Looking For Insight And Encouragement

[Crawford 0]

My insurance company stated that VSG is not covered .. even out of medical necessity.. so I said Screw'em.. I will pay for it myself. I have been in need of a major change for more than 20 years.. and I am just going to go fo it. My surgery date is December 16th. I have done a lot of research.. and studied the subject quite a lot. My only apprehension is the liquid diet prior to surgery.. i have always had a weakness for eating.. i eat all the time.. since I have quit all manner of recreational drug.. drinking and smoking cigarettes.. my 'grazing' has gotten completely out of hand. so I am really looking forward to making this big change. But I am very apprehensive about the liquid diet.. I JUST dont know if I can do it!!.. What if i crack up and just fall off the liquid diet ?? If I cant stop constantly eating.. i cant even imagine what it will be like... and would love to hear from anyone else that experienced total fear of the liquid diet and related failuer

words of encouragement.. tips on how 'not to fail' at it...

[Thomas CPA 496]

purpose of liquid diet is two-fold. First to reduce fatty tissue of liver to make surgery easier as the surgeon needs to move the liver to get to the stomach. Second, you will be on a liquid diet for two weeks post surgery before going to soft foods like poached eggs.

Don't think of the food just drink Water, low fat Soup, etc. You should also avoid the drinking as you shouldn't drink for some 2 months post surgery. Smoking yeah you should quit that to.

Before you have the surgery make sure you can handle the post surgery diet. You might want to consult a therapist or psychologist to make sure you are mentally prepared.

Otherwise many others were in same position, you can do it.

[Lissa 2,631]

You just have to put yourself in the mindset that you CAN do this. It might be tough, but, like Thomas said, don't think about food. Concentrate on what the benefits will be for you: health benefits, living longer, getting to see your kids grow up, better mobility. Whatever you need to think about in order to get through the liquid diet.

And, really, it's a LOT easier than quitting smoking and drinking. You just put your mind in the spot that says "I WILL do this", and then you do it.

Lastly, remember that it's not forever. On the other side, you'll be able to eat whatever foods you like, just smaller portions. I love BBQ chicken and ribs. I eat less of them now, but I still get to eat them if I want them. You will be able to have anything your little heart desires, but you need to take a break from it for a little bit in order to start the road to recovery.

As for failing on the liquid diet, you won't. Once you start it and the weight starts dropping, you'll have extra motivation to keep going. After surgery, it won't be a problem because you won't be hungry much. You'll be concentrating on Protein and Water.

Good luck!!

[Shae 44]

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

[Crawford 0]

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

Thanks thats what I needed to hear.. I would like to have the vitality to form a Positive addiction latre on.. like excercise or weight lifting.. something positive that I can share with my son or wife or both..

I will have to do some thinking on what type of support system I will get in place.. I realize I will need one...