Aftermath

[tntransplant06 20]

My fear is not of dying or complications from the surgery, but of the aftermath of the surgery. I am frightened of not being able to handle the head hunger. I've been fat for all of my life, and I eat b/c food is like my best bud. I eat when happy, when sad, when bored, etc. I eat b/c I like to eat.

So, any advice for me? Any others have issues with this and how did you handle it? I'm wondering if I might need psych meds when this is all said and done. (my surgery is in 6 weeks) I am having this surgery to better my health.

[Middlesister57 14]

I heard that that all goes away after the surgery. People who have the sleeve had to be reminded to eat. I am the same as you with having food as my buddy. Me and food get along great. I am one week away from my surgery and all I can do is think about all the lovely food that I won't be able to eat anymore. I'm praying that all those thoughts are gone after surgery.

My fear is not of dying or complications from the surgery, but of the aftermath of the surgery. I am frightened of not being able to handle the head hunger. I've been fat for all of my life, and I eat b/c food is like my best bud. I eat when happy, when sad, when bored, etc. I eat b/c I like to eat.

So, any advice for me? Any others have issues with this and how did you handle it? I'm wondering if I might need psych meds when this is all said and done. (my surgery is in 6 weeks) I am having this surgery to better my health.

[MaMa-C-Ta 0]

I'm worried, too. My surgery is next week (still thinking about cancelling) and I am on my per-op diet. My family was happily eating enchiladas last night and I felt so sad and upset. Then all I could think about was going to Dominoes and getting a large pep & salami for myself! But, I did not do it. I would hate to have this surgery and not lose some weight or gain it all back.

[hopeandfaith 6]

FOR ME here is how I feel....HAVEN'T been sleeved yet! Ask yourself WHY did you decide to do this weight loss surgery? For me it's NOT because I feel good the way I am. I HATE the way I am and I FEEL miserable! I want to walk up a flight of stairs and still be able to BREATH! I want to walk down the stairs like a normal person....not side ways because one knee can't handle the weight! I want to be able to SIT in a chair and my FAT NOT hang over! It took me a while to UNDERSTAND food CAN'T CONTROL ME!! I have to take ACTION or else I won't be around to ENJOY LIFE!!

I'm fighting with my insurance right now.

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS THIN FEELS!!!! I heard this one MANY MANY MANY YEARS ago but FINALLY understand it! IT'S TRUE!!!

[redroses47 1]

I am 7 months out and I can tell you that the initial days are very much day-by-day .. baby steps, sort of thing. Many people talk about the head hunger and you will go through it from time-to-time but I can tell you from personal experience that the post-op hunger is diminished to quite an extent. I haven't had one hunger pang in 7 months - no kidding. I got into this health groove so quickly because I was so happy that I had the surgery, it was a success and continues to be. I have lost over 125 pounds and 8 sizes and I could never have done this on Weight Watchers in 7 years never mind 7 months. Please focus on the gift you are about to receive. You will be adding years to your life. Think about it this way, when the head hunger hits .. you don't see old morbidly obese people .. they cannot survive excess weight .. you are on a path of a long healthy life. Best of luck to you.

My fear is not of dying or complications from the surgery, but of the aftermath of the surgery. I am frightened of not being able to handle the head hunger. I've been fat for all of my life, and I eat b/c food is like my best bud. I eat when happy, when sad, when bored, etc. I eat b/c I like to eat.

So, any advice for me? Any others have issues with this and how did you handle it? I'm wondering if I might need psych meds when this is all said and done. (my surgery is in 6 weeks) I am having this surgery to better my health.

[tntransplant06 20]

thank you all for your replies....my brain is struggling but it is not going to deter me. It's the last thing on my mind when I go to bed every evening....all the bad. But when I wake up, I am excited and happy and positive about what I'm going to do. Crazy brain! 6 more weeks to go.

[pattimomof3nj 21]

I can tell you this.... i was sleeved 8 weeks ago. I have had in the past 8 weeks a SIL who committed suicide, a family friend that died of sorosis age 44, and my MIL just had her kidney removed due to cancer. Before surgery, I would have eaten my way through all of that and then some. NOW... I didn't even think of eating, i was there for my family and friends and food was the last thing on my mind. You just kind of forget...when I got the urge to chow down on ice cream the night my SIL died, I had a big glass of Water and a Xanax, and I was fine! granted, I did have my Protein shakes to get me through, but really with that much going on and I wasn't turning to food, was the true test of my sleeve!!!

I LOVE MY SLEEVE!!!!

Patti

[Tiffykins 673]

From someone who literally loved food, I can tell you the sleeve is not going to fix the head issues. I battled a lot of my head hunger when I had the band so I had a good grasp on that pre-sleeve. You might want to consider working with a counselor to help with your food issues.

Head hunger DOES NOT go away with the sleeve. I have lost my physical hunger completely, but that doesn't keep me from eating. Early out, yes, I had to set a reminder to eat, but I was also very hellbent on succeeding in getting to goal, and not wavering from my post-op eating plan. So, it is my head that I had to control early out if I wanted to lose my weight, and really see food as fuel. I am more in control now, my head wins sometimes, but for the most part, I know the "rules" and I know the consequences of bad choices. The lack of physical hunger definitely helps, but it's not going to last. I'm 18 months out, can eat twice as much as I could at 2-3 months out, and it's definitely more difficult to make the best choice on what I put in my mouth. It takes constant diligence, it takes control, and it takes constant effort to not bury my head in the proverbial cookie jar.

I do agree that food is an afterthought now. I get so busy some days that I still forget to eat. I have gone 16 hours without eating, and didn't realize it until I was super cranky, and had an empty feeling in my stomach.

Remember, they operate on our stomachs, not our brains. The sleeve will restrict the quantities we put in to an extent, but the choice is all ours on what we put in our mouths.

[TexasT 99]

I have to add that I'm one of those that DOES still get hungry on a regular basis. So for some of us that does not go away post-op. Fortunately though with the sleeve you only have to eat a little and the hunger pangs are gone.

Don't get in the mindset that you'll NEVER get to eat certain foods. That can literally drive you crazy and make you do things you'll later regret. Realize that once you reach goal weight you can eat whatever you want in small portions. I had a slice of pizza for dinner the other night and I've been dipping into a tub of pecan brittle that a business associate gave me all week. I don't really eat bread anymore, but I had a small hamburger (my first all year) a few weeks ago because I got a strong craving for a nice, juicy burger. It took me all night to eat it, but man was it good. I may go another year before I eat one again, but I think I can do this because I don't feel like I'm depriving myself, which forces that primieval "gotta get all the food I can or I'll die" mechanism to kick in.

I agree with Tiffy that you might want to talk to someone regarding your food issues. I wouldn't wait until after surgery if that's an option for you. You need to focus not on your perception of what you think you'll be missing, but on the positive things you're doing for your health and your body.

[BlackBerryJuice 349]

I have to add that I'm one of those that DOES still get hungry on a regular basis. So for some of us that does not go away post-op. Fortunately though with the sleeve you only have to eat a little and the hunger pangs are gone.

Same here.

I was a huge emotional eater pre-surgery, but now it's almost non-existent. Yesterday I was extremely stressed out, to the point where I punched a wall out frustration and now my hand's all bruised, and MAN did I suddenly get the old pre-op urge to binge....but while it was there, it was nowhere near as strong as it was before the surgery. I made a point of not eating anything until that went away, because I didn't want my brain to conclude that I was giving into that urge and revive the old patterns. Got through it fine. A Xanax would've been awesome, but I didn't have any, so I just played some computer games instead, lol.