hey!

One week has passed since my lapband op and i am really depressed:( !

I don't have anyone to talk to about my terrible experience!

I feel sick when i think of liquids now:eek - especially milk in the mornings and i don't want to get out of bed!

Can you imagine i hate milkshakes!!! OHH MY LORDDDD!!!

I tried eating mushy foods but i can't take it yet! (okk, i tried eating a damn pizza but it didn't work out okk!!!!)

Is this how it's going to be for the rest of my LIFE!! OHHH GODDDDDD!!!! I feel depressed not eating food man! I would rather be overweight and eat normal food (even a damn salad:( ) than starve like a maniac just to loose weight!

Did anyone else go through this very depressing stage! You all seem quite excited and motivated:banana ! Is it just me AHHHH!!!!!?????

Please some advise anyone??

I think you need to take a deep breath and start anew. You've got to give it time. I was on liquids for two weeks, then mushy. My doctor told me I could have anything that would go through a straw. I don't like milk or milk products, though I do like some ice cream. I used a lot of creamy type Soups to get me through, often I strained the chunks out and drank the Soup left. No one said it was easy, but the rewards are there if you're patient. I'm 3.5 months post op and I face challenges every day, but with the help of my band I will conquer this weight, and you can too.

This is a temporary thing, I think we all go through the stage of, "omg what have I done", but again it's temporary. You will find you're able to eat anything you want, or at least mostly, but you have to make wise/smart food choices once the healing is done and the fill has been added. I'm in the solid foods stage, but I still don't do well with all solids, I have a problem every time I try homecooked mashed taters, but that's just me. I don't do bread but every once in a while, again, that's my choice.

Yes, I did get depressed the 2nd week for about a day, then I reminded myself this was a choice I made and by golly it's gonna work. You go girl, you can do it!

HI. What instructions did your doctor give you for after your surgery? You should be on liquids now. How about getting some egg drop soup? That always made me feel better. The pizza was a mistake. You must not vomit when you are in the healing stage. It will get better. You will be able to eat whatever you want after the 6 week healing stage but you will just eat less.

Hello,

Yes, I went thru that "what have I done stage" myself right after surgery. It is pretty normal and it is kind of miserable that first 2 weeks of liquids. My first week was Clear Liquids and then non-clear the following week. I was STARVING during that stage but once I got on yummy, heavenly mushies it all got better. Now 10 months out I can pretty much eat anything but I do have to watch my chewing and eating speed. I love my band. I hope you adjust to yours and things should get easier. Best wishes, Teresa

Teresa, I too have to watch the chewing and eating speed, you'd think after a few pb's we'd learn huh!?!

Hey Pink! It is vital that you have a support group for this new thing! Other than my DH, LBT is my only support group for my Band while I’m in exile….

I'm a week out also, and I'm seriously reconsidering what I've done too. However, I know this is normal, at least for me. That whole buyer's remorse thing... For some reason after I woke up, everything tastes terrible! (I need to do further investigating about this... I have my suspicions about the trouble...) I see news stories of people that have lost a bazillion pounds with string and tape! (Ask me how!) Or they become these super athletes and suddenly start running full 26 mile marathons… And I think hey! I could do that!

But I couldn’t. If I could have lost the weight on my own, I would have. If I could have kept if off, I would have. But I couldn’t, so I now have the Band.

I'm not terribly happy with the Protein shakes, but then, even Water doesn’t taste right….

I’m tired of the aches and pains from the surgery. I’m cranky. I’ve got the period from hell. I’m back in exile. Did I mention I was cranky?

But thing is, I knew most of this stuff coming in, and I get to move to mushy foods April 1st.

I WANT A cheese BURGER!!!!!!

But as much as I want that cheese burger, I want to be thinner more. I want more energy! I want less medication! I want to get on an airplane confident that I’ll never need a seatbelt extender! I want more boys at college to flirt with me!

I know my DH went through this depressed stage too. (except maybe the part about the boys at college flirting with him…) I know some of the members here have had serious doubts about getting the band, initially after the fact. So I guess it is normal.

Be good to yourself Pink. Go back to the liquids. Let it heal. ((hugs))

As you're hearing you are not the first one to experience this discouraging stage. I remember distinctly waking up in the morning and just groaning at the thought of another Protein shake for Breakfast.

So don't do it! If you're on full liquids (which I imagine you are, by now), now is the time to explore the world of soup! There are LOADS of delicious soups out there just waiting for you; as long as they're thin enough to go through a straw they're fair game for you at this stage. Seafood bisques were my favorites, and they're full of protein. I had clam chowder for breakfast several times.

It takes some imagination but go to the grocery store and go to the aisles you've never been down before and look around! When you get to the mushy stage you can explore all the fancy spreads and dips available at the deli counter. Really it's not too bad and you don't have to limit yourself to the Protein shakes.

And remember it's only temporary!! This will definitely NOT be the way it is for the rest of your life. (Did anyone ever say it would be?)

A Bit Pink- Ok sweetie. Hold on. You have made the right decision. You will be ok. This will get better. You will be much happier one month from today!!

Now repeat ....several times in a row what you just read.

You are not alone in this- we are all here for you to ask questions & get answers. The bandsters are the experts next to your doctor so listen carefully to their advise. Remind yourself its only food & that there is so much more to life than eating. I think of it constantly(food that is) as do you. But than I try to remind myself that it is truely a small part of living. Find things to occupy your days & nights. Volunteer at a local shelter for animals. Help at the local library or Soup kitchen. Help a elderly neighbor with something around their house. Try to do anything different than what you've done before. Even if its once a week. Just try. You may find out its much more satisfying than what your doing now. I wish you luck & strengh. Be good to yourself & remind yourself YOU ARE WORTH THE FIGHT!!!

Dear Bit Pink,

I went through absolute mourning for food for the first 2 and 1/2 weeks. I was mourning the loss of a friend and comforter. I would glare at my husband everytime he ate, even if it wasn't a food I liked. I missed filling my plate up, I missed planning a big meal, I missed feeling overly stuffed and sitting in my recliner with the remote control for 3 hours while my food digested. I missed everything about eatting, to the point that I thought I was going crazy. Food has been that never ending supply of love and comfort for more years that I care to tell you. BUT---This too shall pass. Hang on. Take some time to cry for the loss of your old friend and then start making new ones. Such as the great feeling of putting on a shirt that before the arms were binding, and now there not. The great feeling of a little less pain in the knees when you climb stairs. The great feeling of being able to shop longer because your stamina is greater. And last but not least, the great feeling of looking in the mirror every week and seeing just a little bit more of the thin you coming home. Hang on. You can make it.

Jody

This thread would have really helped me out in those 1st 2 1/2 weeks. I remember on my 2 week post op check up, I told the doctor, "Take it out! I swear I will go to the gym every day and I will eat healthy! Please take it out!" I felt so bad for me because he knew how much depression I was going through for my food. I could barely understand myself when I was talking because I was crying so bad. I cried every day and I too gave my husband some nasty glares as he was eating. And I even got into a heated argument with him because now all of a sudden he starts eating all healthy and going to the gym. I was so angry because He didn't do that while I was on Jenny Craig, weight watchers, La weight loss, Herbalife, Atkins,etc. So why now?! I could have used that support then and maybe not had to do this. However, I FEEL BETTER NOW. I express to you my anger and my depression, because I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH! And it wasn't just the food, I started worrying about something going wrong with the band and started getting paranoid. But now, I am eating anything and everything, as long as I am still hungry. And I have preoccupied myself with my photo albums, playing more with my kids, writing in my journal, reading and writing to this support group, and it has helped tremendously! You WILL feel better. I promise! And ask anyone here who has read my advise, it means a lot comming from me because I had nothing good to say about the band at first.

Pink, right now you're at your most vulnerable stage. You're recovering from surgery, and you're finding you can't continue w/your old habits of eating all the time for comfort. Please hang in there, it will get better...each day. Allow yourself to grieve a little, but please realize that food is not your friend. It was controlling your life to the point that you were at serious risk, possibly early death, if it continued. One thing, I do very little since banding, is watch t.v. That was a guaranteed snacking time and there are way too many food commericials, cooking shows, fabulous meals on movies for me to watch. Please try to find non-food related things to do. You'll find a whole new world out there that you didn't even know existed. Best of luck to you and please come here and "talk" w/us often. We really do understand.

Marie is right again, when you start feeling sad or down, get that mouse and click away. I remember watching my son eat sushi, (he did bring me some soup, yuk tufu), I was about 3 days out of surgery, omg, I almost started crying. I clicked on LBT and through the support of these wonderful folks, I too was reminded I was healing and I would be able to partake in food again and family outings, (I was just starting the mushy stage at Christmas). Great advice here, I'm off and on here all day, pm me any time.

AWWW Pink!! I hear you and I understand completely. I am almost a year out and there are still days every now and then where I think to myself did I do the right thing. Then I think about what I have gained by losing 57 lbs.

You will get through this. You are normal to have these feelings.

Even on the days I feel like I might have made a mistake I realize that it was the best thing I ever did. And I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Have I had setbacks? YES

Have I eaten things I knew weren't good for me or my band? YES

Did I learn from my setbacks and bad food choices? YOU BET

It sucks to feel this way but it will pass. Come here and vent whenever you want. There is always someone here to listen and feel your pain.

Crystal; The bad taste is the ketosis effect.

I don't know what to say right now! I am just two weeks out myself and feeling the same way except I did start to eat things I should not be eating. I can't do anything about it now, except wake up tomorrow and start over again. I hope I didn't do anything to my band.

Sometimes, I feel all alone, I then come on LBT and read and it makes me feel better. I think I need to come on everyday to get me going and on the straight road. Pink... know that you are not alone!

A bit pink, I also had the same reaction buthten I though to my self it took me so long to ge tto wher I was it will take me some time to get to where I want to be, THere are tough days ahead but think of the pay off in the end and as you go along, you will be healthier, be able to get nicer clothes, be able to do more activities, and enjoy life to a greater degree. THe few days that are tough come to this site a we will bet her to help you over the rough spots and who knows you might be able to help others as well.

Keep your chin up. Your are worth it.

Hi, all. I'm new here and I'm just reading your threads to get acquainted. First off, I guess really don't have a right to reply to this as I don't know what you are going through. I haven't been banded yet.... BUT! I'm sitting here reading everything you've written and realizing that when I finally do have the surgery, I will probably go through the same thing. I know it sounds crazy, but you can not imagine how envious I am of you right now! I want this surgery so badly... because as hard as it is for you right now, I feel like it's just as hard for me to be where I am. I'm so sick of being embarassed of going in public and I'm so sick of eating and feeling guilty for putting food in my mouth. I'm sick of sitting down after I eat and seeing my stomach poke out and thinking how what I ate is just going to make it poke out even further!

So, all I can say to you is Good Luck and I hope the depression passes quickly for you. You have such a wonderful opportunity ahead of you and when you doubt that, just remember all the reasons you had for doing it. Also, I want to thank all of you for posting things like this. I don't personally know anyone with the band and "meeting" all of you and hearing the ups and downs you experience after surgery is such a help. I know the surgery isn't going to be a magic cure for me, but knowing what I'm up against, being so well informed because people like you share your experiences, will help to better prepare me. So thank you and know that we are all rooting for you!

Hope