Hi All

Did anyone who has had the sleeve struggle with sugar addiction before surgery? (Chocolate, ice cream, candy etc)

If so- how did you manage post surgery? Did your cravings come back? Were you successful with the sleeve?

I ask because I'm reading more things recently that the sleeve is good for folks who have trouble with portion control but not so much for those who have a sweet tooth.

Any experiences would help.

Also- I am aware that it's important to try and work on eating behaviors/emotional eating pre surgery and after- I'm just curious on the experience people have had. Does the sugar cravings/desire ever go away after time? Anyone successful kicking sweets for food post surgery?

Thanks!

Hello,

I had the sleeve in 2014 and lost 60 pounds. I have a HORRIBLE SUGAR ADDICTION and was diagnosed with diabetes at 26. To help with my diabetes I got the sleeve which I thought initially would work but ended up failing. In my opinion the sleeve is mainly for ppl who over eat but it doesn't help with cravings. I gained 30 pounds of the 60 I lost and went to get resleeved a couple of months ago. Try your best to fight the craving because u will notice that just about all desserts will fit in your little pouch.

Thank you for your share- I think what you're describing is exactly what I'm worried about. It sounds like the only way is to abstain completely. Your story will inspire and teach me. How did the resleeve go?

I have a huge carb addiction. I cut carbs (and sugar) out of my life completely. I have kept my carbs to 20 or less for over a year now. Purging my life from carbs and sugar was/is the only way I am going to be successful long-term.
Good luck!

Thanks for sharing- congrats- that's quite the achievement. I think you're right- abstinence is key.

I am a candy junkie. Every and all. I am almost a month post op. I have a little craving this week with all the Easter candy around. I felt the urge and didn't slip bc I know I can't be trusted. I know this is going to be a life long battle. My surgeon said it's like quitting smoking. The addiction is real and people like me use it for a coping mechanism. But I have to say I have noticed from my preop diet to now, my craving isn't as strong as it use to be. My fingers are crossed for all of us sugar junkies.

Good luck on your journey!

Thank you for your share- I think what you're describing is exactly what I'm worried about. It sounds like the only way is to abstain completely. Your story will inspire and teach me. How did the resleeve go?

It's going pretty good. I don't even crave as much sugar as I did before. Probably because I knew how much it had news me up in the past! Good luck as well!

Sugar addiction is real and it is just as addicting and harmful as heroin and cocaine. There is not a chance in hell that i would ever put cocaine or heroin in my body, therefore I have to look at sugar the same way if i am to succeed in beating the addiction. I truly believe when you change the way you look at food, you CAN beat the craving and the addiction.

I got away from all fast food 4 years ago. Now when i am around it from other people eating it, it does not bother me because it stinks, and its really gross when you think about it. I eat nothing proccessed because the ingredients gross me out. The problem with sugar is that it does not stink, its very sweet and tasty and that alone makes it much harder to get away from. It also hits those pleasure addiction neurons just like cocaine and heroin. Eat some and you want more. Its a vicious cycle.

no one fighting a cocaine or heroin addiction is told, " you can have a little now and then, its ok ,just dont overdue." Sounds totally ridiculous, because it is. You have to put sugar in that category.

That sweet b***h is all around and hard to ignore, but she is truly cocaine and heroins cousin. Remember the disguise she wears and do your best day by day to avoid her. Its very hard but together we can do it.

Tell yourself everyday, (because words are power) I DO NOT EAT SUGAR, over and over everyday. Pretty soon your body will listen to your words and it will get easier.

Yes, we fall off the wagon, yes, we will have times we give in. But just keep starting over and evertime you make another day, count your days, celebrate when you do just 3 days, then 10, then 15!!!

Lets come here and support each other, celebrate the victories and keep working to break this sugar addiction, because truthfully people,,,,its killing us.

When i talk about sugar, i mean white sugar and candy. Fruit has good sugar. Eat fruit!

Also think about this. Does anyone ever tell an alcoholic , go ahead 1 drink won't hurt you, ???

If you are an addict, you can't have just one.

Sorry for all my post. I am just so passionate about beating this. I thought of going to AA , but realized they serve donuts......

I think everyone's different, so no one knows how you'll feel. I'm an over eater of fats and food in General, I would like to eat sweets, but always managed to control sweets (somewhat) over food in General, ( none in the house) I can't say anything changed for me, I'd still love to eat sweets, maybe even more, cause I know they are easier to get down at 3.5 weeks post-op, but I stay clear and don't have them in the house. I've heard of people hating chocolate after surgery....no such luck for me. I recovered very fast and felt normal right away, I can drink water almost as fast as before, but I can't eat much of course. Remember sweets are like water, you can get lots into you, they dissolve so easily....but they put the pounds on!

Yes, I was a sugar addict. Have not had any desire for sweets after the sleeve, but have had cravings for salt which I never had before. I will caution that I am only 10 weeks out. In addition I was an abstainer before with lap band which never worked, now I can have some and walk away, though I admit I have not tried having much sugar. Just not interested.

Because sugar lights up the same areas of the mind-body complex as cocaine, anybody who has eaten it on any ongoing and regular basis for any extended period of time is addicted. The good news is, like with other drugs, the cravings for it dissipates greatly once you remove it from your life. That said, for me it is still a struggle and I sometimes backslide. I find this tends to happen especially when I have hormonal fluxes, or when I have been under nourished for too long. I have found this to be a little much less of an issue and I am getting adequately nourished by organic foods, including fruit and lots of veggies.

I had a terrible sugar addiction before surgery... 4 months post op and i still crave it. not as much as i used to but i definitely think about indulging. i had tried a few things with sugar.. a small piece of birthday cake, a scoop of ice-cream and a slither of lemon pound cake.. all which got me sick after eating. i didn't throw up but i was extremely nauseous. reason being, i will stay away from sugary foods & not have them anytime soon! for cravings i have sugar free pistachio or chocolate pudding.. and now i can have rice pudding. and sugar free fudge pops or sugar free popsicles, the ones with the cream inside. its not the same as a hot fudge sundae but it does the trick. also skinny cow and weight watchers are two brands that make ice cream treats that ill have occasionally. but even then i cant finish it.

Definitely a sugar addiction. I am learning to not restrict, I want a healthy relationship with food. I don't have sweets in the house now. If I really want to indulge I will, but I think about it carefully, weigh or measure, track. So far it's working out. (Nearly 5 months post surgery.)

I am almost 6 months post op (sleeve) and the sugar cravings have finally returned, and with a vengeance! I have to make sure that I have healthy alternatives on hand, like: Jif Peanut Butter To Go cups, yogurt, fruit, sugar free popsicles, and carb smart chocolate pudding pops. I fight the urge for sweets almost daily, but I manage. I didn't go through surgery just to go back to where I was.

SW 386
Day of Surgery 366
CW 285

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I think it depends on you.
The surgery is a tool not a fix.
That's why a psychological consult is advised to find out why you eat the way you do.
If you follow what you are suppose to do and eat then you won't have trouble. Also your mindset. I decided to not let food control me; I am controlling it[emoji3]!

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Yes to sugar addiction. I had no sugar post surgery for about 4 months. At 5 months post I have tried a couple of times and done well with a single bite. I intentionally have nothing sweet in the house. I was traveling in Europe and enjoyed a bit of a treat a couple of times. I believe I am still vulnerable to sugar and I treat it with care. I also believe other sweeteners are no better. If you want to get rid of cravings, skip all sweets.