cmdiva

I would like to add a different perspective. I too was a smoker/addict for years. I quit all drugs except the cigs when I took a pregnancy test that came up positive. That was September 9, 1999 and I have not touched anything since. I quit smoking in Dec of 2003. Unbeknownst to me, I transferred my addiction to food. One's too many and a thousand is never enough never goes away when you are a recovering addict.
I saw an add for Weight Watchers and at 235 lbs, decided to join. I was instantly hungry, no starving! That is when it hit me that I had transferred my addiction. I yo-yo dieted for a few years then found out about the sleeve. It's not covered by my insurance but my husband is retired military so I qualified to have it done at an MTF (Military Treatment Facility). I saw the doctor for the first time at 258 lbs and was sleeved at 240 lbs.
I had to do two weeks of the liquid pre-op. It was really miserable and I even went so far as to go buy things that were zero calories or pretty close to it (pickles, celery, lettuce). I kept thinking that it would get better after surgery. If I can be pregnant for 9 months then I can drink for two weeks. As an addict, it did not get better after surgery until I realized that it was my addiction, not hunger that was plauging me. I was distraught because I couldn't eat to soothe myself and get my "fix".
I went through what I call a grieving process but it was more like withdrawls. I view it now as something that had to happen. I will forever be an addict of something, be it exercise, shopping, shoes, crocheting, etc. But, I will never be an addict of food. That took a lot of getting use to and I am still working on it today. It is a battle that does get easier as time goes by.
Therapy helps. So do meetings and support groups and this forum. You have quit drugs, alchohol, and cigs and transferred that addiction to food. It will be tough but you can do it! You will transfer that addiction as well so be prepared to find something healthy to get addicted to, like spending time with that precious little one in your picture, or anything that occupies your mind, hands, and body.
Having the sleeve is the best thing that I could have ever done for myself (and I'm less than 6 weeks out!) and I would go through all of it again!
Shae