Anticipation of Band leading to out-of-control eating

[CLOE 0]

I have an appointment with my Docter on March 27th, I will be setting a date to get banded, hopefully the first of May. My problem is that I am going crazy eating everything, in anticipation of this lifestyle change. I want to be banded soooooo bad, and know this is the answer for me. I know I can do this once I put my mind to it(I can be very strong), but I'm a little afraid of my emotions after banding if I can't just stuff my face!!! I must have gained 15 pounds since I've decided to do this. I've always used food to calm myself. What can you do if you can't binge. I'm afraid I'll climb the walls, go insane for something. This sounds so pathetic, but I was just wondering if anyone else felt this way pre-op, and if anyone has strategies for post-op? Thanks, Cloe:help:

[legallyKristin 0]

It's called Last Supper Syndrome. I think we all went through it. Here's what helped me calm it down:

1) Whatever you gain now, you will have to add to what you want to lose after your surgery which makes your goal that much further away.

2) With the band I will still be able to eat what I enjoy SOMETIMES but just much less

3) Am I really hungry? If so I'd eat a carrot. If not, it's head hunger and I need to occupy my mind so that this craving will pass.

4) PLAN your meals. I'm a busy law school student and if I can make time to plan meals- ANYONE can. I bake a few dishes on the weekend that taste good and are appropriate for my diet and divide them out in little gladware containers and stick them in the fridge to use for "grab-n-go" all week long.

-I also keep those little carb conscious yogurt bottles in the fridge and cheese sticks. If you know what you're going to eat, you're less likely to give into hunger pains with bad choices.

5) If going out to eat is your problem (that was mine and my fiance's extracurricular activity) make sure you thoroughly discuss what you want to eat and then decide if there is a healthy option there that would satisfy your cravings. Check out the restraunt's menu online, most have nutritional facts. We like Pei Wei chinese because it's fresh and there are many healthy options there for me.

Hope that helps. But remember it will get much better. As I described it to my fiance, it's like I'm getting a divorce from one of my best friends-food. But seeing the scale move and clothes fit makes it SOOO Worth it.

Kristin

[S@ssen@ch 745]

Cloe,

The last supper syndrome is actually quite common. But, it's good that you recognized it now. Kristin gave great advice and made good points about what you put on now and having to take it off later.

I did exactly the opposite. I went into what I called my full "training mode". I was so excited, I decided I just had to learn all I could about lap band life that I spent most of my free time online or reading articles and books about the lap band. I started living the lap band lifestyle before I was banded so that I could prove to myself that I could do it. In the process, I lost 19 lbs between my consult and my surgery date. :clap2:

Good luck

[DonnaB 3]

I've sat down to more 'Last Supper's' than Jesus on black velvet! LOL

Sorry, just a little humor (I know, Very little!).

Relax and remind yourself that you'll be able to eat most food again, just a lot less of it. Try to think of this journey as a hiatus from your favorites, rather than a farewell.

Something you probably won't be able to have (and shouldn't try) after banding is carbonation. Give yourself permission to drink a couple of sodas (diet will help with that post banding 'starting weight' thing), have a couple of beers, have a glass of champagne. As you drink these things, ask yourself if you would rather continue to have them or if, instead, you'd rather have your body, health, cute clothes, sexy (or even comfortable) lingerie, and your self-esteem. Even though I love beer and the occasional glass of champagne the choice was easy. It will be for you too, you'll see.

[Paulax 8]

I've sat down to more 'Last Supper's' than Jesus on black velvet! LOL

:spit:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[Constance 0]

I know exactly what you mean (See my thread titles "How do you DO this?!". I, too, am really fighting with the feelings of desperate binging. I am allowing myslef to pretty much have what I want. However, I've been trying to shoot for these circumstances... 1)only when I'm hungry 2)chew thoroughly 3)stop when full. That's enough for me right now. I won't be losing any weight. But I will be getting more in touch with my body's signals and they is more important than "dieting" to me right now.

[amourette 5]

I have it so bad also Cloe, it isn't nice, I feel like a big piggy wiggy eating everything in sight.......I have felt yuck last few days so think it is catching up with me, I am due to be banded April 18 and think in next few days I will try and get better as my liquid pre-op diet isn't far away!!!!

Good luck with it, you are not alone here........:hungry:

[juliek 0]

I've sat down to more 'Last Supper's' than Jesus on black velvet! LOL

LOL!!! - Me Too!

Seriously, I went into serious food mode a few weeks before my surgery, every meal was my "Last Supper". There are some great ideas posted for controlling that. Remember the reality is, the more you binge before hand, the harder it is going to be to be on liquids, then mushies, post band.

[kabeerah 0]

lol...i have gained quiet a bit since i made my decision to be banded to. to make things worse dh drove me out of towmn today to go to a town that has western stuff (i live in saudi). so i went to a mall so i could go to GNC and get some Protein stuff. i spotted a cheesecake factory and heded for it. dh told me no! i let it go at first then reminded him that i was to be banded next week. he reminded me that if i didnt eat that type of stuff then i wouldnt need the band. he said u should be thanking me...just take no for an answer. so i told him when the kids are sleep tonight and he approaches me then he needs to take no for an answer. so he said, fine go get it if u want it that bad...lol! i had a slice of german chocalate cheese cake. my weight has never bothered dh in the past but now that i have had this last supper syndrome i think he thinks i'm mental! oh and that ate all. after this he took me to a western supermarket so i could get some Soups, slimfast, and other things to get me thru the post-op diet. my nephew spots some breyers icecream. for 4 yrs now i have been complaining about missing my breyers ice cream. how in the world did they wait until a week before i ge banded to import this! so i did what any pre bandster in my shoes would do. i bought 3 pints!

[CLOE 0]

Thanks for all the replys. It's nice to know Im not the only crazy one...LOL. I'm sure as my surgery approaches I'll get serious.

[PhotoNut 7]

Excellent post Kristin! I'll add one more thing to it, if I may...

6) Fat livers. During surgery, the liver must be lifted out of the way in order for the surgeons to access the stomach area to be banded. Often times, obese people have a lot of fat built up on the liver which increases its size by a substantial amount. If the liver is too large to safely move out of the way for surgery, the surgeon will not be able to band you. This is why many doctors place their patients on an extreme weightloss program for 3 weeks prior to surgery.

My biggest fear was that I would wake up from surgery unbanded because of this. As soon as I found this out, there was no way I was going to do anything to risk waking up without that band! Your journey start now folks, not when you wake up with the band. Regain control of yourselves. This is not the end of eating. There is no need for last suppers. It's just the food Demon trying to get in one last successful attack on your health before you fire up that Secret Weapon! *grins*

I've always used food to calm myself. What can you do if you can't binge. I'm afraid I'll climb the walls, go insane for something. This sounds so pathetic, but I was just wondering if anyone else felt this way pre-op, and if anyone has strategies for post-op? Thanks, Cloe:help:

Cloe, I cried over the thought of losing my comfort. To me, food was where I went to find a quiet peaceful spot when the world was closing in on me. I was so afraid that I'd lose my mind without it. I was amazed to find out that my appetite and my thinking about food changed drastically from the moment I woke up banded. It was nothing I did, it just happened. Coming here helps me a lot. I find great comfort in talking with others.. focusing on something other than myself. I've also found that this weightloss and the resulting increase in my health have replaced a lot of my preceived need for food as a comfort. I was without hope before. My hope comforts me now. And, looking back at it from this side of things.. I can see that the comfort was just an illusion. It was not comforting me at all. It was the CAUSE of my upset in the first place. It feels good to be free of that bondage. I hope you experience the same.

I've changed the quote in my signature line in honor of this topic.

[CLOE 0]

What great advice Susan! The liver thing you were talking about snapped me out of it!! Also, I can really understand what you meant about having hope with the band. Now that I have a date set and moving towards my new life, I'm so excited and HOPEFUL!!

[wallisj 0]

Hi all,

I think i went the other way with regards to last suppers...

The band support team from the medial company i had the band through gave me a ton of shakes and Soups as a 2 week pre-op so i had no excuses to help make the liver smaller to ease surgery.

This actually helped me as i was scared enough and didn't want to make the surgery complecated so it kinda feared me into behaving (which had good days and bad days....ask my wife )

Same post op...now i am back on the road for my job and i am struggling a little for lunchtime nutrition as i can have a shake for Breakfast ok and i can get a decent meal at night but during the day i am stuck for food ...

[cashley 0]

Just to let you know I did the last supper thing (not during my pre-op diet) but during the two months before surgery. I've been banded since 2/8 and haven't even got back to my pre-band splurge weight. If I could do it over again I wouldn't have eating like it was my last mealllllsssss then. I don't even remember it tasting that good or anything.

[Anwyn 0]

When I went in for my very first consultation they weighed me, told me I had to lose 5 lbs to show my commitment to surgery, and that if I was even 1 lb up from this on surgery date my surgery would be cancelled. It seemed pretty hardcore at the time, but it definitely kept me on track in the months leading up to surgery!