Post surgery food addictions and surgery blues

[Ray92 91]

Hello all,

I really would like to share my feelings about my experience so far with the gastric sleeve! Just to introduce myself, I am a 23 yr old female, 6 days since my operation. 6 years ago I did the lap band but I did not manage to lose the weight, mainly because even with the band I could still eat whatever I want with practice and eating slow. As such, after long consideration, I decided to do the gastric sleeve. I am also a very health paranoid person and go through multiple mini anxiety episodes for just about anything and everything. As such, a lot of my experience does derive from that place.

So as I mentioned, I was sleeved 6 days ago. The surgery went smoothly, I passed the swallow test and after 1 day at the hospital, I was released. The first couple of days were quite painful. Even now, it is difficult for me to sit in certain positions, sleep on my side and I feel like I have done 100000 crunches. In other words, I have random aches and pains around the trunk and stomach, I feel gassy here and there but that is it. Other than the pain and discomfort, as of day 2 I started having major mind (not stomach) food cravings. I would imagine myself eating all the junk food I ate before and still desperately think about stuffing my face. However, with that being said in no way does my stomach feel hungry. In a way, I know that I am going through a weird mental food addiction phase and it is honestly bringing me down. It is making me so scared as well that it could cause me to fail the surgery once I can go back to eating solids. I am so worried that I will let myself slip and indulge on fatty foods because my mind keeps spinning the same tale of food addiction. About 4 days after I was having buyer's remorse. Today that feeling is fading away and is being replaced with anxiety about failing the surgery in the future. I don't want to go back to my old habits ever again but I am worried that my mindset is not in the right place. Did anyone go through episodes of food cravings at first? I find myself thinking about what Soups I am going to eat while knowing that I will only manage to have 2 bites. So far I have lost 13 pounds and I want to keep going. Other than massive food cravings I am going through a weird depression. I feel tired, lazy, sad, pointless etc. I am hoping those feelings pass.

EDIT: I would also like to add a shoutout to my surgeon. I did it in Jordan in the Middle East. I went there for a short vacation to attend my cousin's wedding, next thing I know I was being sleeved. This guy does about 30 surgeries a day.

Edited October 25, 2015 by Ray92

[Healthy_life2 8,324]

@@Ray92

You are 6 days out. Your feelings seem pretty normal to me. Give yourself time. Things change with the food progression. If you are finding your behaviors are still an issue. You might want to seek counseling. Old behaviors are something we all have to overcome to be successful. Without the struggle their is no change.

[Ray92 91]

@@Ray92

You are 6 days out. Your feelings seem pretty normal to me. Give yourself time. Things change with the food progression. If you are finding your behaviors are still an issue. You might want to seek counseling. Old behaviors are something we all have to overcome to be successful. Without the struggle their is no change.

Thank you for the response, it makes me feel more assured. I desperately want this surgery to work so I am hoping that helps me overcome my food addiction. The good thing is that the thoughts have reduced in the past 24 hrs and have been replaced by planning out my wardrobe in 6 months.

[jane13 2,256]

pretty typical post op feelings. my buyers remorse was about a clue of hours on day three. it hit me that my stomach was forever gone. once I got outside and moving that very day all of that passed. day 4 was start of soft foods and that helped as well. I have had no issues and realizing I was able to eat, just smarter and smaller amounts seemed just fine. no regrets!

[jane13 2,256]

kindle makes my post look like I have been drinking!

should have read "total of about 3 hours on day three"

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

What you are going through is very common. I know when I was newly sleeved, I fantasized about every new food and food stage. I even found pet food commercials appetizing!

I recommend you talk to a counselor or therapist, participate in these forums, find a support group or 12-step group (like OA), read, and journal.

This journey is very intense but also very rewarding.

[anna9/15 93]

What you are going thru they say is very normal i am going thru the same exact emotions. My depression and anxiety has taken over my mind, i was sleeved on 9/15 for 2 weeks everything was great until i was admitted to to the hospital for not holding down anything, they ran all test and it seemed to all be fine in a week, now i am almost at the regular food stage and i am terrified of failing and not being educated enough, i have started seeing a therapist and changed nutritionist..i hope and pray this fear goes away as everyone says.its consuming my brain and life activities, the protien intake Water and food is all overwelming, ive researched and just knew i was prepared the mental part thru me for a loop in time this form says its normal and will pass..in all i am 47 pounds down:)

[ttdish 315]

I definitely think I had feelings similar to withdrawal. As with anything, the longer you go without what you crave, the easier it is to say no to it. So we get take advantage of this period of no hunger to help make that easier. I'm not 8 weeks out, and being around the food I can't (well, shouldn't) have doesn't even really bother me anymore.

~*~ Find me on YouTube: Trisha's Sleeve Story ~*~

[Ray92 91]

Hello all, thank you for the encouraging responses. I know feel much better about the whole thing and I am starting to get excited! The weight loss progress that you guys have mentioned here is truly inspiring!!

As of today, I woke up 16 pounds down. It seems like my weight is dropping like crazy. I am now also allowed to have pureed foods! Today I had a low fat, savoury yoghurt drink that we call laban ayran. It's very soothing, chock full of Protein and low cal. I also had a small amount of lentil Soup. I have absolutely no appetite whatsoever so I could not motivate myself to have anymore than that.

[♥dreamable 189]

I am imagining this is very normal. I am one week out from my sleeve and going through the same emotions. Usually this close to surgery you still look and "feel" like the same person you were pre-op. I feel silly too, but man the past two days or so (it makes me laugh at myself) but food is on my mind a lot. pizza and Chinese food. and I sit there and think about how great they would taste yada yada. BUt I am not hungry for them or anything- I think I am just missing the flavors. My surgeon has you do 2 weeks liquid only AFTER surgery, on top of the 2 week pre-op diet. So needless to say, I have ONE MORE week of eating foods that I am not liking anymore. There's only so much Premier Protein and chicken broth I can handle. Everything else turns my stomach to eat. One more week. One more week. LOL

[Ray92 91]

Dreamable, good luck!! I am literally in the same boat as you in terms of cravings. I have been thinking about everything under the sun. They have become less frequent though. Today my cravings were falafel smothered in hot sauce and a big ole bowl of Greek salad. 2 week liquid only is very tough but you can do it!!! I got bored of the chicken broth quite fast and I think it was part of the reason my mood gets sour here and there. I should clarify, the first week for me was Clear Liquids only. For the next 17 days I can only have pureed vegetable Soups, the yoghurt drink and apple juice, no solids yet.

[♥dreamable 189]

Dreamable, good luck!! I am literally in the same boat as you in terms of cravings. I have been thinking about everything under the sun. They have become less frequent though. Today my cravings were falafel smothered in hot sauce and a big ole bowl of Greek salad. 2 week liquid only is very tough but you can do it!!! I got bored of the chicken broth quite fast and I think it was part of the reason my mood gets sour here and there. I should clarify, the first week for me was clear liquids only. For the next 17 days I can only have pureed vegetable Soups, the yoghurt drink and apple juice, no solids yet.

Thanks! I realize this phase will pass too. Each day is one day closer. I am on liquids for 2 weeks- but they allow Jello-o (since at room temperature it's a liquid), chicken broth, cream of chicken powdered/puree type Soup, popsicles, powdered smoothie mix, drink mixes (crystal light etc...) and Protein drinks/powders. Just feel like I have run out of new options and I am already sick of everything LOL. One more week until I can have pureed foods and I cannot wait. Can you have hummus? Falafal sounds so good right now, thanks! LOL

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I don't know if this will help or not, but if I were you I'd try NOT to fantasize about food all the time or talk about it so much.

For me, self-talk (even if it's silent and inside my head) has been a powerful influence in my WLS journey. I've used this forum as a forum of self-talk. I do try to be pretty positive about my WLS. But then I am pretty positive about it.

My point is that how I think about WLS and how I talk about it -- anywhere, even just to myself -- reinforces my attitudes toward it. And those attitudes influence how I act.

[ttdish 315]

This sounds counter-intuitive, but I spent a lot of time pinning low carb, high Protein recipes. Seeing all of the delicious foods I could still eat, helped me care less about the "junk" I shouldn't have anymore.

~*~ Find me on YouTube: Trisha's Sleeve Story ~*~

[♥dreamable 189]

I don't know if this will help or not, but if I were you I'd try NOT to fantasize about food all the time or talk about it so much.

For me, self-talk (even if it's silent and inside my head) has been a powerful influence in my WLS journey. I've used this forum as a forum of self-talk. I do try to be pretty positive about my WLS. But then I am pretty positive about it.

My point is that how I think about WLS and how I talk about it -- anywhere, even just to myself -- reinforces my attitudes toward it. And those attitudes influence how I act.

Right. Let me clarify too- while the pizza isn't good for you- I have been watching healthy recipes I will be able to make eventually with vegetables etc.. so when I am thinking about the chinese food- I was thinking about grilled chicken and vegetables LOL Basically I just want the taste. LOL Also, it's only been the past 2 days, so I am working through it