I think I ruined it...

[katesuccess 990]

Sometimes the urge is to eat something different from the sweeter shakes and Jello stuff. I'm finding cream Soups that are highly flavored with unflavored Protein powder are a huge help! They distract me away from salty/real food cravings and let me slow down enough to think about my eating and determine if its head hunger or stomach hunger. My favorite Soup this week is a smoked salmon chowder (run through my magic bullet of course!). Try mixing it up more with allowable/recommended food before hitting pretzels again maybe?

Good luck!

[kimba6999 125]

there is still hunger. its greatly lessened, in some almost none, in others more. but we still have stomaches that produce some ghrelin. its not all head hunger, though i would have to say, at such an early stage of being post op, to be cheating on things like pretzels and french fries is not hunger, its withdrawal from food. please seek help in dealing with your food addiction, each day it gets easier to eat, and easier to cheat and easier to rationalize bad food choices. if you dont deal with it now, when will you?

[kimba6999 125]

In all my research for this i kept coming across the same thing over and over as well as my doctor telling me this: "A sleeve gastrectomy also works because it removes the part of the stomach that produces Ghrelin, which is a hormone that stimulates appetite. This helps to noticeably reduce without completely eliminating a person appetite." The best way to describe how i feel is jot hunger but this empty feeling that i then know i need to eat something. I no longer get headaches from not eating or moody. Everyone deals differently but you do no longer produce that stimulator so you can control it. You just jeed to learn to read your ques. Get into a schedule and it will be alot easier for you. The rest is just habits you need to break. Good luck to you.

Edited May 12, 2014 by kimba6999

[Fluffnomore 1,235]

Kimba, it's not one size fits all, and some of us never completely lose the hunger feeling. There are many components to this. I agree that we need to re-learn cues, but it's just not true that all the ghrelin and receptors are gone in every single person. Some surgeons may cut differently, or whatever. I believe the language mine used is that "It is believed that we remove that part of the stomach responsible, but we don't know for sure" and "You should have a reduction in hunger." Not, it's gone and will never come back.

I'm 6 months out, and I do get hungry. It feels the same way it used to, maybe not as intense, but it is there. Because it's been a while I can see that I misread certain cues my body gave me in the past, and that is where the re-learning becomes very important.

I'm in complete agreement that the OP's issue is not about hunger, but I want to also make sure that people understand that there are no absolutes in this process.

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

and there are people on this forum who have more serious issues than bad habits. food addiction or dependence or disordered eating (or whatever you want to call it), probably requires more help to deal with than bad habits (though some people need professional help to do that too).

some people find that once their hunger is greatly reduced, they no longer have urges to overeat or eat bad things... but for people who have used food to medicate all their feelings, deal with past trauma or cope with life in general, its wasnt ever about hunger in the first place. its about thoughts and feelings, which is unchanged by surgery. if a person is not able to make different choices just a few days out of surgery, he or she probably could use some professional help from a therapist who specializes in eating disorders.

there is no shame in getting extra help. clearly, the more help a person has, the more likely it is that he/she will succeed long term. the only thing he/she has to fear is getting really self honest.

[kimba6999 125]

I fully agree with moon on this. I was in the process of therapy when i was encouraged by my therapist to do the surgery. I was already dealing with my issues so this was the next logical step. This surgery is not a fix all. If you dont deal with the issues that contributed to the weight then it will never work. This is a total lifestyle change and can be life altering if you take advantage of all thats available. I dont know about you guys but we had to see a therapist before being approved. If they saw one with all their issues and was still approved that doctor needs to find a new one. I know some have continued getting help through the procedure and continuing with therapy after and more power to them.

We all have issues or we wouldnt be here right? Good luck to all and i really hope u wdll on this journey.

[22pix 26]

I know it's hard one week out and today was the first day I felt hungry and to top it off I had to make dinner for my niece French fries and chicken... It was hard but I did it. I needed a min to come on the site look at some before and after pics and it worked. I was able to regroup my thoughts....not only was I able to seat at the table with her while she ate....I gave her a little ice cream.... It's hard but when u feel like giving up do like I do look at some before and after pics good luck to all.

[kimba6999 125]

I keep my before pic posted and every 6 wks i take a new pic and post it. By the time im done my whole wall will be filled. I also keep my weekly weight posted for all to see. I keep it all on the wall by my fridge. It is my go to when i think about eating what i shouldnt. I looked like a butterball and cant believe how i let myself go. I will never go bacl to that. Thats my go to. I love this site too. Everyone is so encouraging and upbeat in their comments to help. Good luck to u

Edited May 13, 2014 by kimba6999

[RJ'S/beginning 5,358]

There are mistakes and we all make them or made them in this journey, trek, adventure. Whatever you want to call it. The important thing to remember at this time is that your sleeve is new and swollen and not healed yet. Putting solids in there is a risk that you are taking for a possible leak and a long journey back to health over a pretzel.

The sleeve is a tool given to you so that you have the time to fix your mind. Your brain. To figure out why you did what you did to get here. And make life changes that will make you a success. Making a mistake now and then is going to happen. Eating the wrong foods is going to happen. This, right now is where the work begins.

Taking chances like that so early on is more harmful then at a later date. Junk foods are sliders they have no density and so therefore go down easy and do not help in closing the flap at the bottom of your stomach. So you can keep on eating them and work your way back to where you started

Even when we were our largest our bodies gave us signals about whether we were full or not. But we did not take note and ate because it was our comfort in life. Some people pause and others take deep breaths. Some will say not now to a second portion because they want to let the food eaten already settle. Our bodies gives us signs now that we are full. We just need to listen. Figure them out and stop eating before we feel it in a bad way.

But doing this pretzel thing so early on is sabotage. One that could cost you dearly. The sleeve is a tool, not a miracle and if you treat it as such and look within yourself for the reasons and truth behind your addictions then you have a great chance that you will learn to change and deal with it without food.

You didn't ruin your sleeve. But the chances of damaging it at this point is quite possible. Stay on track it will get easier at some point in one way and harder in others... This is a life changer and nothing worth having is gotten for free. It is the time for you to realize it is you that you are working on. Fix the brain and the body will follow....

Edited May 14, 2014 by RJ'S/beginning