Overwhelmed and scared... but hopeful?

[fourmonthspreop 498]

Hey,

Just reaching out to the community for some support. I've recently been approved for gastric bypass after going through 4 months of supervised diet and mental health counseling. I can basically get my surgery as soon as possible after completing my EKG and endoscopy (Dr's words).

When they went over the gastric bypass procedure with me and all the complications, deficiencies and how strict the diet is (no fresh vegetables for a while which is what I've heavily been relying on to lose weight and enjoy it too) I was almost knocked down to my old feelings of hopelessness. The truth is, hearing all of that terrified me. It scares me and makes me think that there are so many opportunities to mess up.

I just want some advice on how to quell this fear and really fear of failure. It honestly didn't feel real to me until the Dr said I was good to go. I felt so ready and confident until this moment and I can't understand why. I feel like I should be celebrating and happy but I'm not. I'm frustrated and scared.

Any help or advice on this? I'm also working on it with my psychologist but want to hear about your experiences too.

Much love!

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[catwoman7 10,981]

it's really just the first few months when you have to deal with all those food restrictions. I have no food limitations anymore, and haven't since the first year (or maybe even the first six months or so). Of course, you'll need to eat healthy most of the time (for life, that is..), and you may develop some intolerances (some people become lactose intolerant after surgery. Some people "dump" and therefore can't handle much sugar. I, for one, can't eat really fatty meals any more), but your clinic will lift all restrictions once you're a few months out.

complications aren't common and most are minor (and "fixable"). A lot of us never had any complications. They have to tell you all the possible complications, but that doesn't mean they happen very often. You can have complications (or even die) from a tonsillectomy - or even a wisdom tooth extraction - but how often does that happen? These surgeries have come a long way from where they were 20 or 30 years ago.

Deficiencies aren't common as long as you keep on top of your supplements.

Follow your program to a "T", and you won't fail. It's when people start pushing the envelope that they screw up. So follow your plan - and keep in mind it's mostly the first few months that are really restrictive.

I eat about the same now as I did before surgery (although I was always a healthy eater - I just ate way too much). I"m higher on Protein and lower on simple carbs/starches than I was before - and of course my intake in general is about half of what it used to be, but I certainly don't feel deprived.

I think your concerns are pretty common, though. It can seem overwhelming at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's really not. I'm so happy I had this surgery and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

[vikingbeast 985]

It's so strange to be told not to eat vegetables, isn't it? After so many decades of "get your five a day!"

But it's not forever. You only have a little room for food, especially at first, and so it's not "no vegetables", it's "vegetables only after protein", and at first there's not room for vegetables. It will get better, and fast. And you'll learn how to re-eat.

The best part (though I had sleeve, not bypass) is that things I thought I would be tempted by aren't tempting at all. Last night I went to a birthday party and there was a whole tray of Cookies and candies. None of it looked good and the size of the brownies actually made me a little queasy. In the Before Times, I'd have knocked down two or even three brownies. Now? Meh.

Edited October 18, 2021 by vikingbeast

[Smanky 743]

I'm a bypasser in the early months post-op, and honestly, it's fine. Your stomach is so small, and it takes time to progress from the liquid, to puree, to soft food stages. I'm still in puree, and when it's a thicker-puree, I struggle to eat much at all. I'm a vegan, so veggies are LIFE, but honestly the thought of chewing perfectly cooked broccoli or blanched kale (a fave) right now is enough to make me flinch. Texture is everything and while I too munched happily on my vege pre-op, my healing stomach is making the wait to eat them again perfectly fine! I can wait. In the meantime, vegetables can be cooked into my high Protein meals before being pureed, so I'm still getting the nutrients and flavour.

Stick to your plan, and you'll do fine!

[fourmonthspreop 498]

Thanks for sharing your experience. It's really putting my mind at ease. I want so badly to be at a normal weight. I'm scared but it really helps to have this community. I feel less alone.

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[fourmonthspreop 498]

Wow, vegan! I'm a vegetarian so I'm also a bit nervous about that. Just curious, what types of Proteins have you been eating post op? Do you do like mock meats or more tofu? Would love to know!

Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

[fourmonthspreop 498]

I'm a bypasser in the early months post-op, and honestly, it's fine. Your stomach is so small, and it takes time to progress from the liquid, to puree, to soft food stages. I'm still in puree, and when it's a thicker-puree, I struggle to eat much at all. I'm a vegan, so veggies are LIFE, but honestly the thought of chewing perfectly cooked broccoli or blanched kale (a fave) right now is enough to make me flinch. Texture is everything and while I too munched happily on my vege pre-op, my healing stomach is making the wait to eat them again perfectly fine! I can wait. In the meantime, vegetables can be cooked into my high Protein meals before being pureed, so I'm still getting the nutrients and flavour.
Stick to your plan, and you'll do fine!

Wow, vegan! I'm a vegetarian so I'm also a bit nervous about that. Just curious, what types of Proteins have you been eating post op? Do you do like mock meats or more tofu? Would love to know

Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

[Smanky 743]

I've been mostly relying on my Protein Shakes and Protein Water since the op, purely because I'm struggling to eat the quantities my nutritionist wants me to. I'm trying! But I can only manage half. So I'm also using protein enriched soy milk in my shakes and coffee/matcha lattes, which bumps it up nicely. I'm eating tofu and chickpeas predominantly in my puree foods. I'll be moving onto soft foods in a week or so and have an eating plan laid out for that. I'll definitely be eating seitan and other mock meat items once I can! They have good protein, along with tofu, tempeh, and legumes.

But until I can actually eat more than a 1/4 cup of solid food more than 3 times a day, I'll be stuck with the shakes and protein waters.