I am really having a hard time adjusting to my new lifestyle. I know why I made the decision to have this surgery, but I'm struggling with not being able to eat what I want to anymore. I'm tired of my pureed foods, and I want some pizza, or chicken wings, or orange chicken. I seem to have lost all the resolve I had before surgery for a healthy lifestyle. I want to be able to go out to eat and enjoy eating with my family. It makes me a little sad that those are all things that I can no longer have, probably ever. I knew I was giving all those things ups when I decided to have the surgery, but for some reason now I'm very depressed about it. This is making very unhappy in general. I no longer enjoy going to work, I'm having trouble motivating myself to workout, and I'm sure I'm unpleasant to be around. I'm already on an anti-depressant, so meds won't help, because they aren't helping. Has anyone else dealt with this?

I went through all these emotions for the first 4 wks. longest month and then it just stopped! hang in there!! it soo gets better everyday!

@ woo woo Thank you. I was spiraling a bit tonight. It was the first day the scale didn't go down (i need to stop the daily check) and I'm just hungry to the point my stomach growls. Drinking Water so I've heard acid can cause/mimic hunger. Thinking of going back on Prilosec. I'm grateful i haven't had complications and pain and nausea but frustrated that I feel like I'm ready for a piece of chicken.

I'd recommend going back on the Prilosec. My surgeon prescribed it for the first 2 months post-op to ALL of his patients. As other posters have mentioned, then pureed stage can be deceiving when it comes to how much you feel you can "eat". I the pureed stage, you are really still "drinking" for the most part and liquid can pass through very easily. One of the reasons we're told not to eat and drink at the same time post-op is because it gives food an apple-sauce consistency that can pass through very fast. Well guess what. In the pureed stage, everything has that consistency! You will definitely feel the restriction when you move onto soft foods and solids. I promise.

And the grumbling tummy and hunger could definitely be acid, so go back on that Prilosec for a little while until you are safely eating solids and then see how you feel.

I'm really starting to struggle in another way. This has been way too easy. I almost feel like my Sleeve isn't working and i could eat anything. My stomach makes alot of noise but no pain, no nausea. I'm on pureed and made a smoothie. Kept sipping and just never felt that STOP feeling. It's taking willpower to not only have 2oz. This isn't what i expected. I almost want to eat something awful just to see if my Sleeve stops me. Any advice?

I read that you wont get that full feeling until you are on soft and solids.

I'm really starting to struggle in another way. This has been way too easy. I almost feel like my Sleeve isn't working and i could eat anything. My stomach makes alot of noise but no pain, no nausea. I'm on pureed and made a smoothie. Kept sipping and just never felt that STOP feeling. It's taking willpower to not only have 2oz. This isn't what i expected. I almost want to eat something awful just to see if my Sleeve stops me. Any advice?

I read that you wont get that full feeling until you are on soft and solids.

Some people don't get that restriction until they are on solid food.If you feel like that it may be best to limit your servings to ¼ - ½ cup per serving. Just remember you aren't broken, you belly just needs denser foods to recognize that it's full.

Great thread. I am another one of those who has not mourned food. I think it is because I don't think of it as "dead." When I was researching surgeries, one reason I picked the sleeve was because I did not want to say goodbye to pizza forever. Going on very strict plans was a disaster for me each and every time I went on a program. Do great, plateau, gain it all back plus more.

So this time, I decided that I was NOT going on a program. Fortunately my eating habits were already pretty good and portion control was my big issue. At almost 5 months out I can eat ANYTHING. I have found that I enjoy that 1/2 slice of pizza just as much as I did when I was eating 3 or 4 slices. In fact, I enjoy it more because i am eating it slowly and savoring it.

The puree phase goes by quickly and as you start eating solids you will find things that you enjoy. You will also be able to choose something that used to put the pounds on because now you will be satisfied with a small amount. Good Luck!

I personally took on the mentality that I spent my entire life eating what I wanted, when I wanted, and how ever much I wanted. What's a few weeks of eating a restricted diet? I can tell you, now that I'm almost 2 years post-op, that I can eat whatever I want. The extreme restriction of post-op doesn't last. Don't get me wrong , I still have restriction, but I can eat WHATEVER I want--if I CHOOSE.

This is a mental game. Psych yourself out. Remind yourself that this food restriction is temporary. You can still go out and eat with you family. Order a Soup or mashed potatoes (that's what I would do when I was at your stage). Before you know it you will be at a full diet. Once there you have to make the choice to eat healthier and cleaner foods. You WILL make mistakes. You WILL falter. And when you do, just get back up and try again. Everyday is a new day. I didn't become a healthy eater overnight. It took trial and error, and trial and error. I do enjoy a "bad" food on occasion, but do you know what? Eventually, once your body adapts to cleaner eating, you hardly ever crave them and don't feel too good when you have them!

You've got this. You can do this. ????

Edited April 10, 201511 yr by NewSetOfCurves

I agree. It's part mental game. I also really wanted to embrace eating better as a lifestyle change. I no longer think of "bad" food or "cheat days". I didn't want to have negative connotations with my eating. I wanted to develop the skills to have the occasional cookie, or piece of chocolate without being victim to cravings or binging. I like having the ability to walk away from food now.

IT WILL GET SO MUCH BETTER - YOU'RE GOING TO BE FINE. I DIDN'T MOURN FOOD BUT I DID HAVE THE DEPRESSION ETC ETC ETC. IT DOES GET BETTER. YOUR BODY AND MIND ARE GOING THRU A WHOLE LOT RIGHT NOW.

At three months out, one thing I 've happily discovered is that I'm much more open now to trying excellently prepared foods I wouldn't have considered before when I wanted to eat pizza or whatever. It's actually been freeing; I feel like there's a whole new world out there. The other day I ordered broiled scallops with garlic spinach, mushrooms and fresh creamed corn. It was expensive and the creamed corn was a little high in carbs but I've gotten four delicious meals out of it and I NEVER would have ordered that before.

The pureed stage was tough, but there's a lot of delicious healthy stuff waiting around the corner that may have you rethinking old habits. Best of luck!

Just take it one day at a time! I was four weeks post-op from my sleeve yesterday and how I feel now is night and day different how I felt two weeks ago! When I was just about two weeks out from my surgery I found myself experiencing anxiety attacks, wondering what exactly I had gotten myself into!! I took my kids out to our newly opened Mellow Mushroom pizza place and I wanted to cry because I couldn't partake in the food that was my weakness!! However fast forward two weeks to where I am now, 30lbs lighter, wearing clothes I have not worn in close to TWO years, so much more full of energy, people asking me what I am doing, as I look good and it feels WONDERFUL!! Better than any alice of pizza ever could!! Plus now that I am onto soft foods, I have found some wonderful bariatric friendly recipes on a BE website via Facebook that even my kids enjoy! Things will get better and you will be feeling better! If you do not find yourself feeling better though maybe consider finding a therapist who specializes in talking with people who have had bariatric surgery! It is a life changing process and not any easy one at that, but better health and a longer life is worth it!

I am really having a hard time adjusting to my new lifestyle. I know why I made the decision to have this surgery, but I'm struggling with not being able to eat what I want to anymore. I'm tired of my pureed foods, and I want some pizza, or chicken wings, or orange chicken. I seem to have lost all the resolve I had before surgery for a healthy lifestyle. I want to be able to go out to eat and enjoy eating with my family. It makes me a little sad that those are all things that I can no longer have, probably ever. I knew I was giving all those things ups when I decided to have the surgery, but for some reason now I'm very depressed about it. This is making very unhappy in general. I no longer enjoy going to work, I'm having trouble motivating myself to workout, and I'm sure I'm unpleasant to be around. I'm already on an anti-depressant, so meds won't help, because they aren't helping. Has anyone else dealt with this?

Hi there! Let's refocus that thought. Think before surgery when you were heavier, couldn't walk, couldn't catch your breath, depressed, illnesses?, whatever it was that forced you to get this tool to help you with your new life. A chicken wing will only last a minute this new life you will carry with you. The new freedom you will gain from focusing on the positive aspect. Your addictive brain is giving all these thoughts because it wants it's quick fix, it's drug...the thing we all need to fight as food addicts. You will be able to have chicken wings in a new way when your body is ready. Baked not fried a yogurt hot sauce you can do this!! Hugs

I'm really struggling as well and it's only been 12 days. Then to top it off, 2 days ago during my dr appt I had to get 3 bags of IV because I just felt so weak. I really feel like I regret this sleeve surgery. I don't know if I will ever enjoy my family gatherings anytime soon. Maybe I sound a little impatient but it's so hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel on this, unless it's been over a year after reading your replies. It's done now and I'm going try to be strong and keep up on my protein until I can get close back to my normal life. I just doubt if I will ever recommend this to anyone in the future. Too many people said it's great but I just had way too many compliations in order to release home.

Im on week three and feel the same. It is normal. Just trying to get through pureed stage and then you can eat those things just a tiny bit and not everyday.

@@BXB26 It's so hard to believe when you are only a couple weeks out, but I really do promise you that you will feel normal again. It took me probably a solid 2-3 months to get to where I felt normal most of the time and now that I'm over seven months out, I feel normal ALL of the time. You will adjust and adapt. I go to family gatherings and meals out all of the time now. Just last week I was on vacation with my husband, parents, aunt, sister, brother-in-law, and four nieces and nephews and we prepared meals together and ate out and were out and about the whole week. The great thing is that once you are back on solids, there's always a protein option no matter where you go. When they all did make-your-own tacos for dinner, I made myself a little plate of meat, cheese, refried beans, and a little taco sauce. It was delicious! When we went out, I got some chili or pulled pork (without the bun). One day we did breakfast for dinner and I had scrambled egg and a little sausage. It really is so much easier once you are back on solid foods. Just hang in there!

Eyhornmom,

Just from the responses on this thread, you can see you’re not alone, and hopefully that will give you hope that you can get over the worst of your struggles soon.

One thing I would like to ask you is about what you said: “I want to be able to go out to eat and enjoy eating with my family. It makes me a little sad that those are all things that I can no longer have, probably ever.”

This may not be the case. What do you enjoy about eating with your family? If it is (or was) the feeling of going out and overeating, you’re right – you may never be able to do that again, at least not without feeling sick.

But if what you enjoy is the company of your family, you’ll be able to do that soon enough. Maybe it just takes a change of attitude: what do you live for? And it’s tough, because maybe you used to live (or think you lived) for food, and now that you don’t, you need to figure out what you live for. And you can.

Maybe instead of eating a chicken pot pie and an order of fries to enjoy the eating occasion, you’ll change so you can get the same pleasure from a chicken breast and some broccoli.

In the meantime, it’s perfectly normal to feel depressed and to question your decision. After all, one of your biggest crutches (food) is gone, and to make it worse, you’re eating only pureed foods. Anyone would get depressed on that!

Hang in there, and good luck.