16 days Post-Op, Sad & full of regret

[Tate777 84]

Oh boy reading this made me sad..I am so scarrrrrrrrrrried of the emotional factor...I know just pms once a month is bad for this happy person now I am thinking I am going to be pms for prob 2 months....this and not being able to drink a lot of Water will prob make me rethink having the surgery....I already have dry skin now I am starting to rethink going to my appt on Tues...since my insurance is not all that great this makes me rethink....but then I look and say well maybe if I have my surgery during the spring time will this make it better for me because I am the type of person I don't care for the winter time prob because there isn't much sun and hardly anything to do since we have been having such bad weather here in Ohio. Oh man as I am writing this I want to cancel my appt tomorrow. OK does anyone know if anti depressants or anti anxiety meds would help? or no of anyone who take them maybe I need to look into this.

A little fear is a good thing. Healthy. Take this seriously. But don't let a little discomfort and a few days/weeks of feeling crappy keep you from making a decision that could radically improve your health and life for the better. Nothing worth having comes cheap. Sacrifice is part of the deal. You don't get to have your cake and eat it, too. You want to lose weight? Great-- but don't think it comes without cost. The only question is are you willing to pay?

[lynn2win 142]

I don't know what I want today.....it could be because of reading her post and also I am close to TOM...I know there are times I wish I had a crystal ball and I am sure a lot of us wish we did...maybe I will feel differently once spring time comes...boy I hate being like this

[Jerzygurl 372]

I had the sleeve performed on 1/20. I was on Protein shakes and clear fluids for two weeks pre op and 2 weeks post op. It's now been three days that I've been able to have purée foods like mashed potatoes, apple sauce yogurt and Soups.

After being on the clear Fluid diet for so long I thought I would be happy to move on. I have felt regret since the moment I woke up from surgery , and despite my hope it would get better when I could eat more it's actually gotten much worse.

I miss so much about life before this surgery. I don't know how I will adjust. I miss taking big gulps of cold Water. I sip and sip and sip, but I am always thirsty. I miss the joy of eating with friends and family and eating good foods. I miss being able to drink while I'm eating and I hate having to wait half an hour before and after eating to drink. Will it always take me half an hour to drink a cup of Water? Will the rest of my life be spent feeling thirsty, hungry, counting minutes till I can drink water or constantly tracking my Protein? I chose the sleeve over the bypass so that I would still be able to have a semi-normal life. There's no point regretting something that cannot be undone, but I do.

I'm two months post op and have adjusted nicely. I don't have to sip my water anymore, I don't gulp it either because that's not healthy, but I can drink a pretty liberal amount with no problem. I break bread with family and friends all the time, I just order something from the kiddie menu and something healthy. If I'm thirsty while eating, I take a sip of water. As my Nut said, "it won't kill you and as long as you don't over do it, it won't wash away the nutrients from your meal...which is the whole point of not drinking and eating at the same time!"

I feel more in control than I ever have with regard to food and my eating habits.

This too shall pass. Remember this is for a lifetime and for your health. Maybe you should speak to a psychiatrist again, could be you need to talk it out with a professional.

Anyway, good luck.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

I had the sleeve performed on 1/20. I was on Protein shakes and clear fluids for two weeks pre op and 2 weeks post op. It's now been three days that I've been able to have purée foods like mashed potatoes, apple sauce yogurt and Soups.< /p>

After being on the clear Fluid diet for so long I thought I would be happy to move on. I have felt regret since the moment I woke up from surgery , and despite my hope it would get better when I could eat more it's actually gotten much worse.

I miss so much about life before this surgery. I don't know how I will adjust. I miss taking big gulps of cold Water. I sip and sip and sip, but I am always thirsty. I miss the joy of eating with friends and family and eating good foods. I miss being able to drink while I'm eating and I hate having to wait half an hour before and after eating to drink. Will it always take me half an hour to drink a cup of Water? Will the rest of my life be spent feeling thirsty, hungry, counting minutes till I can drink water or constantly tracking my Protein? I chose the sleeve over the bypass so that I would still be able to have a semi-normal life. There's no point regretting something that cannot be undone, but I do.

I'm two months post op and have adjusted nicely. I don't have to sip my water anymore, I don't gulp it either because that's not healthy, but I can drink a pretty liberal amount with no problem. I break bread with family and friends all the time, I just order something from the kiddie menu and something healthy. If I'm thirsty while eating, I take a sip of water. As my Nut said, "it won't kill you and as long as you don't over do it, it won't wash away the nutrients from your meal...which is the whole point of not drinking and eating at the same time!"

I feel more in control than I ever have with regard to food and my eating habits.

This too shall pass. Remember this is for a lifetime and for your health. Maybe you should speak to a psychiatrist again, could be you need to talk it out with a professional.

Anyway, good luck.

I don't think a sip with dinner will kill the deal ether... but I think one of the reasons that drinking water with/after meals is not a good idea is it will wash the food into the intestine sooner (the stomach does not absorb nutrition) but the pyloris opens up faster for liquid than solids, so your "protein first "will wash out sooner and not be able to give you the full and satisfied feeling that a full stomach gives you. Its actually the pressure on the inside of the stomach that gives the full signal, so let that protein just sit there for at least 30 minutes before the water. Like I say, a sip.... not a big deal.

[birdmadgirl 154]

I was full of regret after my surgery (sept 23rd)... I thought "what the hell have I done? did I try everything first to lose weight?"

I mourned food and still do to an extent. My boyfriend and I spent the night at a hotel out of town for our 6 year anniversary this weekend. for lunch, we went to our favorite sushi restaurant. I had probably 5 - 6 pieces and was really full but completely satisfied that I was finished. I packed up a to go box and looked forward to munching on it later. I wasnt sad that I couldnt eat my normal 30 bucks worth of sushi because I am used to it and its no big deal anymore. For dinner, we went to our favorite Indian place. I had a tiny bit of some saag paneer and was really full but again, happy and satisfied. again, packed it up go to and knew how great it would taste for lunch the next day.

you just have to look at things in a different perspective. I cried myself to sleep many a night wanting a piece of pizza like a normal person. I can have that now.. I just choose to get thin crust and eat half a piece now and the other half later. maybe get a chicken wing or two when everyone else is scarfing on carbs.

there are alternatives to pigging out and they are wonderful.

one of my favorite things to do is make huge pitchers of different teas and lemonades and sip on them all day as a treat. I love toasted vanilla coconut yogurt... I still love food just a little less of it.

I am only down 43lbs since surgery but I can see my waist now and my jeans are falling off of me. My boyfriend notices and I can finally see some results which is very encouraging.

Winter sucks... I am having the hardest time with this weather. once you can get outside and be a little more active, I think your spirits will lift as well. I know this was wordy but I hope it helped! good luck to you!

[Tiffany Talbert Corbet 46]

Oh boy reading this made me sad..I am so scarrrrrrrrrrried of the emotional factor...I know just pms once a month is bad for this happy person now I am thinking I am going to be pms for prob 2 months....this and not being able to drink a lot of Water will prob make me rethink having the surgery....I already have dry skin now I am starting to rethink going to my appt on Tues...since my insurance is not all that great this makes me rethink....but then I look and say well maybe if I have my surgery during the spring time will this make it better for me because I am the type of person I don't care for the winter time prob because there isn't much sun and hardly anything to do since we have been having such bad weather here in Ohio. Oh man as I am writing this I want to cancel my appt tomorrow. OK does anyone know if anti depressants or anti anxiety meds would help? or no of anyone who take them maybe I need to look into this.

You're OVER THINKING this! Stop it! If you have come this far in the process of getting the surgery approved and scheduled, don't stop now. You will do FINE. One thing I will suggest is that you talk to your surgeon and make sure you have all the Vitamins you need ready to go, and talk to your primary about the possibility of an anti-depressant. Here's what I take....I know I've been out 15 mos., but these have made a difference......Oh, and remember......sip, sip, sip... WALK, WALK, WALK.

I take a low dose anti-depressant (being overweight depressed me)

One-A-Day Multi Vitamin x2

Calcium Citrate 600 mg x2 (so you get your calcium)

Biotin (this helps strengthen hair and nails)

B-12 5,000 mg (this helps with energy)

If I come across as harsh, I really don't mean to. I just don't want you giving when you are so close and then regretting it later. I PROMISE after you get to the Stage 4 of the diet (usually 4 - 6 weeks post-op) you will wonder why you thought it was so hard. Nothing worth while ever came easy. YOU CAN DO THIS!!! YOU'RE WORTH IT!!!

[cathibass13 3]

I feel you. I will be 2 weeks out on Monday and I am a MESS. I am sad and angry much of the time. Depressed. Feel like who gives a sh*t and just want to go to bed and stay there. The support group through my surgeon's office meets once per month. Next meeting is in a few weeks. I might try to go. In the mean time, it is what it is. Can't be undone so I may as well suck it up and deal.

When it gets difficult, you have your numbers to look at. 2 weeks and 30+ pounds GONE, never to return!! Pat yourself on the back for your hard work, and visualize yourself slimmer and sexy this summer, enjoying light meals with friends, and sipping your summer beverage like "normal folks".

~C

[Strangefruit 179]

It *will* get better... I am 16 mos out and JUST starting to feel like myself again. I regretted my surgery and people would say, "Oh, but you look so good! How could you regret it!?" But I did... I missed my old friend - food. You will learn new coping mechanisms... new ways to eat... I thought I would never be able to get by without rice - I *loved* rice... I can no longer eat it. That may not be the case for you... Many sleevers tolerate rice.. I cannot. I can eat noodles, however, but not a lot. I cannot eat chicken breast at all. It is too dense...I use boneless, skinless thighs for recipes that call for breast...

I am finally able to "eyeball" food and know what is an appropriate amount for me.. I can drink a LITTLE while I eat, but generally, I take tiny sips and it is not uncommon for me to leave a dinner table with a full glass of tea...but then I take it with me and nurse it all night. I still have occasional accidents - for me that is eating ONE BITE too much - and feeling uncomfortably full until I throw up... It happened to me a lot the first few months, but now I know that something as small as one more shrimp can be too much.

I am battling a cross addiction (I understand it is not unusual for people with food addictions to latch onto new things) of shopping. I spend WAY too much time on etsy, ebay and Amazon.com... For a while, I had a good excuse because I needed new clothes, but now I have to give myself limits or I will go overboard. I once had 4 packages arrive in the mail on a single day and I had no idea what was in any of them! :-)

Sorry, I got off topic... but I wanted you to know that you are not alone..it is not unusual to regret the surgery... I did for the first 8 mos... I didn't regret HAVING it, but if I had the decision to do over again, I would not have had it. Now - 16 mos out, I can finally say that perhaps I *would* do it again. It's been a wild ride and it's not over!

[lovely momma 28]

Here is another thought to consider. People think that seratonin is in the brain but. The vast majority of it is in the stomach. You have more seratonin and dopamine in your stomach than in any other part of the body. Since the stomach has been cut away I wonder how that affects our neurotransmitter

[cathibass13 3]

One-A-Day Multi Vitamin x2

calcium citrate 600 mg x2 (so you get your calcium)

Biotin (this helps strengthen hair and nails)

B-12 5,000 mg (this helps with energy)

This is exactly what I take. Just started the Biotin. I'm a gulper too, and was worried about sipping for the rest of my life. My doc told me that I won't be chugging a bottle of anything any more, but I will be drinking normally. And I am, already. 3 months TODAY!!

If you are scared, TOO scared, you might not be ready yet. You might need to just talk to your doc and Nut, and find the answers to your questions. Write down your concerns and ask and research. But do't do anything you aren't ready for.

My doc did tell me that I'd go through a period where I would regret my decision. I knew it was coming, so I wasn't shocked when I went through the anger and upset at the low weight loss. It IS a lifestyle change, as it should be. We all got to our weight by eating badly. Whether it's content or the size of the portion, it's all something that needs to be changed. You can't expect to lose weight doing and eating the same things. It's that simple. It just comes down to... what are you willing to give up. Nothing? Then you aren't ready.

~C

[jess88 0]

HANG IN THERE!!!! I've gone through what your going through! I'm a year and 3 months post op. Recovery was a crazy journey for me. I remember missing ice cold Water so much, missing being able to take huge huge gulps whenever I want! I remember feeling regret and feeling depressed... it's all normal for these things to happen and it WILL surpass, I can promise this to you. I am able to gulp Water just fine, you will be able to as well. You just need to be patient. Keep trying to get in your liquids and your protien intake. And trust me.... when you reach the end of your goal, you won't regret your decision.

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[feedyoureye 3,087]

Here is another thought to consider. People think that seratonin is in the brain but. The vast majority of it is in the stomach. You have more seratonin and dopamine in your stomach than in any other part of the body. Since the stomach has been cut away I wonder how that affects our neurotransmitter

http://neurosciencestuff.tumblr.com/post/38271759345/gut-instincts-the-secrets-of-your-second-brain

Here is info on that... not sure i how much is made in the stomach parts that are removed, but is made in the larger "gut" system.

[LoveNKindness 25]

I had the sleeve performed on 1/20. I was on Protein shakes and clear fluids for two weeks pre op and 2 weeks post op. It's now been three days that I've been able to have purée foods like mashed potatoes, apple sauce yogurt and Soups. After being on the clear Fluid diet for so long I thought I would be happy to move on. I have felt regret since the moment I woke up from surgery , and despite my hope it would get better when I could eat more it's actually gotten much worse. I miss so much about life before this surgery. I don't know how I will adjust. I miss taking big gulps of cold Water. I sip and sip and sip, but I am always thirsty. I miss the joy of eating with friends and family and eating good foods. I miss being able to drink while I'm eating and I hate having to wait half an hour before and after eating to drink. Will it always take me half an hour to drink a cup of Water? Will the rest of my life be spent feeling thirsty, hungry, counting minutes till I can drink water or constantly tracking my Protein? I chose the sleeve over the bypass so that I would still be able to have a semi-normal life. There's no point regretting something that cannot be undone, but I do.

What a difference a few weeks and some good support makes!

When I started this thread I was two weeks post op. Tomorrow I will be five weeks, and life is starting to return to normal. I no longer feel thirsty all the time. I feel full most of the time, even though I'm still only eating puréed foods. I still get tired very easily, and I have a hard time eating more than 400 calories a day (btw, is this normal? I'm thinking it is at this stage since I can only eat mush. I still manage 60 grams of protein a day by incorporating my shakes).

Best of all, I'm shrinking! I'm down 30 pounds since my surgery. I remember why I make this choice, and I have hope again that I will be able to live a normal life.

I feel bad that some people may have read this and gotten further discouraged. For those of you who have, I hope today is a bit brighter.

[dfwtxmissy 108]

I am going on 5 months and tho I cannot gulp, I can drink more and more in one single "swig". It will get better. I find it easier and easier every day. You will find that you won't notice the little nuances that come with the sleeve and it because second nature to you. Don't give up the faith. It gets better.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I had the sleeve performed on 1/20. I was on Protein shakes and clear fluids for two weeks pre op and 2 weeks post op. It's now been three days that I've been able to have purée foods like mashed potatoes, apple sauce yogurt and Soups. After being on the clear Fluid diet for so long I thought I would be happy to move on. I have felt regret since the moment I woke up from surgery , and despite my hope it would get better when I could eat more it's actually gotten much worse. I miss so much about life before this surgery. I don't know how I will adjust. I miss taking big gulps of cold Water. I sip and sip and sip, but I am always thirsty. I miss the joy of eating with friends and family and eating good foods. I miss being able to drink while I'm eating and I hate having to wait half an hour before and after eating to drink. Will it always take me half an hour to drink a cup of Water? Will the rest of my life be spent feeling thirsty, hungry, counting minutes till I can drink water or constantly tracking my Protein? I chose the sleeve over the bypass so that I would still be able to have a semi-normal life. There's no point regretting something that cannot be undone, but I do.

What a difference a few weeks and some good support makes!

When I started this thread I was two weeks post op. Tomorrow I will be five weeks, and life is starting to return to normal. I no longer feel thirsty all the time. I feel full most of the time, even though I'm still only eating puréed foods. I still get tired very easily, and I have a hard time eating more than 400 calories a day (btw, is this normal? I'm thinking it is at this stage since I can only eat mush. I still manage 60 grams of protein a day by incorporating my shakes).

Best of all, I'm shrinking! I'm down 30 pounds since my surgery. I remember why I make this choice, and I have hope again that I will be able to live a normal life.

I feel bad that some people may have read this and gotten further discouraged. For those of you who have, I hope today is a bit brighter.

So glad to hear you are feeling better! And yes, your calories are right on track. Enjoy it - I wish I could have a few of those days now and then. I can easily eat 2000+ calories a day - not that I do very often, but I have once or twice in the last few months. I do have to watch what I eat every day, or I would be eating that much. You will look back (and you will be thin by then!) and also remember these early days and all the self learning you've done, and be proud of how far you've come, both physically and mentally. My guess is that you will enjoy your new normal!