shelly77

You look great! I will take a little loose skin on my tummy over being obese any day! On my way!!!! I started at 239 so I look forward to taking a pic like that one day!

Here is one family sized bag of Doritos.....after being crunched up in the blender. It wouldn't take up much room in the stomach. 1600 calories in that little cup.

Ok folks, I am usually an "on the program" kind of girl. But last week didn't go so well. I ate about half an apple fritter. And you know what - it was fabulous! And then - within 15 minutes I had the worst headache. So, the carb and sugar monster woke up. The VERY next day I had half a cinnamon roll. And - big surprise - I had another headache.
My body told me very clearly that this kind of food is not for me. My mind already knew that, but common sense did not prevail on those two days.
I'm over it - I hope. I have 20-25 lbs to lose, and then I want to continue with a different, healthy lifestyle. There is no room for this kind of junk in my life. It just took a reminder - twice!

I have really enjoyed discovering my inner carnivore.
Before surgery, starches had a grip on me. I ate them all the time, and I had to eat every 2 or 3 hours or my blood sugar would bottom out and I would feel awful. Funny, eating made me feel better immediately, but also made me feel worse overall.
Bye bye starches. Nice knowing you.

I had the same trouble getting in my liquids. I found it easier to suck on the sugar-free Popsicles, like just little bits of liquids constantly going in. It's so important to walk around as much as you can to move the extra gas out. Also be sure you do not use a straw-you'll only be swallowing extra air, which means pain. Hang in there. It gets easier!!

One trick the bariatric coordinator at the hospital gave me really helped. She gave me a stack of those plastic medicine cups (one ounce) and told me to fill it up and drink from it. I made tick marks on a pad every time I drank one until I had at least 60. It really helped me learn how to gauge how much Water I was taking in (too much at a time can hurt!) I was really cautious, so I found in the first week that four sips equaled one ounce.
Have patience, keep sipping and you'll hit goal soon. Good luck!

Wow! As a confirmed conspiracy theorist, I absolutely HAVE to get this book now. I'm convinced that the premise of this book isn't just "theory" though. Think about it: Lay's slogan is "Betcha can't eat just one!" Hm. They're pretty much telling us that they know we can't stop eating them.
I'm curious though, lollyfidy1965. How does knowledge and understanding of the process make it easier to resist unhealthful food? The disgust and horror factor? Like, I don't eat hot dogs because I learned what was actually in them.
Or should I just read the book myself?

Oh I recently learned they put salt in soda... Not just for the taste but to make you drink more... Not only does the sugar raise blood glucose making you thirsty but now salt too!!!
Even on my worst days now I'll never drink soda, only drinks I've seen being made like frappes or smoothies- as long as i cant see any table salt going into my drink I know I'm way better off than before!!!

I'm so glad I found this thread! It's exactly what I needed to read tonight...I'm not the only crazy one! When I was I week post op, I was going through major carb withdrawal, any type of actual food I could put in my mouth. I sucked the salt off of peanuts and then threw the peanuts away! I never knew the full extent of my food addiction until I wanted to lick the seasoning off food. I remember that first week and wondering if I'd ever be able to eat real food again. Now I'm 6 weeks post-op and doing pretty good. I still have many questions, like will I ever be able to eat rice again? I was supposed to have a checkup this past Wednesday in Covington, LA, but Isaac had other plans! I kinda had to eat what I could with no power for 3 days! Anyway, thanks for making this site something we can all learn from but also enjoy. I find comfort in talking to people that truly know what it feels like to have food be an everyday challenge.

I have always had an eating problem since I was six. Before I even looked into getting surgery I worked on my binge eating problem.
When I was dieting I would be good all day counting calories, eating what I was supposed to, but there would be a voice in the back of my mind thinking, omg I want a burger and fries, and some Cereal, ect....
Finally I would give in and just go wild and eat everything in sight. Afterwards I would feel so guilty and then would get depressed about it and do it all over again. I even went through a stage where I would purge after binging.
Finally about a year and a half ago I decided, I am not going to feel guilty about it anymore, If I binge I binge, and my weight went up about 30 lbs, I ate everything in sight, but a funny thing happened I started losing the weight slowly. I didn't feel guilty about it and didn't have to hide it anymore, so I didn't binge nearly as much anymore. I also started finding things to do to keep me distracted around the times that I would eat the most, at night time.
Emotional and binge eating are so hard to change, but it is possible.
I know that after my surgery I am going through a bit of a relapse, but I am not going to give up, and not going to beat myself up over it too much, because I know for me that just leads to more bad decisions. Take it day by day and don't give up!

Welcome! You will love this forum, there are some amazing ppl on here!

I am glad you found us, Welcome. I too have a severe addiction to carbs. Still working on it actually. I am in my early 30s and had diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease and the overall feeling of just sluggishness. I have since gotten off my diabetes meds, halved my blood pressure pills, kidney disease is getting better and I have a lot of energy. It is so worth it!!!!!!!!

Congrats for the lbs lost, such an encouragement. This forum truly is a life saver, I was very scared and the more I read the more excited I get.

Welcome and congrats =) Sounds like you're doing awesome!

welcome!
Glad you found us....

Congrats shelly, my husband is 12 days post op and feeling great, he too has that pulling feeling in his left incision and it only feels better when he wears the band around his stomach that was given to him at hospital, because it puts preasure on it. hopefully once that pain goes away he will be 100%...... Keep up the good work

I am 8 days post-op, and I am thrilled to find this forum!!! I had my surgery in Louisiana and so far, I have lost 16 pounds! It has been very hard at times. I had so many people tell me it wasn't difficult at all, but I did find myself struggling at times. I realized my severe addiction to carbs!!! With that being said, I can honestly say it has been worth it. I am in my thirties and was on blood pressure medicine and facing diabetes. The only pain I'm having now is mild little "pulling" pains from my incision sights, but it's not bad at all. I would tell anyone thinking about this surgery to do it. A little bit of pain in the beginning for a new outlook on life is so worth it!!!

In addition to other items, my surgeon has very strict rules about soda consumption and smoking. I was addicted to both as a major coke addict (several a day) and smoker (1/4 - 1/2 pack a day). Never thought I'd be able to stop either but was doubly worried about the soda. I stopped coke, cold turkey, 2 months prior to surgery and the cigs 1 1/2 month. I did this because my surgeon will not knowingly operate on people that still drink soda and/or smoke. Those are his rules and I respect them.
People I have spoken to state that he has very strict pre and post op rules and they are correct but maybe this is how he keeps his complication rates low. I've no idea but I chose him to be my surgeon and feel like it is my duty to follow his rules. There are many WLS docs in my city and if I did not want to tow the line, I could have selected someone else.
Do I still crave two of my biggest vices? Hell yes, almost daily but I am trying to make positive health changes for the future. I went so far as to mutilate my stomach in an effort to lose weight so at least I can do all to make it a worthwhile endeavor.
Just my .02

Thank you all soooo much! I had no idea there were so many choices!!

Glad to see everyone has apologized and made nice, lol. I hate when I have to come into a thread and remind everyone about our rules regarding personal attacks. Fortunately, I didn't have to this time, or did I just do that? Oh goodness, and added a "roll's eyes" to it too.
I will behave myself now and just say this, I stay away from all soda, but it is because I love diet coke and regular coke and once I start, I can't stop. In fact, about two months ago I got back in the habit of drinking it again after not having done so for almost six years. Man, was I mad at myself, and not diet, the full loaded sugary calorie stuff. So, I had to go cold turkey on it again about three weeks ago and am feeling much better again.

This thread should be locked down.

I am 8 days post-op, and I am thrilled to find this forum!!! I had my surgery in Louisiana and so far, I have lost 16 pounds! It has been very hard at times. I had so many people tell me it wasn't difficult at all, but I did find myself struggling at times. I realized my severe addiction to carbs!!! With that being said, I can honestly say it has been worth it. I am in my thirties and was on blood pressure medicine and facing diabetes. The only pain I'm having now is mild little "pulling" pains from my incision sights, but it's not bad at all. I would tell anyone thinking about this surgery to do it. A little bit of pain in the beginning for a new outlook on life is so worth it!!!

I am 8 days post-op, and I am thrilled to find this forum!!! I had my surgery in Louisiana and so far, I have lost 16 pounds! It has been very hard at times. I had so many people tell me it wasn't difficult at all, but I did find myself struggling at times. I realized my severe addiction to carbs!!! With that being said, I can honestly say it has been worth it. I am in my thirties and was on blood pressure medicine and facing diabetes. The only pain I'm having now is mild little "pulling" pains from my incision sights, but it's not bad at all. I would tell anyone thinking about this surgery to do it. A little bit of pain in the beginning for a new outlook on life is so worth it!!!