13 days from Surgery...Cold Feet!!

[stevenjoec 0]

So I"m 13 days away from surgery. I've only been on my pre-op diet for two days and I'm already doubting whether I can do this or not. I'm eating turkey and grill chicken and i'm sick of it.....already!! I'm already saying to myself..."I'll never get to have another McDonalds cheeseburger. I'll never have fries again. I'll never get to really enjoy food again."

Can someone help me? Give me some advice on how to get this out of my head!!!

[Delmann 0]

I fully understand how you feel. I think I went through a mourning process for food. Food was my best friend or so I thought it was. After I realized that I would be giving up some of my favorite foods I would find new favorites.

I had my surgery 9 days ago and I am not sorry at all. I have discovered that food was not my best friend because iit helped to make me fat just as now I will use food to get healthy.

You can do this! Remember why you started this process to begin with. A new healthy you is in the future.

[reverie 49]

Nothing or no one said you can't ever have McDonald's again. Would I suggest it? No. But can you have it in moderation? Sure. A lot of people think that being banded means saying goodbye to food, and it doesn't. It means limiting your intake of food and gaining some Portion Control. The food you can tolerate all depends on the restriction level you choose. I keep a loose band and I can eat pretty much anything. However, I don't. I just recently started adding whole grains back into my diet as a near my goal.

Sit down and make a list of pros and cons; I'll guarantee the pros outweigh the bad by far.

[Kalipso2 25]

i've been banded for almost 3 years now... before my surgery, i had so many "last meals" it wasn't even funny. i was to be on a 2 week pre-op diet (medi-fast) and i only lasted 1 day. to me, the pre-op wasn't as important as the post-op eating plan.

i'm going to be honest with you and how things are with MY band and how my eating has changed the past 3 years.

i'm a VERY picky eater. i don't like veggies. i don't like many fruits. i'm a big fan of all the unhealthy foods and fast food chains. i was also a binge eater, meaning i wouldn't eat 1 donut, i'd eat 6.

after my surgery, there are SO MANY foods my band don't let me eat anymore. bread and ground meat are the big ones which means no burgers, no pizza, no sandwiches of any kind. the only Protein i really eat is chicken and eggs with occasional pork. Protein shakes are my best friend. i still crave pizza and just can't be around it. i can now be out with family and don't feel like a drug addict when i'm around someone who eats a hamburger. there really isn't anything i can eat from any fast food place anymore unless i take the chicken off the bun. i can't eat french fries. i can eat 1 chicken soft taco but no rice.

what i find more difficult than the limited food choices for me is the amount of food i now eat. i eat about half a kids meal when i go out to dinner. imagine having the biggest, best steak in front of you and HAVING to stop after 6 tiny bites because your stomach is full... but your brain is still ravenous. i get depressed when i have to stop eating and throw up if i continue to eat.

on the other hand...

food isn't exciting to me anymore. i don't eat to enjoy, i eat to stay alive. food no longer holds any enjoyment for me... it's just something i have to do 3 times a day like taking a shower and going to the bathroom.

the results that i've achieved from the band are tremendous. i've lost almost 70 pounds and i'm at my goal weight. i fit into size 8 jeans, size 6 skirts, size small tops. even my feet have shrunk. i get compliments almost daily. i feel good about myself. i'm healthy being at a normal BMI and i'm happy!

do i recommend the surgery... YES but just be prepared for the most difficult journey of your life. it is doable... i'm proof of that!

[stevenjoec 0]

Thank you all for your comments!! I completely understand the part about the "last meal". I've said it a couple of times already. I know that I am extremely unhealthy right now. I stay depressed and don't want to go anywhere but work and home. The one thing I find comfort in is food. I look forward to coming home and eating dinner.....usually fast food. I know this is why I am in the shape I am in.

I am like you Kalipso2...I am not much of a vegetable eater. I enjoy most Beans and I love love love potatoes. I'm a "meat and potatoes" kind of guy I guess you could say. So the diet I'm on now is a sugar busters which means no potatoes, no white Pasta or rice, no sugar, no fried foods, no white bread or anything with flour. Its almost like the Atkins diet. The doctor said I had to do this for 2 weeks before surgery to reduce the size of my liver so it would be easier to put the band in. So the couple of times I've slipped so far I'm thinking "crap, now they wont be able to put the band in". It's so frustrating. I want to eat what I can now b/c I know after the surgery things will definitely change...but I guess I can't.

Thank you Reverie and Dellman for your comments. It really helped. I"m still very nervous and having doubts, but I know my life is depending on a change of some kind. I just keep asking myself..."are you sure you can't do this on your own? Can't you just exercise and diet on your own.". Now, realistically I don't think I can because the only diet I was ever successful with was one where I took Phentermine and some other drugs. I lost 80 pounds in about 7-8 months and I've put it all back on, plus 20!! I think I have my healthy brain and my fat brain beating the hell out of each other. I just hope the healthy brain can win. lol

Thank you all again!!!

[HeatherinCA 10]

Oh yea I did the last meal thing ahha.

But really, you can eat anything with your band it's not the end of the world. (assuming your band isn't crazy tight) But you do have to remember if you don't stick to a 1200 cal diet, you won't lose weight, but that doesn't mean you can't have McDonalds. You can have a hamburger and a small fries it's 480 calories. You just can't have a double quarter pounder a large fries and a coke, and an apple pie. For me, i'm satisfied with eating less! It's all about learning correct portion sizes. For me, I eat out a lot, i just try to check the nutrition if I can! Most chain restaurants have it posted online, or you can get it at the restaurant.

[fefebutterfly 7]

So I"m 13 days away from surgery. I've only been on my pre-op diet for two days and I'm already doubting whether I can do this or not. I'm eating turkey and grill chicken and i'm sick of it.....already!! I'm already saying to myself..."I'll never get to have another McDonalds cheeseburger. I'll never have fries again. I'll never get to really enjoy food again."

Can someone help me? Give me some advice on how to get this out of my head!!!

I believe that we all will go through the greiving stages of losing out on our favorite foods because we have this close relationship with it. We Celebrate with it, take out our frustrations on it, and reward ourselves with food, so it is gonna be hard. All I can say is just keep your focus on your goal. I know that we both can do it!

I am still in the pre op stages still waiting for approval. But my favorite thing to eat is a nice juicy ribeye. It is terrifying to me that I will be deprived from the things I love the most. I guess one thing that we have to realize is that not everything we love is the best for us. I just ordered a Bariatic Cookbook from Amazon.com that has some fabulous recipes that takes a different approach to making those favorites that we love.

TITLE: Eating well after weightloss surgery: Over 140 delicious low fat- high Protein

AUTHOR: Patt Levine

~FefeButterfly

[54Shirley 105]

That's all part of HEAD HUNGER. It's all in your head. Big difference if you really only eat when your hungry. That's what the band will do eventually...

Takes time to get there. This is a step by step process, by fills, in order to get you where you need to be"that's adjusting the band"

From the time they put the band in, you will be eating differently. When you get your first fill, you will be able to eat just about anything, "you will find out what you can, and can't eat"You will also have restriction. So don't plan on chowing down. Just take it nice and slow.

[doodlebugsmom 9]

My surgery is in one week Yikes!!!! I have been on the preop diet for pretty much one week. In my case I thought that day three was the hardest. I really havent had the fear that resulted in the "Last Meals". I had moments this past week when I wish I did. However, my husband and I went to dinner last week and he told me it was a celebration to my new journey not a "Goodbye to food"

I felt that day three of the preop was the hardest for me. I dont know if I wasnt busy enough or what but I saw food everywhere. Everyday I tell my husband about foods that I feel that I believe that I cant live without and what I am craving. On the start of the diet it was Milk Duds and Corn Nuts I know I am an odd duck. Last night it was pizza and Corn nuts and as we talked about it and what I mean is a five minute conversation dear husband pointed out that as the week has gone on I have craved sugar type treats less and less which I think is a good thing.

I am worried about the surgery part because I have had very little surgery in my life. The thing is to be truthful is I had a root canal that took longer than this surgery and I sure was not asleep. So I am going into the surgery with that in mind.

We all have moments of feeling unsure and I believe that it is part of a well educated process to change. Best of luck to you!

[IOlivia827 1]

I think that a lot of the time we used fast food as a quick solution for everything. I am not at the point you are but I have been going to Weight Watchers and getting to the a healther choice frame of mind. It is hard, but I have been looking at it as a new lease on life and McDonald's is tasty but will not help me get to the weight that I want. I myself am looking at it as, if I lose the weight I can buy myself a new clothes!LOL Good luck with your surgery.

[54Shirley 105]

Listen: to all the pre banders.

When I went into surgery as they were getting ready to wheel me down, A nurse said to me 'ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR NEW LIFE?" thought for only a second, and said"YES !"

I know its nerves to, you wouldn't be normal otherwise, I was scared to Death, The only thing I new was if it didn't work out,,,, it was revers-able surgery.

I sure am glad I still have this Band, and it's been almost 5 yrs.. Try not to worry so much "I NO!" Do other things like getting stuff in order for your house, and the Hospital.

Shirley.

[ElfiePoo 109]

It's normal to have 'cold feet' before any life changing event. I'm 16 months post band and am getting my band out in a couple weeks because I'm one of those who has constant and severe enough shoulder pain (phrenic nerve pain) that it's affecting my life. Not trying to scare you since there are many people who never get this pain or who get it and it goes away.

However, I do not regret getting my band. Over the last 16 months I've developed some very good habits that, despite my complete unfill in preparation for surgery, I'm still doing automatically (small bites, chewing well, eating slowly). Also, I know it's scary to think of giving up all your 'favorites' (like McDonalds) but (1) you really don't have to give them up completely, although you might find some items a little more difficult with the band (like the top bun or both buns); and (2) 16 months down the road you may find they aren't favorites anymore...as I did. Plus...it really is a mind altering event. It changes how we look at food...or did for me.

On the way back from getting my unfill last Monday, my son wanted to stop at Joe's Crab Shack. For a second my mind went "ooo yum" and thought of all the things I couldn't eat with my band...but as we sat there looking at the menu, I realized that I really didn't want those things anymore. I just kept thinking of the progress I was making and decided to go hold the chowder and appetizer and just go with the crab legs. Definitely progress from a year and a half ago when I would've had the chowder, an appetizer and an entree complete with fries and several drinks!

So have your cold feet...it's normal...and move forward confidently.

.

[Rachael 4]

i've been banded for almost 3 years now... before my surgery, i had so many "last meals" it wasn't even funny. i was to be on a 2 week pre-op diet (medi-fast) and i only lasted 1 day. to me, the pre-op wasn't as important as the post-op eating plan.

i'm going to be honest with you and how things are with MY band and how my eating has changed the past 3 years.

i'm a VERY picky eater. i don't like veggies. i don't like many fruits. i'm a big fan of all the unhealthy foods and fast food chains. i was also a binge eater, meaning i wouldn't eat 1 donut, i'd eat 6.

after my surgery, there are SO MANY foods my band don't let me eat anymore. bread and ground meat are the big ones which means no burgers, no pizza, no sandwiches of any kind. the only Protein i really eat is chicken and eggs with occasional pork. Protein shakes are my best friend. i still crave pizza and just can't be around it. i can now be out with family and don't feel like a drug addict when i'm around someone who eats a hamburger. there really isn't anything i can eat from any fast food place anymore unless i take the chicken off the bun. i can't eat french fries. i can eat 1 chicken soft taco but no rice.

what i find more difficult than the limited food choices for me is the amount of food i now eat. i eat about half a kids meal when i go out to dinner. imagine having the biggest, best steak in front of you and HAVING to stop after 6 tiny bites because your stomach is full... but your brain is still ravenous. i get depressed when i have to stop eating and throw up if i continue to eat.

on the other hand...

food isn't exciting to me anymore. i don't eat to enjoy, i eat to stay alive. food no longer holds any enjoyment for me... it's just something i have to do 3 times a day like taking a shower and going to the bathroom.

the results that i've achieved from the band are tremendous. i've lost almost 70 pounds and i'm at my goal weight. i fit into size 8 jeans, size 6 skirts, size small tops. even my feet have shrunk. i get compliments almost daily. i feel good about myself. i'm healthy being at a normal BMI and i'm happy!

do i recommend the surgery... YES but just be prepared for the most difficult journey of your life. it is doable... i'm proof of that!

Thank you so much! I am being banded on March 18th and am nervous. I hope to feel the same way you do....food has become my best friend and worse enemy.