Mourning Food - Post Op

[SlowlybutSurely 73]

I'm curious as to if anyone else has experienced this......I'm 2 weeks post op with 10 days pre-op diet and I'm going thru some serious mourning for food. Now mind you,I hadn't been a big fast food person for at least the last 15 or so years BUT I'm badly mourning food right now. I miss my bowls of corn flakes w/whole milk as the staple of my whole "not cooking dinner" mode. I'm mourning never being able to have a five-guys burger again, although I only had them about 2 to 3 times a year anyway. I'm missing Subway's meatball subs, hot wings, eating sherbet ice cream right out of the box while watching a movie. I'm even missing pizza toppings (didn't eat the bread part of pizza). I'm even craving a Krispy Kreme doughnut which I NEVER ate because they're too sweet. I don't regret the sleeve at all because I didn't have any real medical issues (no co-morbidities) other than morbid obesity and I was trying to be proactive in not developing any but this bland diet is killing me to the point that I just don't even want to bother with any food of any kind which is definitely not healthy and I keep thinking I'll end up ill anyway from malnourishment. I'm just curious as to whether anyone else went through a food-mourning period and how they handled it? I'm assuming that it will just go away with time.

[Amanda Nicole Hosaflook 65]

I am feeling the same exact way. I just want to lay here and sleep. I'm still on liquids 2 weeks out. I'm so tired of it.

[missv2u 28]

I'm glad to know I’m not the only one experiencing this. It will be one month since my sleeve tomorrow and I have the same cravings. I still want wings and burgers and the smell of bacon ummm. One thing I know for sure is that you can have some of the things you like just in moderation. I was only on liquid for one week after surgery. after that I'd eat steamed veggies and grilled fish that was easy to go down and I could only eat a bite or two. You might also want to try tuna low fat mayo and relish that was my go to when I got an urge. Instead of sherbet try frozen yogurt you wouldn’t believe how good it is. I still have to cook because I have a family that needs to eat. You can still use the seasoning your use to. I tried to eat a small piece of fried chicken it felt like it was stuck in my throat I felt so sick. So I remember that when I get the urge. Good luck! Stay strong you can do it!!

Edited January 22, 2014 by missv2u

[Kindle 8,667]

This procedure is 90% mental and 10% physical. The surgery was the easy part. Fortunately, I went into all this knowing what I would be giving up and willing to do it. A friend of mine who had lap band repeatedly told me your best friend is going to die...you will never be able to spend time with him/her again. That is what you are mourning, it's only natural. Besides researching online before surgery, am reading "emergency first aid Kit-life after bariatric surgery". It's helped get me in the right state of mind for this journey and prepare me for all the struggles I will face.

If you are to be successful with the sleeve, your struggle with food will probably never end. It has to be a complete lifestyle change. Sure, after you are healed, you will be able to eat Krispy kremes and burgers and corn flakes with whole milk. You will have to decide if it's worth it, or is your sleeve success a priority over temporary cravings and brief satisfactions.

Between pre and post op I was on liquids for 5 weeks. It will have been a total of almost 2 months before I finally reach "normal food" stage. I've tried to be creative and savory every bite of each new thing I transition to. Knowing I will achieve my goal has turned this into a fun adventure for me. It's all about attitude and welcoming the changes. But like. I said, mourning your friend is a normal part of the process. Maybe I'm in denial for myself, or maybe I never liked the b.... ch as much as I thought

[Noor1969 150]

I'm already mourning food and I'm only on the preop diet. My surgery date has been delayed so I'm going to be on it for a while longer. I had a lot of "food funerals" before I went on the preop and I'm glad that they're over, but I hear what you're saying. I made two eggs and toast for hubby this morning and I was sad thinking that it's going to be a long, long time before I'll ever be able to eat bread again, if ever. One of things that's really bothering me is that I will never be able to eat at buffet restaurants again. I used to love filling my plate and enjoying all that food. That's not going to happen anymore. I'm also a big Cereal person and used to have huge bowls when I didn't feel like cooking too. Who knows when I'll ever be able to eat it again.

I KNOW that the sleeve is going to be so beneficial for me and I'm set in my decision, but I'm really going to miss pigging out on food. I hope I get over it soon and find a "new normal" for me. Unlike you I do have comorbidities and need to remember that my health is so much more important than pigging out at a buffet. But it's not going to be easy.

[Kindle 8,667]

Good luck noor. I totally hear you about the buffets....I definitely used to get my money's worth!

[losin_it 15]

I've had the same experience, thinking about the loss of pigging out. I've found myself feeling really excited about eating something good, followed by the disappointment of remembering that I can only eat a small amount. But as time passes, it gets easier to deal with. I have found that I really can eat pretty much anything, although I have to be very careful with fried food. I don't indulge much, try to keep with the protein/fruit or veggie only at each meal, but I still enjoy occasionally eating Pasta or Mexican food. Don't be too discouraged; it's a sacrifice, but each passing week gets easier. It's a lifestyle change, and it's hard to change the way the mind works after a lifetime of eating anything you want, in any amount.

[Miss Mac 6,262]

Every time I fall into the dark place of mourning all the foods that got me into this mess, I get reminded of the Bible story about the leeks and cucumbers. The Israelites are wondering around all over the desert and are frankly getting sick to death of 101 Ways to Fix Manna. Manna provided for their nutritional needs but was a bland as gravel. The passage goes like this:

Now the mixed multitude who were among them craved more desirable foods, and so the Israelites wept again and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we used to eat freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now we are dried up, and there is nothing at all before us except this manna!” (Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium. And the people went about and gathered it, and ground it with mills or pounded it in mortars; they baked it in pans and made cakes of it. It tasted like fresh olive oil. And when the dew came down on the camp in the night, the manna fell.

I laugh when I think about it, because that is exactly what I am doing. I miss Chinese take-out and pizza and potato chips and diet soda and blah de blah da da. The bits of food I eat now are nourishing me - just barely, but I miss the taste of food, and chewing, and crunch....I guess the mechanics of eating.

But that's O K, when I get to goal, I will look back and realize that it was worth the sacrifice, then I can eat some of those things in tiny amounts.

[SlowlybutSurely 73]

Like I said earlier, the funny thing is that I wasn't a "food" person before the surgery. I gained probably 70% of my extra weight from sodas back when I was a sodaholic. I'm not one for sweets so never ate donoughnuts and rarely, rarely, rarely ate fast food other than hotwings and didn't even get the fries because I don't care for them. I think my mourning is before I knew I COULD have those things if I wanted them and now I KNOW I CAN"T have those things even though I didn't really want them before. I know...I'm going to blame this psychoatic mentality on the sleeve...LOL!

[Mammecan 43]

_{I was the same way but now going into my 9th week..I can eat almost anything only a couple of bites...Its funny, I loved bread...I don't want it or miss it now..Things I loved & ate all the time, I just don't want anymore....I do have pizza, but only a little piece & I'm full.....I even have chips!! but 2 or 3 and I'm done...don't want anymore...I went to McDonalds, had a small cheeseburger, no bun & had a couple of bites & I was full....cereal, I only eat 1/2 cup of Special K Protein with a dash of skim milk...As long as you fill up on Water & Protein, your not going to want the food you use to eat...YES, right now you want it only because you can't have it & thats the only reason....You will be amazed with yourself in a few more weeks..I was...}

[MissNya 5]

In my first few months post-op i was seriously mourning food. It seemed like i would be on soft foods FOREVER! I could not wait to taste something with flavor. The funny thing is when I was able to eat more solid foods, I would try different things that I thought I liked. Turns out my sleeve DOES NOT like those things!!! My tastes have changed so much. The thought of fried food makes me queasy and if I were to break down and eat a hot wing in a moment of weakness, I would defintely pay for it because my sleeve does not like grease!! I guess its a blessing in disguise because I physically can not eat the things I shouldnt be eating anyway. Ironically, I really like the soft foods that I couldnt wait to be done with! I tend to eat a lot of oatmeal, yogurt, cottage cheese, Soup, string cheese, fruit. I still have trouble with a lot of veggies so I dont eat many of those. I drink my Protein shakes and Water, take my Vitamins, iI eat what I like and what I can tolerate and I feel pretty satisfied.

[Mammecan 43]

Yes Bamaboo...I was a hugh diet coke freak...a 12 pack a day!!!! (and never drank water) Thats all I wanted right after my surgery too...just a swig..bubbly & burn....when I was about 4 weeks out, I took the cover off a bottle of diet coke & let it go flat....pour it over ice & got my fix..no bubbles, no burn tho...now I don't want it at all...I did crystal lite after surgery & now its, why bother...I just drink Water...

[Mammecan 43]

Exactly...Miss Nya....you hit the nail on the head....Thats how you'll be..exactly...I don't do fruit (to much suger) but I am able to eat carrots but thats about it for veggies...No salads for a long time..Now everyone is going to want a salad!! lol

[newstart2014 0]

This procedure is 90% mental and 10% physical. The surgery was the easy part. Fortunately, I went into all this knowing what I would be giving up and willing to do it. A friend of mine who had lap band repeatedly told me your best friend is going to die...you will never be able to spend time with him/her again. That is what you are mourning, it's only natural. Besides researching online before surgery, am reading "emergency first aid Kit-life after bariatric surgery". It's helped get me in the right state of mind for this journey and prepare me for all the struggles I will face. If you are to be successful with the sleeve, your struggle with food will probably never end. It has to be a complete lifestyle change. Sure, after you are healed, you will be able to eat Krispy kremes and burgers and corn flakes with whole milk. You will have to decide if it's worth it, or is your sleeve success a priority over temporary cravings and brief satisfactions. Between pre and post op I was on liquids for 5 weeks. It will have been a total of almost 2 months before I finally reach "normal food" stage. I've tried to be creative and savory every bite of each new thing I transition to. Knowing I will achieve my goal has turned this into a fun adventure for me. It's all about attitude and welcoming the changes. But like. I said, mourning your friend is a normal part of the process. Maybe I'm in denial for myself, or maybe I never liked the b.... ch as much as I thought

Very well said!!