Hey there,

So, I'm considering the sleeve but have many concerns. One of them being that I have a MAJOR sweet tooth. When I had the lapband, sweets were the one thing that were easy to get by the band (most healthy foods hurt too much or would get stuck)...so it was easy to trick the band. So, what I am wondering is if any of you loved sweets prior to surgery. How has that affected your weightloss? How did you handle it? Does your desire for sweets change after being sleeved?

Thanks!

I LOVE SWEETS! Still do even after the sleeve. I did the exact same thing you did with the band - ate around it with Cookies, ice cream, etc. The first time I ate a cookie after the sleeve, I was on the toilet for a good half hour afterwards. NOT worth it! (sorry to be graphic). So in order to get around my cravings, because they are still there, I do certain things to help. If it's that TOM, I get sugar free chocolate pudding and fat free whipped cream. They also have Sugar Free Chocolate pudding pops that are only 90 calories each. Both help me get through the craving.

One thing I learned from my nutritionist is that if you are a sugar addict, which I am, once you start in the morning you can't stop. I also learned on My 600 lb life that a sugar addiction is harder to kick than a cocaine addiction. Not surprised! Anyway, if you use Sweet N Low, Equal, or any other kind of aspartame sweetener, your brain CANNOT distinguish between that and regular sugar. So, even if you eat low fat yogurt with berries and it has aspartame in it, it's just as bad as eating sugar straight out of the bowl. It will give your brain the same sugar reaction as regular sugar.

I can tell you that if you do not have sugar first thing (no oatmeal, because it spikes your blood sugar and is too creamy - no sweet n low in your coffee, only splenda or truvia, etc.), you will NOT crave sweets during the day. If you don't start, you won't crave. I promise. Try it for one day. Plan your menu the day before - so like eggs for Breakfast, black coffee, a chef's salad with no dressing (or add salsa, that's yummy!), fish for dinner. Water or plain iced tea to drink. Guaranteed you won't even think about sweets.

I loved sweets before, but since surgery sweet doesn't taste good. Honestly, nothing does. I am thirsty and constantly sipping decaf tea or water but have yet to feel water. Food looks good, even taste good (well, some of the purées.... I'm only 3 weeks out). My birthday was Tuesday, we went out for frozen yogurt. 2 bites and I tossed mine, was too rich and too sweet, make me sick. I'm down 32 total pounds, 11 in the pre liquid diet and 21 since surgery. 104 lbs to go!

I was obsessed with sweets before surgery. chocolate, cake, candy, Cookies were my downfall. I can honestly say since surgery almost 6 months ago, I have not had one bite of one of those things. They just don't sound good anymore. I think the longer you go without them the less you want them.

I'm not saying that everyone is like me and completely stays away. I'm sure you could eat them in moderation and be ok. BUT for me - I know myself - and I know the slippery slope of "just one bite" for me, so I've played it safe and avoided them altogether.

I feel the same way as Caressa..My surgery was last April, and I'm pretty much at my goal weight. I used to be a sugar addict before surgery and have to say that honestly I have not had one bite of sweets since surgery. I don't crave it at all, probably because I couldn't have much to eat for awhile after surgery that I just stopped craving it...I don't even have any desire for it anymore. I mostly just concentrate now on what I NEED to eat...Good luck.

I was ADDICTED to sweets but no more. If I have a little taste for somthing...I have a sugar free pudding or sugar free hot chocolate. As said before, you lose the taste for it and my tummy will not tolerate them any more which is a good thing. I can't speak for everyone but staying in the bathroom was my experience when I did try some at Valentines...lol Sugar IS definately a drug and Lord have mercy I was out there bad on it. I would stop by the bakery for cake on my way home from work! Very sad but true! The sleeve has stopped my obsession with food and I am forever grateful for not being bound by my addiction. Best to you!

Thanks for all of the input. It's SO hard for me to imagine a life where I dont crave that stuff or a life where I am not depressed or sad because I couldnt have them. Was this a fear of yours as well?

Yes, I too worried how I will feel about not having my sweets, but honestly, I have no desire for them anymore..If I do for some reason, say stress or something, I will eat fruit or something instead to cure me...I promise you it won't be as bad as you are imagining it will be.

I have always loved sweets, chocolate is my thing & after the sleeve it still is, it's never made me sick so I have to make sure I do my part & try to stay away from it but it didn't get any easier after the sleeve.

I definitely loved sweets before surgery...ice cream, Reese's, chocolate cake, cheesecake, cookies, etc....in mass quantities! Post op I have no desire for sweets. In fact, everything tastes too sweet to me. I have to dilute my protein shakes, G2 and juice because they are way too sweet. my first taste of tomato soup was even too sweet... Had to add some hot sauce to make it bearable. I had one bite of a cookie on Valentines day and had to spit it out. I'm only 2 1/2 months out, so things may change, but for now I have NO cravings for sweets.

I LOVE SWEETS! Still do even after the sleeve. I did the exact same thing you did with the band - ate around it with cookies, ice cream, etc. The first time I ate a cookie after the sleeve, I was on the toilet for a good half hour afterwards. NOT worth it! (sorry to be graphic). So in order to get around my cravings, because they are still there, I do certain things to help. If it's that TOM, I get sugar free chocolate pudding and fat free whipped cream. They also have sugar free chocolate pudding pops that are only 90 calories each. Both help me get through the craving. One thing I learned from my nutritionist is that if you are a sugar addict, which I am, once you start in the morning you can't stop. I also learned on My 600 lb life that a sugar addiction is harder to kick than a cocaine addiction. Not surprised! Anyway, if you use Sweet N Low, Equal, or any other kind of aspartame sweetener, your brain CANNOT distinguish between that and regular sugar. So, even if you eat low fat yogurt with berries and it has aspartame in it, it's just as bad as eating sugar straight out of the bowl. It will give your brain the same sugar reaction as regular sugar. I can tell you that if you do not have sugar first thing (no oatmeal, because it spikes your blood sugar and is too creamy - no sweet n low in your coffee, only splenda or truvia, etc.), you will NOT crave sweets during the day. If you don't start, you won't crave. I promise. Try it for one day. Plan your menu the day before - so like eggs for breakfast, black coffee, a chef's salad with no dressing (or add salsa, that's yummy!), fish for dinner. Water or plain iced tea to drink. Guaranteed you won't even think about sweets.

I could have written this myself! Start in morning you will never stop! I am a sugar addict too. I actually mix fruited Greek yogurt with plain Greek yogurt to make it less sweet and then it does not trigger the cravings. All the protein in it helps keep the sugar at bay too. I never used sugar or sweetener in my coffee thank goodness. I love sweets and can still eat them but they are much more limited. If I have more than 2 spoons of ice cream I feel really sick. I can still eat cookies but I choose peanut butter ones so they have protein and don't make me sick. And only 2! So yes can still have them but I am so pleased that Sleevie helps prevent me from indulging too much. And if I don't start in the morning I don't crave all day because the cravings can still come but they can be managed if I am careful.