KatieNthings

I second the notion that you could very well be suffering after effects of anesthesia.
Some folks call fall into an intense emotional state a few days after general anesthesia, a sort of temporary depression. Even if they have never suffered from depression before. It can last a few days, a week or even a month.
I watched my Mom go through this and was so happy to get the information from a medical professional within the first several days.
Additionally, your body has gone through trauma. That alone could cause some hormone wonkiness/emotional imbalance for a little while.
Just keep reminding yourself it’s a temporary situation. It seems simple. I know it’s not. But, it will help.

I am almost three weeks post surgery and everything you are feeling is normal. My surgeon told me that in addition to the large life changes and the physical pain from surgery/healing, our bodies are also going through a hormonal "reset." This makes things even crazier as far as emotions.

Truth be told though his explanation has done little to help me with the day to day struggles of trying to adjust to this new life. I have started counseling in an attempt to get myself under control. I cry during family meals, I have stopped going out to do anything with friends/family because everyone inevitably wants to stop for a drink or a bite to eat (and I have not yet conquered the joy of sipping a glass of Water while others have pop/lemonade/wine), and I can't even imagine what Thanksgiving would be like so I have decided that I am sending my husband and kids to Celebrate with family and I will stay home alone this year. My mind is my own worse enemy and the fact I am stuck in an eleven day stall has just made matters worse. I feel like I have done all of this for nothing and now I'm afraid to go anywhere because now I'm "that" fat girl....I even had surgery and I still can't lose weight. I know counseling is my last chance before my primary doctor puts me on meds for depression/anxiety and between Vitamins and surgery related meds, I have enough pills to juggle already.
Fortunately this forum has been a huge help because I can always log on here and know I'm not alone and that this will eventually pass. I just have to take everything one day at a time.

Wanda I couldn’t have said that better.
Kate, chin up and think of all the positive things that will come out of this. I’m only a month post op and I could see a change. Not in actually weight loss, but inches. I could actually get on floor and play with my grandchildren and that was one of my goals. You can do this!! And like Wanda said, we are all here for you if you need us!!! Sending hugs!!

Overweight people are invisible. Society tends to ignore them. I noticed several months after surgery I became visible again to society. But I still remember how it felt to be invisible for decades.
So I adopted a very simple routine. Whenever I am in a store or restaurant and people wear name tags. I note their names. And as I am paying I call them by name. "Jane, how are you today. George, have a good day." Generally their reaction is quite remarkable. They look up. They stopped being invisible for a few seconds and fell appreciated.
On another side note: As you lose weight, the chemicals and hormones that were stored in your fat cells are being released into your body. These will pass through your kidneys and are expelled in your urine or through your sweat. But they can generate a flush of hormones during the weight loss phase. They should simmer down once you transition into maintenance. It is important to meet your daily Fluid requirements, because it take fluids to flush these hormones from your system.

Katie, so sorry you're struggling right now. One thing to know is that our bodies store estrogen in fat cells and as the fat is released, so is the estrogen. It creates the emotional rollercoaster. Come on to the site and vent. We're happy to support you because we know your pain.
If there are support groups in your area, try them out. I find them to be very beneficial. Good luck.

Thank you Wanda247 💜❤️ congrats on your journey!

Thank you Wanda247 💜❤️ congrats on your journey!

Hi KatieNthings, I’m so sorry that you are feeling sad, I’m pretty new as well, I had surgery just a little under 3 months and it’s kinda normal to feel emotional and sad early on, you just had major surgery and a lifestyle change so of course emotions will be all over the place which seems to be pretty normal right after surgery but it really does get so much better, once you start losing weight and noticing all of the positive changes physically and mentally you will start to feel that what you are going through now was so worth it.

Unfortunately we cannot change what society thinks, confidence and happiness is up to us. People will always disappoint us but once you start feeling good about yourself and build up confidence, your whole life will start to change for the better you will exude in happiness and confidence. Once you’re comfortable with you others will be also.

You can’t change other people you can only change yourself.

Hang in there honey it only gets better from here.

Chin up, you got this! And this whole community is here for you 😉

Hey everyone,

I’m 8 days post op and am physically feeling good but am overwhelmed with emotions and cry at the drop of a hat. Everything seems overwhelming and it’s like I’m having existential crisis. I have faith it’ll get better, but right now it seems My life is flashing before my eyes. Moments that got to me this point, the way feeling ugly/unacceptable has impacted me, the way society believes your worth goes by your size etc. it’s heartbreaking how people view big people, being seen as “less than” my whole life.

it was a blessing of a requirement having to go to counseling prior to the surgery to talk these things out, but actually being in the storm and going through it has been a lot. I know having to sit around healing and being in pain, barely eating etc messed with me a little, so I just wanted to rant and get these feelings out of my head and maybe talk with some of you have experienced these feelings.

Much love y’all :)

Hey everyone,

I’m 8 days post op and am physically feeling good but am overwhelmed with emotions and cry at the drop of a hat. Everything seems overwhelming and it’s like I’m having existential crisis. I have faith it’ll get better, but right now it seems My life is flashing before my eyes. Moments that got to me this point, the way feeling ugly/unacceptable has impacted me, the way society believes your worth goes by your size etc. it’s heartbreaking how people view big people, being seen as “less than” my whole life.

it was a blessing of a requirement having to go to counseling prior to the surgery to talk these things out, but actually being in the storm and going through it has been a lot. I know having to sit around healing and being in pain, barely eating etc messed with me a little, so I just wanted to rant and get these feelings out of my head and maybe talk with some of you have experienced these feelings.

Much love y’all :)

I did on the way home from the hospital and everyday since and I as well do not get the munchies and it helps with being nauseated.... I’m 6 weeks out

It doesn’t give me munchies. I’m looking to not use the narcotic pain meds that gives me headaches.

Girl just use search, this thread will turn to hell in
5
4
3
2
1

Don’t worry. I was smoking weed after one week. It massively helps with nausea and pain relief. It’s natural medicine. 🔥

-"You've lost some weight, how did you do it?"
-"I had 85% of my stomach removed."

I was just sleeved Monday! Lots pain still but I'm pushing through!

Sent from my SM-G928V using BariatricPal mobile app

Once I had everything submitted, I had an approval that work week. Congrats on getting to this point, you DID IT!

I'm so glad to hear that! This gas is KILLING me, I finally broke down and go dissolvable gas meds, hopefully it helps! I work at an inpatient psych unit, so I'm giving myself a little extra time before returning to work since it's physical, although I'm growing antsy sitting around here! Nice meeting you, can't wait to see your journey!

So you are maybe 6 weeks out. Are you impatient - yes. It is going to take your body a minimum of six months to fully heal from surgery. You are supposed to be using this time to learn new habits and lose as much weight as possible. You are not supposed to be able to eat what you used to eat. You need to wrap your head around that Protein tastes good. Carbs don't. For most of us, carbs are like heroin - once we start we cannot stop. So get your head in the game.
I'm 5'3". At my highest I was over 300 but wouldn't get on a scale Right now I'm 152 and can deadlift 200 pounds. I' a nationally ranked athlete in my age group in a sport I took up after I had my VSG 2 years ago. Long term success isn't just about getting the pounds off. Its about keeping them off and that's in your head just as much as in your belly. It took you 40 years to develop lousy habits eating crappy food. Follow the plan your team gave you and this will work. You're down 50 pounds in 6 weeks. You are doing well. It takes a while to figure out what works. My guess is what you have to eat now are things you didn't really care for pre-surgery - you need to make peace with the fact that fast food is history and life is more than carbs. Sorry for the tough love, but I've seen plenty of people who I was sleeved with lose and then regain in the last two years. The battle is more in your head than you think. Consider finding a therapist to work with.

It will get better. Remember food is fuel, not entertainment. I found I did better with Soups that had flavor and added unflavored Protein. I would add mild green chilis to my scrambled eggs ( I diced them up really tiny). I also added a drop of chipotle tabasco (it is mild but smoky in flavor).. Try different things. I realized my nausea was actually caused by textures and once I was able to chew foods, I did much better. Just remember to chew food into mush before you swallow.

It took me over a year to break up with food. Gradually the compulsive thoughts about eating went away and I could eat without feeling like I was missing out. I couldn't remember when food was just food, maybe when I was three or four? Then it became my friend, therapy and drug of choice. But like any addiction you can overcome it. I find when I keep the sugar out of my diet the thoughts of eating compulsively are alleviated. Best wishes.

I think therapy will be super helpful for you, and I'm going to talk from my experiences with MY therapist.
I understand what you're saying about missing the way you used to eat. From what I've worked through with my therapist, it's the ability to control what goes into my mouth. If I was having a bad day, if my abusive parents went off on me, I could gain control of my life again by eating an entire large pizza. If I was tired, if I felt like I wasn't going anywhere in life, I could eat an entire Pasta bread bowl and cheese sticks. I could eat one, two three cheeseburgers because I wanted to, I was in control of how much I ate and went. That feeling of being full, of tasting that food over and over again, was what calmed me down.
Unfortunately, like more instant forms of self-harm, it's an unhealthy coping skill. You haven't gained any control by eating two large Double Double meals with milkshakes. All you've done is postponed your time to deal with it.
having surgery and having to be "forced" into a new way of eating takes this control away. You can't do what you used to do, so you feel like you're out of control.
You are worth so much more than gorging yourself on food. You are worth working through your feelings. You deserve so much more than what your brain may be telling you, and I'm so proud of you. ❤️

Since this is "elective" surgery, a lot of family members freak out about it. But guess what else is "elective"? Knee replacements, hip replacements, all of the invasive procedures done to keep your joints working. I told my family I'm doing one "elective" surgery now with the goal of never having to do another surgery.
And yeah, your family is probably glomming on to the band because it's the only one that's reversible, but when I was in pre-op I saw a board of surgeries for the day and there were three band removals listed. I'm sure your family haven't looked into it deeply enough to realize that.
At the end of the day, it's your decision. Their opinion is important, but take it as an expression of how much they care for you. It's a huge mistake to allow someone else's fears to undermine your own diligent research. Explain to them why you're doing it, why the sleeve is best, and just stand your ground.

Do not cancel, that would be incredibly lame. I was scared before surgery and had thoughts about cancelling and I am so glad I didnt. I am down 100 pounds in 7 months and feeling much better. Life will be difficult after surgery as the surgery is not a cure all but just a tool to help you lose weight. Think about how many times you have tried to lose weight on your own, maybe you had success but did you have long term success? did you keep the weight off?
Being scared is understandable as it is major surgery, but it will be well worth it. It will not be easy but you can do it.