SleeverSk

Yes i have done that it has helped a little

I'm sorry you're going through this. It sounds like your surgical team definitely failed you. The surgery does change your relationship with food forever. While your surgeon may have overstated things by saying the effects of the surgery only last 18 months, it is true that over time your sleeve will be less intrusive. The restriction eases somewhat and you get to the point where you can eat a small but regular-sized meal with no problem. I'm 2 and 1/2 years out from surgery and I don't have to take tiny bites or sips anymore.
As far as eating "normally", that's not something most bariatric patients aspire to because that's what got us obese in the first place. If you really did go back to eating exactly how you did before, you'd simply gain all the weight back. My program had so many educational requirements that it got irritating, but I can see from your story why they are necessary. I hope you find some peace, particularly as time passes and your sleeve matures. God bless!

Hi, I feel the same and am left wondering how i am going to live my life now. I have reacted so badly to this surgery that i can bearly eat. I would gladly take back the 20kg i have lost to have my stomach back in tact. I dont know how to move past these feelings its awful. I too had been thinking about it since 2016. I think those of us who think about it for a long time arent ready to actually do it. People who make the decision and do it quickly seem to adjust better. I am now 3 months out and everyone kept saying it will get better you wont feel like this for long but i still am 😢. I want to feel better, I want to be happy but i dont know how

Me too I think about food, drink and the time way more than i ever did before and i hate it.

Has anyone have a bariatric mindset book and workbooks
Sent from my U307AS using BariatricPal mobile app

Its a very hard read. People more knowledgeable than me can help you. I just want to send you a hug because your story has touched my heart

I should add that I was not eating over 1200 calories per day, but I did not realize that my metabolism had slowed so much that 1200 is now maintenance for me.

Good morning! This is my first post here, but I have been "lurking" for a while. 😊
I had my RNY 3/17/2021 (HW 367, SW 349) and did GREAT for the first 3 months (down to 292.6). Around month 4 I noticed I could eat much more and when boredom hit, I would munch on Snacks. I started eating "around" my surgery. Slider foods mostly. I hit my Protein goals and Water goals daily, but I have realized that I am a stress and emotional eater. In my program, we have a doctor, nutritionist, and a surgeon. I spoke with the nutritionist and the doctor about my habits and how I caused my own stalls. They were quite understanding and even offered to start a medication to control the appetite. (I work 2 jobs and I am a single mother, so I was using food to soothe myself when things were rough.) At my 6 month post-op appointment with my surgeon (279.8) I was hit with accusations of not wanting it bad enough and was told being stressed should make me lose weight, etc. Ugh! At the end of the appointment, he told me he believes in me and it frustrates him when patients aren't losing what he expects. So of course, I went home and did what I knew to do - I ate everything I could without getting sick. I woke up having lost 2 pounds. 🤦‍♀️
As angry as I was with my surgeon, he had changed something in me. He was wrong. I want it bad enough. I just don't know how to cope with stress well. I have always used food to self-medicate, to Celebrate, to cope with life. I took up smoking and when I quit, the weight piled on. Today I am 263 pounds. I am 6 1/2 months post op. I am tracking every atom of food I consume again. I am drinking a gallon to a gallon and a half of water every day. I am walking more than ever. When I see him in 5 1/2 months, I want to be at goal. His goal for me is 200 pounds. My personal goal is 167. I did not need the medication to jump-start my weight loss again. I needed to be angry. I say this to say that I was not being honest with myself and when someone was honest with me, I became defensive. I still have days when I eat like crap or days when I don't want to walk. Such is life. I am fighting this food addiction with all my might and I really have my mean old surgeon to thank for the kick in the pants. ❤️

Sorry for your experience.

But I do think it’s helpful that you highlighted some of the serious questions about preparedness to consider before surgery.

Hopefully all goes well for you.

I am 7 months post-op, and I still have major regrets about the surgery, every day, I wish I had not made this choice despite consistent weight loss. I am happy many people in the replies have moved past this phase. I hope to one day be at that point.
I suggest seeing a therapist as soon as you can.

Not trying to sound dramatic or anything but I've been on this forum since 2016 and I've been fantasizing about having this surgery for the past decade and I always knew in my mind that the day I do it will be one of the happiest days in my life especially from watching all those YT videos of people speaking about their positive life changes after the surgery and all... now I know that that there are truly positive and beneficial changes which will come from the surgery especially when it comes to health and life expectancy apart from the visual aspect of it and I know that in a few months once I start seeing the difference and losing weight I will feel differently too BUT right now, 5 days after the surgery, from the moment I came out of the operation room and opened my eyes up until this moment I cant stop feeling but regret that I did the surgery, I'm not sure why I feel this way but it's causing me somewhat of a depression and I'm feeling sad all the time that I did it, that I had to cut a part of my inner self and go through all this pain and misery to lose weight, regrets that I couldn't do it without surgery eventhough I tried dieting hard so many times and for so long. I just really regret having this operation and I feel so unhappy about having to do it now that I've done it eventhought I've been wanting to do it for so long.
Anyome else who's had it felt the same way, and what helped you move on?

I am experiencing this and it drives me nuts . I was trying to work out if it was hunger or thirst but its definitely hunger but even though i am hungry i cant eat alot if anything at all ( i think i have some sort of psychological block due to my regretting surgery but thats another topic ) I agree its not head hunger its real hunger but what do we do other than eat ?

While I appreciate everyone's input, I wish people would stop saying I am feeling head hunger. I do understand cravings, but this is hunger pangs - where my stomach is growling and it distracts me from what I am doing, so I don't think trying to distract myself more will help. I have to work, and all I can think about is eating, although I don't care what I eat, so to me, head hunger is when I crave something in particular as @Arabesque said - used to be sweets usually. I am not craving sweets, just any food to fill me up and stop the growling (I should say that it doesn't feel like the sounds my new stomach makes after I eat or drink).
The only thing that makes the hunger stops is going to sleep, which I obviously can't do while I am working. Drinking liquids helps a bit, and I understand what @The Greater Fool said about drinking more not helping, but I am drinking because my mouth is dry and I am thirsty, because I take meds that cause dry mouth, so I am still drinking less than before surgery because my swallows are still smaller.
I never did starvation diets prior to surgery. I did lose 100 lbs at one point about 7 years ago, but I did that by calorie counting, and I never went into ultra-low calorie diets. I feel more hungry than I did prior to surgery when I was on the pre-op diet (although my diet was real food, not just shakes).
I would love to discuss this with someone at my surgery center, but they are not responding to any of my messages, which I was afraid would be the case because they were so unresponsive prior to surgery.
Again, I appreciate everyone's input, but I wish I had heard someone's experience mirroring my own...

I still havent gone back to work 10 weeks po, but i have had mental heath issues to deal with and had/having really hard time eating and getting enough fluids in so i have been feeling miserable and fatigue quickly, everyone is different and heal at different rates.

I’ll start!

I’m channeling my inner Elle Woods today 😂

Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I hope you are right, but right now I am not feeling it. You are right i was let down by my surgical team badly and i now know this surgery wasnt right for me but its done now and i have to manage it best i can. ❤❤

I’m sorry you’re feeling this way @SleeverSk. Your surgeon, doctor & medical team really should have discussed your lifestyle & how the surgery might impact it with you so you would have been better informed - it is your body & your life. I’m sorry you weren’t better prepared by your team.
The first couple of months can be challenging - a restrictive diet, changed eating habits, fussy tummy, hormonal changes causing emotional upsets, etc. & your body just not letting you do what you want to & used to do. But a lot of the things you’ve mentioned like chewing & sipping do get better. You won’t need to chew, chew chew forever. (I never did at all.) Will you need to still eat slowly & take smaller bites? Yes. But how large a bite & how much time you will take to eat is individual. (I still eat slowly & take small bites but some of that is my choice.) Like some people can go back to gulping fluids & taking multiple sips at a time. Some not so much. (I’m a 2 mouthful person.) My tummy gurgles but not all the time. I find it happens more after I eat dairy or if I put pressure on my chest (like my iPad resting on my chest when I read in bed). It’s not uncommon for people to experience changes in their taste &/or smell after surgery But this is a short term affect. Cutting some foods out of your diet for a period of time may make you more sensitive to them like sweet things may become too sweet. Some develop food sensitivities or intolerances like to lactose. Oh & yes you will becoming more regular with your BMs as you start to eat more & a broader range of food types. Add some soluble (non swelling) fibre to your diet to help in the meantime.
Will you go back to eating exactly the same way you did before? No. But do you want to? I mean look where that got you before. Part of this process is examining your food choices & making better, more nutritious choices so you can enjoy a healthier life. Does that mean you’ll never eat pizza, burgers, ice cream or whatever you enjoyed? No. Many do eat foods that would be considerate less nutritious, high fat, high sugar, etc. It’s just not every day or every week & yes, Portion Control is important. Working out how you manage your eating (when & what) does take time. There are many people in this forum who work long hours, night shifts, etc. in a range of occupations & they have devised eating routines that complement their job demands & limitations & lifestyles & still meet all their nutrient needs. It just takes time. I frequently freeze single serve portions of meals I make & leftovers. Makes it easy to grab a meal out of the freezer & reheat at work or on those occasions you don’t feel like cooking.
The surgery isn’t a magical fix. Changing a lifetime of habits isn’t easy. And life often throws a truck load of crap at you at times. It’s why some regain part or most of their weight back. I doubt anyone on this forum would say it is a totally easy journey though some find aspects smoother than others but we’re different people. Most are positive because when they reflect on all their experiences they see how it’s made their life better & decide it was worth the hard work & any challenges or struggles. I certainly do. I hope you can find peace with your surgery & feel more confident about managing the changes soon.