Hi Everyone,

Well I didn't really know what to expect the first week following the surgery and I'm experiencing a world of emotions as well as some physical symptoms? I'm curious if others have felt this way.

1. Has anyone else felt like they were depressed and their emotions are all over the place? Is this normal?

2. I've gone from feeling like I have no appetite at all ,to being obsessed with food I can't have right now and then back to no appetite? Anyone else?

3. I feel like i'm going through some sort of weird emotional detox, I never realized how much I depended on food for comfort although I knew I was an emotional eater before even having the surgery but this is hard. Any ideas on how to cope?

4. Has anyone else experienced a weird sensation ,when they sit up,almost like something is sticking you in the chest?

5. Last but not least,am I going crazy lol?:thumbs_up:

It sounds to me like you are going through what many, many bandsters endure in the first weeks....and yes, it's perfectly normal. The depression may get worse before it gets better as I understand it's a side effect of the anesthesia as well as the weight loss you'll most likely experience (rapid breakdown of fat releases the stored estrogen).

Maybe it would be helpful for you to do some reading about emotional eating during this time? The book [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Shrink-Yourself-Emotional-Eating-Forever/dp/0470044853]Shrink Yourself [/ame]is highly recommended.

Be patient with yourself...the adjustments you need to make will come with time. I know sometimes that's hard to believe, but you will!

Best of luck to you!

Thank you SO MUCH for your reply. I had no idea about the side effects of the anesthesia either & the break down of estrogen. I was telling my Husband last night that what i'm feeling now is very similar to what I felt when I had post postpartum depression. It's not what I expected at all.

Thank you also for the book recommendation. I love to read and this book sounds like something that would be very helpful.

The good news is ,i've lost 2 pounds since the surgery. I just have to stay positive. I think the hardest thing for me ,has been sitting here all day ,for the most part ,alone and I have way too much time to think about things. My Husband is at work ,my kids are at school and I miss my routine in a way.

I so badly look forward to feeling normal again. I don't want food to control my life anymore and that's the main reason why I had this surgery. I want to feel better physically etc.

It's nice to know that i'm not going crazy afterall lol.:thumbs_up:

Do you have a hobby that's been neglected or that you've always wanted to start? My beading/jewelry hobby has really helped me in lots of ways since I started it. Now it keeps my hands busy and me out of the kitchen!!

Holidays are coming! Can you start some handmade gifts to get your focus OFF of yourself and ON to something productive and fun?

I think there are some hobbies out there that I really want to get involved in,right now a lot of my time is being occupied on school ,which is probably a good thing as well. It keeps me busy but I know that I need to do something else for me as well,besides school. Something more fun lol. Although ,don't get me wrong,I do enjoy school but you know what I mean.

Is it strange for me to say ,throughout my whole life,i've always depended on "food" to be my "good time" . I know that sounds horrible but really I was like this even before I was overweight but i'm not sure why. I'm ashamed to admit,that so much of life centered around eating. I don't understand it. That's what I so badly need to work on.

You are not alone. Surgery and the aftermath of new ways of living and not eating so much, are very stressful. It's a real eye opener to see how much food occupied our lives. I find that simple art/craft projects really help keep me busy sometimes and away from snacking like I used to. :thumbs_up:

Hi Everyone,

Well I didn't really know what to expect the first week following the surgery and I'm experiencing a world of emotions as well as some physical symptoms? I'm curious if others have felt this way.

1. Has anyone else felt like they were depressed and their emotions are all over the place? Is this normal?

2. I've gone from feeling like I have no appetite at all ,to being obsessed with food I can't have right now and then back to no appetite? Anyone else?

3. I feel like i'm going through some sort of weird emotional detox, I never realized how much I depended on food for comfort although I knew I was an emotional eater before even having the surgery but this is hard. Any ideas on how to cope?

4. Has anyone else experienced a weird sensation ,when they sit up,almost like something is sticking you in the chest?

5. Last but not least,am I going crazy lol?:thumbs_up:

About a week after my surgery, I was sooooo depressed and was acting like a total bitch to my DH. I'm not a big cryer (thanks to Lexapro), but there were several nights that I just cried my eyes out and was convinced that I should have never had the surgery. Granted I was still in some physical pain at that point and that was at least part of the problem. But I remembered my surgeon and nutritionist had warned me that I might go thru that, so that helped. Also, I had met a lady in the waiting room before my post-op appt that said she was very emotional immediately following her surgery but hers lasted about 6 weeks, mine was only about a week. IMHO, it is normal, or at least not abnormal to feel that way...don't lose faith.

About your appetite - mine was exactly the same. The first week or so I had no appetite at all and I thought...cool, this is working. Then shortly after that it came back with a vengeance and it seemed like all I saw were commercials for food and I was practically drooling over them. It was luckily about that time that my doctor moved me to mushies and I could have FF refried Beans and very thin mashed potaotes....I thought I was in heaven and they really satisfied me. It really does go by quicker than you realize right now. In a couple of weeks you'll stabilize and you won't be obsessed with food so much...hang in there:thumbup:.

All in all, everything you have posted I went thru myself but it has all leveled out now and I'm thrilled that I have had this done for myself and you will be too...just give it a little time, and it'll be okay....I promise!! Happy lap band journey to you!!

You are not alone. Surgery and the aftermath of new ways of living and not eating so much, are very stressful. It's a real eye opener to see how much food occupied our lives. I find that simple art/craft projects really help keep me busy sometimes and away from snacking like I used to. :thumbs_up:

Thank you so much for the reply :frown: ! I'm glad i'm not alone!

About a week after my surgery, I was sooooo depressed and was acting like a total bitch to my DH. I'm not a big cryer (thanks to Lexapro), but there were several nights that I just cried my eyes out and was convinced that I should have never had the surgery. Granted I was still in some physical pain at that point and that was at least part of the problem. But I remembered my surgeon and nutritionist had warned me that I might go thru that, so that helped. Also, I had met a lady in the waiting room before my post-op appt that said she was very emotional immediately following her surgery but hers lasted about 6 weeks, mine was only about a week. IMHO, it is normal, or at least not abnormal to feel that way...don't lose faith.

About your appetite - mine was exactly the same. The first week or so I had no appetite at all and I thought...cool, this is working. Then shortly after that it came back with a vengeance and it seemed like all I saw were commercials for food and I was practically drooling over them. It was luckily about that time that my doctor moved me to mushies and I could have FF refried Beans and very thin mashed potaotes....I thought I was in heaven and they really satisfied me. It really does go by quicker than you realize right now. In a couple of weeks you'll stabilize and you won't be obsessed with food so much...hang in there:thumbup:.

All in all, everything you have posted I went thru myself but it has all leveled out now and I'm thrilled that I have had this done for myself and you will be too...just give it a little time, and it'll be okay....I promise!! Happy lap band journey to you!!

Thank you for your response !! I'm so glad I posted here today because since Wednesday I've been feeling rather down. I can't even begin to tell you how much every ones responses has helped me !!

I have felt like I'm all of a sudden, somebody completely different. I SO know what you mean by thinking about food all the time and seeing all the commercials,that part is discouraging but I'm determined to keep a positive attitude and stick to it.

It's nice to know that this too ,shall pass!!

Thank you :thumbs_up: !!

BTW my current favorite "at project" takes no skill whatsoever. All you need is a glue stick, a piece of heavy paper or light cardboard for the backing, and some paper with patterns/ designs. Even old magazines work, you can use the pictures. Google "serendipity squares" for full instructions. I am even using old road maps!

omg is this me or what :thumbs_up: yep must be normal ibeen through the same ole what h--- did i do to me and omg this is forever to oh i want that to eat so bad and can't feel sorry for me the list goes on and on and iam at day 12 since my surgery ..but everyday has gotten better for me iam not at 100% back on my feet but iam getting there and i am excited now about the weight loss i started at 210 iam now 194 in what 2 wks so iam happy and i know i have some adjusting to do yet but i am working on it ...NOPE ... your not crazy :frown: hang in there .

I'm pretty sure what you're experiencing is normal.

For me, my feelings of depression weren't about food, but loneliness. My DH was trying to be supportive by not eating around me, so he'd work all day (while I'm at home with the cats) and then come home drop off his bag from work, give me a kiss and go get some dinner. Then he'd come home an hour later from eating a dinner out either by himself or with his mom and I'd get so sad. Seemed like he was home only in time to watch tv and sleep... I guess our life pretty much revolved around going out to dinner before, so now I'm trying to learn new strategies to cope with the feelings of being alone. Last night I fixed him dinner; I knew I couldn't eat it but I figured if I made it, it was my decision to do so and at least he could stay home with me and eat a dinner I'd fixed while I sipped my broth.

Now that I'm less than a week from mushies, I have started dreaming about what I can eat at that stage... but I am pretty sure that's normal too.

go out to eat ,,i do i don't sit home because he needs to eat and eating in front of me doesnt bother me at all ,if iam full iam full but i go with him coupld nites a wk and i have soft foods cottage cheese plate soup ect ...i misss nothing and the rest of the wk i cook for him ,we do just fine stop beating yourself up enjoy :thumbs_up: good luck

I had fantasies about broccoli and hard boiled eggs.