes change post surgery.

Good luck tomorrow

Wow! Two weeks, but it includes some food, not just liquid like many others.

Hi there. We have the same date. A few others I. This thread have that date also. 😁