Camella

Well said!
The initial period after surgery when hunger is lessened gives us time to think about the priority we placed upon food. If we can see how overloaded we were with consumption to the exclusion of more important things we are on our way to solutions and permanent healthy eating.
Here is an analogy that is difficult to relate. When I was a younger man, my hormones dominated my thought processes concerning procreation. Now that I am nearly 65 and testosterone has been subdued I look back over those times and marvel at how much energy was expended both entertaining and resisting those urges. Of course, if I really worked at it and got some shots, I could jump back into the fever. Not interested, the world has quite enough people, my wife has gone through enough, and life is full of other things to think about.

How far out of surgery are these people? Check back with them after 6 months or a year and let's see if they are singing the same tune.
I think my motto for this site should be "It's stomach surgery, not brain surgery!". The sleeve is absolutely not a cure for emotional eating or even hunger for the vast majority of people. I don't see how it could be, as stomach hormones are not solely responsible for the feeling of hunger. A lot of the hormonal process takes place in your brain too. In the beginning while you are healing and re-adjusting it's normal for cravings and hunger to be minimal. Your body withstood major trauma. But these habits and hormones return for a lot of people a few months after surgery or a little further down the line when they are in maintenance. For me the hunger isn't as voracious as it once was, but I definitely started falling back on old habits (not overeating but eating trigger foods and snacking). Trigger foods and snacking are things I will always struggle with. The sleeve helps me to keep portions small, but the rest is up to me.

I have been the opposite to you. For most of my life I have had terrible body image and it's taken me years of work to reach a point of accepting myself. Since the surgery I feel so different about myself and I can't really put my finger on it. I think it's because I'm now fit (for the first time in my adult life), I feel strong because I take care of my body, I feel confident because I feel in control of myself (most of the time). It's strange because none of these things have anything to do with my external appearance BUT I think because of these things I exude positivity, happiness and confidence and ALL these things are very sexy! My experience has been so positive and I'm sure it will be a positive experience for you too!

Lol and if that's the case I must be looking for a mail order bride, because that's what popped up for me!

I have been going through exactly the same thing. I have started to notice that some bad habits have begun to creep in. The great news is that you recognize that and you have acknowledged it. You have to go back to basics and follow it as best you can. My surgeon keeps reminding me that during the "honeymoon" phase you REALLY need to learn good eating habits as the further you are out the harder it gets. Remember this is for life and you have to start eating like someone who is really healthy if you want to stay healthy. I hope that doesn't sound to preachy because I REALLY REALLY know how tough it is. Hang in there and give it 100% You have made some great progress already!

I have been going through exactly the same thing. I have started to notice that some bad habits have begun to creep in. The great news is that you recognize that and you have acknowledged it. You have to go back to basics and follow it as best you can. My surgeon keeps reminding me that during the "honeymoon" phase you REALLY need to learn good eating habits as the further you are out the harder it gets. Remember this is for life and you have to start eating like someone who is really healthy if you want to stay healthy. I hope that doesn't sound to preachy because I REALLY REALLY know how tough it is. Hang in there and give it 100% You have made some great progress already!

I have been going through exactly the same thing. I have started to notice that some bad habits have begun to creep in. The great news is that you recognize that and you have acknowledged it. You have to go back to basics and follow it as best you can. My surgeon keeps reminding me that during the "honeymoon" phase you REALLY need to learn good eating habits as the further you are out the harder it gets. Remember this is for life and you have to start eating like someone who is really healthy if you want to stay healthy. I hope that doesn't sound to preachy because I REALLY REALLY know how tough it is. Hang in there and give it 100% You have made some great progress already!

Thanks Gamergirl! I have made some significant changes. Not 100% there yet, but, I have definitely refocused :-)

I have been going through exactly the same thing. I have started to notice that some bad habits have begun to creep in. The great news is that you recognize that and you have acknowledged it. You have to go back to basics and follow it as best you can. My surgeon keeps reminding me that during the "honeymoon" phase you REALLY need to learn good eating habits as the further you are out the harder it gets. Remember this is for life and you have to start eating like someone who is really healthy if you want to stay healthy. I hope that doesn't sound to preachy because I REALLY REALLY know how tough it is. Hang in there and give it 100% You have made some great progress already!

Thanks Gamergirl! I have made some significant changes. Not 100% there yet, but, I have definitely refocused :-)

Thanks Gamergirl! I have made some significant changes. Not 100% there yet, but, I have definitely refocused :-)

I'm glad you posted. I was going to try to find your previous post to check in on you but I'm having a leetle trouble navigating the new site Are you able to get back on plan? It's gotta be tough.

Thank you so much for your kind responses! I really appreciate the support. I also appreciate the fact that nobody who responded to this post judged me.
I have taken your advice on board and I have started to get back on track!

Thank you so much for your kind responses! I really appreciate the support. I also appreciate the fact that nobody who responded to this post judged me.
I have taken your advice on board and I have started to get back on track!

Get out of there! Go for a walk, a drive anything to take yourself out of the situation. You are only 6 days away from a healthy new lifestyle don't let others bring you down. This is your time to shine!

Ok I had my sleeve in May 13 not July, highest weight was 350. 285 at day of surgery. I'm 80 pounds down since surgery and had some slow points around 4 months. Don't give up, fight through it. Change up your workout routine, it helps!!

I went out to a restraunt the other day and ordered a cup of seafood chowder sans garlic toast. I got halfway through the cup. I mean this was chunky and thick chowder so of course i am full a lot sooner. The lady goes to take my friend's finished dishes and i ask her to take mine too, to which she said " is everything okay Maam? Is there somthing wrong with your meal???" To which i said "nope! I just have a small stomach". She then proceeded to stare at me before taking my food away. I realized shortly thereafter that to her i probably dont look like a person with a small stomach given my big stomach where i carry all my weight. To me..i forget that the rest of the world doesnt know i had 85 percent of my stomach removed.
I must say though...i have had some interesting responses and encounters.. People like to comment on the amount of food a person can eat. For example: i ordered a soft side up egg..1 egg to be exact. I had to order it as a side. The lady asked me if i wanted toast and hashbrowns..and i said " nope..just the egg" and she said "just an egg? 1 egg? Okay?????" She probably thought i was nuts.

Thank you, thank you, thank you--to all who have shared on this thread. I am fighting my old demons every step of the way; the surgery was not enough. I'm just shy of 4 months out, but I can eat anything, and eat a lot (at least compared to what I was expecting). I am so glad to read all of your stories and hear our shared experiences--it makes me feel so much less alone. And to hear that it's hard but you're still not giving up, that just means the world to me. Thank you all!!!
And by the way, my name is Leah, and I'm a food addict.

Oh and I forgot to mention that I have figured out that carbs are the devil (at least for me). If I eat carbs I will spend the rest of the day craving sugar and more carbs - I then find it really difficult to control my eating.

I am definitely addicted to food and I have no doubts about where I would be if I had not had this surgery. I would still be eating exactly the same way I use to. Everyday I battled with the urge to satisfy head hunger. Some days I am winning and some days I'm not perfect. I hope it gets easier. I know you are just at the beginning of this journey, and I think for me seeing the weight come off has been enormously motivating. I don't want to go back to the way I felt before. I know I still have a long way to go, but I'm trying to hang in there. I come to this site almost everyday as a way to stay on track and continue to learn from everyone on this board. It is a great resource for me and other peoples experiences help keep me on track.

Oh and I forgot to mention that I have figured out that carbs are the devil (at least for me). If I eat carbs I will spend the rest of the day craving sugar and more carbs - I then find it really difficult to control my eating.

I am definitely addicted to food and I have no doubts about where I would be if I had not had this surgery. I would still be eating exactly the same way I use to. Everyday I battled with the urge to satisfy head hunger. Some days I am winning and some days I'm not perfect. I hope it gets easier. I know you are just at the beginning of this journey, and I think for me seeing the weight come off has been enormously motivating. I don't want to go back to the way I felt before. I know I still have a long way to go, but I'm trying to hang in there. I come to this site almost everyday as a way to stay on track and continue to learn from everyone on this board. It is a great resource for me and other peoples experiences help keep me on track.

I'm sure you look amazing! What you are describing sounds like body dysmorphia. I have been this way since my early 20s when I was bulimic. I weighed 125 lbs and would refuse to leave the house because I thought I was too fat. It's amazing how our mind sees what it wants to see. I'm still fighting this every day but I REFUSE to stop myself from enjoying being the weight I'm at now. It's like I have a little good and dark angel on each shoulder and one is telling me I look great and the other is telling me that I look awful. I determined not to let negative nancy win this time!

I'm sure you look amazing! What you are describing sounds like body dysmorphia. I have been this way since my early 20s when I was bulimic. I weighed 125 lbs and would refuse to leave the house because I thought I was too fat. It's amazing how our mind sees what it wants to see. I'm still fighting this every day but I REFUSE to stop myself from enjoying being the weight I'm at now. It's like I have a little good and dark angel on each shoulder and one is telling me I look great and the other is telling me that I look awful. I determined not to let negative nancy win this time!

I unfortunately don't have any answers, but, since you are five months out I doubt it is sleeve related. Have your Vitamin levels and electrolytes checked just to rule out any nutritional deficiencies. Hopefully the lab work you are waiting on will reveal some clues as to why you are feeling so sick. Hope you feel better soon!