CashmereAndBones

31 minutes ago, FluffyChix said:

You are going through one of the hardest times in my opinion. The head cravings are crazy!

Things that helped me:

1. Closed my eyes and plugged my ears/muted TV during commercials so I didn't have to see the food comms.

2. Stopped all cooking shows/food magazines/limited FB or IG time so I wasn't getting the food cues shoved at me.

3. Got busy! I was a walking animal! Any time I craved, I would make myself drink Water until full. FULL. Then I had to take a 5-15 minute walk depending on my ability at that time.

4. Started doing creative things - puzzles, coloring, paint by numbers, crochet/knit/needlework.

5. Play solitaire and word games on mobile

6. Got out of the house and got sunshine/deep breathed

7. Immersed myself here and got support both here and in RL support groups.

8. Immersed myself in learning about doing head work to change behaviors and relationships with food, doing research on WLS, nutrition, longevity, intermittent fasting. Watch a LOT of YouTube on these subjects.

9. Kept food as minimal and low reward/clean as possible. Spent as LITTLE time as possible interacting with food. (ie grilling chicken and fish for multiple meals/days then just adding veggies to the meal so literally it took 5-10 minutes to pull a meal together for us--clean, whole foods).

10.Broke up with thinking in terms of "treating" myself with food cuz I "deserve" it. Cuz honestly? Treating myself with food is actually self-harming behavior. It doesn't contribute to my long term weight loss plan/success or maintenance plan. It's an abusive activity.

**I promise you, if you do NOT feed the cravings, the cravings go away and get less and less over time. For most of us, sugar, sweet tastes, and high glycemic carbs are the foods that light up our lizard brains (pleasure centers).

Wow!! Thank you so much for all of the ideas 🙂 I do walk a lot as well. I think tomorrow I am going to walk around the mall and get some inspiration for clothes I'll eventually be able to fit into! I like the lizard brain I've actually learned about that this year from a TedTalk because of one of my communication classes! I cannot wait to have some grilled chicken or eggplant, fruit, a burger no bun with cheese!!!

3 hours ago, Jobber said:

mmmmmmm.....Goldfish crackers, they're the best!

smack that smile back!

9 hours ago, Biddy zz 🏳️🌈 said:

Hi @CashmereAndBones

I had really bad craving days! I got my RNY in another city, and recuperated in a hotel - watching FoodTV (which I don’t have at home!). Dreaming of fried food, of diners and baking, while eating Protein Soup from the bariatricpal store! And feeling ever so sorry for what I couldn’t eat.

But it passed. Now I have very limited ‘cravings’ - I am well below any goal I imagined and I find myself thinking ‘ooh, I would like some chilli-lime cashews’ which is new! But cake or jelly Beans at work are still hard to resist. And I am learning, this surgery is not a ‘get out of jail free card’. If I eat that crap, I will gain.

I can’t recommend strongly enough - use this time to forceably retrain your mind. Reprogramme yourself. Not ‘I can’t eat that 😪’ but ‘I don’t eat that 😋’...

Wow chili lime cashews sound awesome! I know trader joes has a thai chili almond which is soooo yummy!! I know I am trying to train myself into thinking like "I don't eat that" but right now it's more "I can't eat that" soon my body and mind will learn, thank you 🙂

13 hours ago, MrsGamgee said:

The cravings can get super intense. I've found myself craving things I haven't had in years and years. I go in for major distractions when they get bad. Go for a walk, read a book, do some writing. I've had to seriously talk myself into closing the fridge and walking away from the pantry. I've been doing my best to keep danger foods out of the house, but with a husband and two wee-lings, I'm not always successful, and I swear those damn goldfish crackers call my name.

LOL wee-lings thats so adorable!!! I know sometimes it's like how did these goldfish get in my mouth?! thank you for the input <3.

Hey Guys,

Sorry I've been writing so many posts lately. Today is wrapping up Day 5 of my VSG and I am having THE WORST cravings. I am stuck at home for two weeks so I've been dwelling on all the foods I used to eat to comfort myself. I am curious of how people got over this? Also just as an update, I've been coming to terms with my anxiety being back in full action so although it is here I'm more at peace with it and it is less intrusive, still annoying but dealing with it.

11 minutes ago, Deedee12 said:

CashmereandBones, I'll let the resident experts answer your questions as I am pre surgery, that being said, I want you to know that having An Anxiety Disorder magnifies anything that you would worry normally about by 100 fold! Know that your experience is being informed by your Anxiety and so it would seem like people didn't have post surgery experience like you are having as if you are an outlier and there's something significantly wrong. This is not true, just Anxiety Speaking. You won't regret this surgery, these post surgical difficulties ALWAYS passes and nothing Catastrophic would happen as it's in Anxiety's nature to Catastrophize things.

Just remember to do your mindfulness and deep breathing exercises, remind yourself why you did this surgery, all the good things in your future, talk to your psychiatrist/therapist about what they can do to help you adjust to these struggles. Talk with your surgical team so you don't have time stewing about the unknown or having anticipatory anxieties of the unknown.

Heightened anxiety about things real or imagined interrupts your healing process. Take it back to the basics. Your fluids, pain meds and do the best you can do and let your team do the rest.

You are not an outlier, you didn't make a mistake, death (especially untimely) is never better for things that are temporary. I bet you will feel differently a week from today hence don't take your temporary situation as permanent.

Take care and you have a host of support here cheering you and your journey on as we know definitely you will be an inspiration for someone else soon.

Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you so much. It really warms my heart to hear this. I am so depressed, anxious and numb.

Thank you everyone! ❤️ Hopefully this goes away and doesn't last. Maybe it's a little bit of everything; restrictive diet, anxiety, lack of Vitamins (even though I take them), etc.

14 hours ago, DrButterfly said:

I had the inability to focus right after surgery and I took the patch off from behind my ear and a day later, my vision came back. Honestly, I am 2 1/2 weeks out and I have moments of regret. I think it is just a huge step and it is scary enough besides the pain and lack of eating. It has been getting better. I believe others that say in the long run I will be happy with this decision. Hang in there!

I feel like between not eating, my anxiety and vision changes I just want to die, I am so upset but I can't even cry anymore I'm like numb.

I am 5 days post op and I've noticed things are blurrier than normal and when people or things move too fast it seems to almost have a weird motion blur effect like my eyes are struggling to keep up with the movements. I also find it hard to have my eyes focus on things it almost seems forced to have to focus now, like when I look at someone's face I feel that I have to dart my eyes back and fourth between their two eyes because mine are not comfortable just staring at one eye anymore. Has anyone had similar issues? Should I make an eye appointment?

I am 5 days post op and I've noticed things are blurrier than normal and when people or things move too fast it seems to almost have a weird motion blur effect. I also find it hard to have my eyes focus on things it almost seems forced to have to focus now, like when I look at someone's face I feel that I have to dart my eyes back and fourth between their two eyes because mine are not comfortable just staring at one eye anymore. Has anyone had similar issues?

23 hours ago, gabybab said:

I'm going to be honest and tell you I felt the exact same way. I regretted my surgery so bad the first week. After one month when I felt better and was put of pain and I could eat, I never looked back. The first month is just awful! I promise you will change your mind and come to be thrilled with your decision. Try and give it time. Best wishes to you!

Thank you for the input. I feel like my anxiety went from like 0-100 ever since I had the proceedure but it's probably because my brain is like not sure why I'm eating so little and my body isn't used to the deficit of foods and my life has completely changed. I feel a little better today but still feel blah. I'm hoping after a month I'll feel great again.

Hey Guys 😞

Today is day 3 as my surgery was Wednesday. Today I woke up with a slew of weird things that have been happening. My vision seems extra blurry without my glasses and time seemed to be moving fast as the tv seemed sped up through my eyes but it wasn't which this eventually went away. I have constant dumping and can barely eat. I am struggling to get Water oz's in. I have chills and my anxiety (which I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder) is very high, I feel like I ruined my life and I wish I never got this surgery. I feel like I'm all alone and no one has these issues! 😞

Hey guys,

Yesterday I got my surgery and was in the hospital all day yesterday and most of today. I just got home today. I've been burping but they seem to get getting stuck and not forming a full burp. I'm also so tired all the time, maybe it's because I didn't sleep the day before my surgery and the day of my surgery I was woken every 2 hours to walk. I drank 7 oz of Water and 1 oz of pedialite, had half an oz of cottage cheese, 1 1/2 oz lowfat yogurt and I'm sipping my Premier Protein throughout the day. I am so full but I know I need to try to get liquids in. Is this good for now? I plan on eating an egg later. I'm so scared life will never go back to normal.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!! 💙💙💙💙

Hey guys,

Just popping in the forum to say I am going to be sleeved 06/26/19! I am beyond excited and so ready for this magnificent lifestyle change/journey. I am on day 1 of my 2 week pre-op cleanse and it is hard but I am so determined. For anyone who is unsure if they are ready for the surgery I say make sure you know this is what you want. I was supposed to be sleeved in November but I realized I just wasn't ready for this commitment and post-poned my surgery. I also thought at one point that I just wasn't going to go through with it at all. After months of research and self reflection I am proud to say I am ready to be sleeved. This is such an exciting journey and good luck to all of my June sleevers! ❤️

13 hours ago, johnsons13 said:

I was wondering about the goal weight too, but assumed it was just numbers quickly filled out. I'm 5'2 my goal weight is 135 and that's kinda on the heavier side for my height. My Dr at the last visit said he would be happy to see me at 140. Either one is still smaller than I've been since a teenager and I've had kids as well. I'm just mostly focusing on becoming healthier and learning better habits

Nope I used to be 125 when I was my skinniest, I do want to model as I'm 6'0 tall. I don't expect VSG to make me that tiny but if eventually I choose to go that route it'll help!

12 hours ago, sillykitty said:

I agree with you, from this and previous posts, you're not ready.

You are focused on what you will give up, instead of what you will gain.

No one can make you want your health, weight loss, mobility, etc., more than you want a pastry. Hopefully you will get there one day.

It's not the food I'm worried about, it's everything else I'd have to sacrifice (caffeine, my Juul which contains 5% nicotine, eating and drinking at the same time, sparkling water; the small pleasures that make me happy other than food itself) and right now I think I'd rather try ONE more time but seriously put the effort in to losing weight while redoing the 6 month weigh-in's and seeking a psychologist that specializes in eating disorders.

I just want to thank everyone for their imput! It really helped me realize that this isn't something to take lightly and I don't think I prepared myself. I am going to speak to my doctors office and ask to restart the 6 month weigh-in's and take it from there. Thank you all I've read every single response and you're all such amazing people for giving me your time to write feedback 🙂

21 hours ago, Missouri-Lee's Summit said:

As for your family and friends being happy and proud of you, that's all well and good, but, ultimately, these feelings should be reserved for you alone. Your happiness and sense of pride should be front and center. The disappointment of others should never be a reason to proceed. There are certain decisions in our lives that belong only to us... and this is one of those decisions.

I recall your inner debate about what you have qualms about giving up (caffeine, nicotine, drinking, and eating). If you're still hanging onto all of these "pleasures", I don't see how you can possibly be ready. You seem to still be at square one.

I think I'm going to start the 6 months over 😕 I'm not ready...

4 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

Many people have nervous feelings about surgery and life after, however the length of your mixed emotions should be a clue to you. When you are really ready you will know.

Ugh you are so right, I don't think right now is the right time and if I restart the 6 months it'll be right around mid-end of May and I'll still have ~4 months before I move to LA.

hey guys,

so i'm feeling really bummed out right now. for the past 5 months i've been really excited to go through with the surgery. i'm now having second thoughts. i don't want to let everyone down that i've told i was getting it but i also don't want to be unhappy and depressed post-surgery. i feel like such a disappointment not only to myself but to my family and friends. they were all so happy and proud of me for doing it, but honestly i don't know if i'm ready right now. i'm only 24 and i do want to lose weight, i've already started eating healthy the past few weeks and lost 10 lbs on my own. i'm just not ready to give up all of these things like caffeine, nicotine, drinking and eating, sparkling Water, the 5% carb and fat rule (which basically everything has more than that in a serving), etc. i feel like maybe i should re start my 6 month weigh-in. on the other hand that's just how i'm feeling right now, everyone has their bad days and today is just one of mine. but i feel like if i don't go through with the surgery i'll always be overweight and that i'll regret not doing the surgery now. has anyone had such mixed emotions so close to surgery?

1 hour ago, macadamia said:

Therapy has been helping me get out of my head when it comes to food. I go twice a week. I still drive by the places I used to eat and say to myself that stopping this one time will not hurt. The problem is my old eating habits are sitting there waiting to take over again. It is a slippery slope for me. I get stronger each day, but it is definitely a challenge. I'm learning to identify the triggers to my overeating and to my eating out. I've learned that the head hunger is stronger than the stomach (actual) hunger and it is evil! It is tempting me to go off of my pre-op diet.

Stick with it! It will all work out, I promise.

Thank you for sharing your experience! I definitely think therapy will help me and I plan on going. I think I'll have the opposite problem where I won't want to eat at all because of my past experience with anorexia. So I'm a bit nervous about that but I'll have to push through and eat!

2 hours ago, Orchids&Dragons said:

Since you already realize how important therapy will be to your health and success, I think you're golden. The surgery will help get the weight off, the therapist will help you appreciate the new you. Perfect! Good luck!

Thank you <3

7 minutes ago, GreenTealael said:

Continue to fight and win your battles

Safe Journey!

Thank you love!

Hey guys,

I've been away for a while now but I'm back! Hope everyone is doing well. I've come to terms with everything I have to change in my life in order to succeed in this life changing process. I've been inspired by all of you on here and many Youtubers as well. My biggest concern is my past eating disorder. Before I had BED (Binge Eating Disorder) I went through a really rough time battling anorexia in which I had to go to a treatment center for all women in North Carolina. I'm so excited for VSG but at the same time I'm so so so nervous that I'm going to fall back into my habits I had when I was battling anorexia. The liquid fast, small almost nothing amounts of food for a good few months during each different stage, just hearing about this is making me excited for weight loss but in an almost sinister way. My brain is telling me that not eating is going to make me skinny, that the liquid fast is going to be the start of me only eating like max 500 calories a day but my goal is like 200. I already feel my body getting ready to go into starvation mode which I'm pretty sure happens post-op because of the small caloric intake which is why post-op patients lose so much weight in the beginning and you need Protein and supplements. I'm just scared that I'm not going to want to stop eating so little. VSG is an amazing tool and I'm so excited to be apart of the community and grateful that I am able to get this procedure done and I am all well aware of what to avoid and switch up so I can be prosperous but again I'm reiterating what I mentioned earlier I'm getting these mental feelings of "you can never be too skinny" "don't eat" "skip dinner, stay thinner" etc. I'm hoping to get some positive feedback and not hate ): it's been quite a struggle in my life between anorexia and BED. If anyone out there has advice or may know someone or themselves that has gone through this please shed some light for me! I know I need help and plan to seek counseling pre and post VSG. But I also wanted to express this on here because you all are also my support system. Thank you!

ps: I don't have email notifications turned on so if you reply I will be checking this thread back every 2-3 hours or so, but I will respond to each and every one of you! Again thank you (: