Hi! I joined this site because I'm having some mental issues with my sleeve. I'm 3 weeks out and I've lost 22 lbs. I've been doing pretty good with not overeating, though I did advance myself to the soft/mushy stage a little early My problem is, I'm almost grieving for the lost of food. I know this sounds terrible, and I feel pretty foolish, but I cant help it. I cant believe how much time I spent eating before. My program, Mercy Health Weight Solutions in Fairfield, OH is awesome, I get 6 months free in their healthplex, and I think that would help me because then I would feel more proactive about things, but I wont be released til June 9th to be able to do that and I'm sooo bored. All I can think about is how 5 weeks ago I would have been making this and that but I cant do that now. I know I need to focus on other things, but its there all the time in the back of my mind, no matter what I'm doing. I miss spaghetti like it was a lost friend or something and then I feel irritated with myself for not being happy with a 22lb loss in 3 weeks. I was SO not prepared for what life would be like after. I eat 3 triscut crackers with some cheese and Im full, but my head is telling me there is no way I can be satisfied by this Can anyone tell me if they had these same feelings and if they went away the further along they got??

Hey MK, Ofcourse some of us had those issues. I almost cried because I couldn't eat what I wanted & much as I wanted. It gets better as time goes on but this is the new life WE chose. Just remember the reason you did it to began with like health/medical issues for instance. Your mind has to catch up with your body. I am 1 month post op and I still fight with skinny girl/fat girl. Keep your head up! Also, there will be a time when you hit a stall, that is when you will go weeks without loosing a single pound, but may loose inches. After I started walking, I lost 6lbs in 3 days. You are alright I went through the same thing. I'm ok now. still mentally dealing with it but it's ok...really

I am 10 weeks post op, and what I've come to realize is that change is hard, even "good" change.

Someone on this board has said more than once that they operate on our stomachs, not our brains. This is an excellent perspective. We didn't get to the point of needing WLS without some kind of "stinking thinking" and the sleeve is merely one of the tools in our tool box.

Doubts are normal. And I think mine were strongest right about 2-3 weeks. Keep working on your brain; take this opportunity to grow and change in a positive way. Have you looked at the blog The World According to Eggface? She seems to enjoy food in a healthy way. This blog has given me some insight and a few new food ideas.

Best wishes!

One of the reasons I've refused to believe in good food/bad food on my whole journey is because of the thinking you're going through right now. It's okay to miss foods that you loved before; it's even normal to miss those foods. But don't get hung up on thinking you can never have it again. That's a surefire way to end up with bigger mental issues over food.

Once you're back on solids, and you're very close, most of that thought process will go away. Or, sleevie will make it go away. Some things I loved pre-op don't sit well now. I don't drink milk or eat cottage cheese. My sleeve also doesn't like very spicy foods. It is what it is. As I've progressed, most of my cravings have gone away. I don't eat bread, Pasta, or potatoes, except for a bite of mashed here and there. For me, those foods fill me up too quickly and make it hard for me to drink even after 30 minutes, so I avoid them.

Good luck! The cravings will lessen as you get farther out from surgery.

Thank you guys so much! Youre comments are very reassuring to me. I knew this was going to be a long road, but its kinda like childbirth, I KNEW, but I really had no idea til it happened

I am feeling the same way! Only I am just 5 days out... I'm feeling okay but already craving foods I used to eat. I just want to cry sometimes because it is so hard already! Reading this post makes me feel so much better like I'm not alone. It's such a struggle I just hope it all pays off!

I am 3 weeks out and I really did not understand just how much I would miss food, how it would change my life, and exactly how little I would eat. But looking at my face in the mirror getting smaller and my belly going down OMG.... it's worth it. But I do hopemy stomach gets a little bigger because I miss cooking.

22 pounds is great! I have not had the surgery yet, and no date in sight, but what I suggest is getting something that weighs 22 pounds. Like some weights to see how heavy that really was on you! Or, go to the grocery store, and put 22 pounds of butter in a basket...just look at that!

Proud of you, keep going!

Thank you guys so much! Youre comments are very reassuring to me. I knew this was going to be a long road, but its kinda like childbirth, I KNEW, but I really had no idea til it happened

I can so relate! I was on this site for months preparing, but you really just don't know until you experience it yourself. I am 7 days post-op and I am also having some food blues if I may call it that. I kind of feel like I am dealing with a new part of the grieving process because I do miss and will miss some of my favorite foods. My sons birthday was this weekend and we ordered pizza and ice cream cake for everyone. I have to admit with the lack of sleep and the physical issues I have had this past week this sent me into a bit of a pity party for one. At one point I went up into my room and laid on my bed and just cried. I started to doubt and wonder, OMG, what did I just do? I can barely sip water without discomfort and everyone is just enjoying pizza and ice cream downstairs. Well, I pulled myself together and went back down and sipped my water while the rest of the family had the feast. So last night I went online and went to the "World According to Eggface blog" and checked out some of her recipes (Which she has a pizza porn gallery of great ideas for bariatric meals) Then I went on amazon and ordered three books. One was one dealing with the emotions post surgery, and the other two were bariatric cookbooks. I just thought, I f I can look at what I can look forward to in a few months and realize it's just right now...but things will get more normal and we can learn to eat "good" tasting food that is just right for our little tummies. I don't know why it helped to do this, but ti did. Don't get me wrong, when I am struggling to stomach broth or water I find myself wishing I were endulging in some alfredo instead. I just have to remind myself about my children, I want to be around for them, i want to be able to keep up with them pain free. Now I will have to be more creative about it, but I want to find a way to make food a "positive" thing in my daily life through health and creativity maybe. Anyway, you are not alone and I think everyone is going through similar emotions. The key is not to get stuck and bogged down in them for too long. It's okay to feel them, work it out, and find a way to redirect that doubt and fear into something empowering I think. Easer said than done, but we are all here in this together now. Keep your chin up

this might be a dumb question... im pre-sleeve so trying to get what you guys are going through ... do you still feel like you want to eat these foods, pizza, icecream etc but cant due to the fact that you feel full?? or is it that your sleeve cant tolerate these foods at the moment??

Hello all, I'm almost a year out and have lost 125lbs and I can tell you I miss my food but with that said this is a mind over matter game that you mid wants to play with you. JUST DO NOT GO THERE. I did not start eating solid food for 4 months out because I had an stomach issue (not related to surgery) but once I did now I can eat what I want but in small amounts. I eat Hamburger but only half no FF a few chips (I might sneak one). but please give yourself time to heal and to fight the battle with your mind on the food. You did this surgery to change right.. so stop dreaming about the food and make your mind think about something else. When it starts going there drink water, I started an Icee (coke) kick.. Like a malt but a lot less in the sugar intake. Good luck on the journey , Tomorrow I'm have the Lasik surgery then that give me another year to get in shape before I decide on a nip and tuck.

I personally feel like I NEED to "go there" so that I can resolve some of my issues with food. I think if I ignore these thoughts and emotions and just think of something else it will all just get me down the road when I am eating food again. I'm coping with something in my life right now (surgery, small stomach, no food) and no longer able to "cope" with this situation with food. So I think whatever way works best for you is the right way to deal with this. And I do not think you should feel guilty or ashamed for thinking about food just a few weeks post op while adjusting to this new life. This is a process, healing inside and out. Give yourself permission to feel the feeling you are having and find ways to work through them in a healthy way, coming here for support is great. When we are both a year or two out from all of this, I'm sure it will be much easier not to think about it, but there is nothing wrong with you, or me. We are in the process of acceptance to this lifestyle change. Change is not easy for everyone so don't beat yourself up. Take it day by day. We can do this.

Even tough I am in the early stages of my journey, I feel like I can relate. I am totally out of control trying to eat up all the stuff I won't be able to eat for awhile. I am so attached to food, I know I will grieve it's loss. My appt with the surgeon is June 11. It's like I'm trying to think of all the food I might want later and eating it all right now.

I know my actions are not rational & are actually quite obsessive. How do you breakup with your best friend (food)?

Lets be honest you will never win the battle with your mind its way to hard.. So what you do is come up with different ways to trick it.. I was told if you do something 21 days it becomes a habit so that gives you days to works on differnt way to cange. for me I would drink water and Icee. Then I would eat Cheetos these are very easy to eat and I was able to keep these down easy. then I got really sick and could not keep any thing down for 4 months and almost died. I'm so STUBBORN and would not go to the DR and EVERYONE keep telling me that I look really sick but NOOOO I knew what was best.. Then I got to were I could not remember when I had tried to eat.. so one dat I passed out and was rushed to the hospital. OK again it was not the sleeve that was the problem it was the fact that I went from eating what i wanted to very little.. I took 2 day work of pills and it was fixed. I feel that I could have died but GOD keep me here for a reason. Remember that no matter what you can win it just takes practice. So if you want a different result then do something different. When you mind starts thinking about the food issue say to it oh ok that sounds good but I need to be healthy and I'm going to win this so this is what I'm going to do........ Good luck with it..

this might be a dumb question... im pre-sleeve so trying to get what you guys are going through ... do you still feel like you want to eat these foods, pizza, icecream etc but cant due to the fact that you feel full?? or is it that your sleeve cant tolerate these foods at the moment??

Personally, I dont think about it too much until its there. food is on my mind because I'm a stay at home mom, and I get bored, and I always ate when I was bored or depressed. Even though I'm coming up with crafts to do with my son and playing games with him, its right there in my mind saying, I should be eating some oatmeal chocolate chip Cookies now, lol. As for the craving part, as soon as I smell pizza or spaghetti, I want it. And I mean BADLY. I feel ridiculous. What I'm grieving though is not being able to dive in and eat 2 big slices and some breadsticks with a big glass of Pepsi. I have had a bite of my sons pizza when cutting it up and his spaghetti, and that went down fine. No problems, but I know I cant have a lot of it like I used to and thats whats bringing me down. Its all the mental part. One thing though, I dont "crave" chocolates and sweets like I used to. I want real food in a bigger amount. I'm not technically on regular food til June 9th, and believe me, theres a big old star on my calendar for that day, so I hope knowing I can have a little sandwich on toasted bread is keeping me going

Even tough I am in the early stages of my journey, I feel like I can relate. I am totally out of control trying to eat up all the stuff I won't be able to eat for awhile. I am so attached to food, I know I will grieve it's loss. My appt with the surgeon is June 11. It's like I'm trying to think of all the food I might want later and eating it all right now.

I know my actions are not rational & are actually quite obsessive. How do you breakup with your best friend (food)?

I did the same thing! I'm embarrassed to say, but my favorite treat was Cookies and Bryers Homemade vanilla Ice cream, and I would eat almost 2 half gallons in a week. I wanted to have steak and salad and Olive Garden before my surgery, but unfortunately I got sick 2 weeks before my surgery and that didn't work out As for breaking up with my best friend, we're kind of just in the not talking stage right now, lol, I havent been able to actually break up yet