Funeral for Food

Hi All -I am fairly new to posting to the board, but have been reading for some time. I had my 2 consult last week, and I am just waiting for all to go through with insurance again. I say again because I have been approved for Gastric once before, but I wanted LAP Band, but insurance wouldn't cover -now they do...so I am back on my journey...that is the nutshell version.... So, now that we are moving along, I have been given the 1200 calorie diet to start for a couple of weeks before they go to the liquid diet pre-op (which I am admitadly very scared to do!!) I feel like, I want to do this more than anything, but what if I fail?? SO, the last few days have been spent thinking of my funeral to food....FOOD...this thing that has put my right where I am now, but this THING that I am deeply in love with. I need to change my perspective on the whole deal and how I view it....because as much as I want this whole thing, and know I NEED this, I still feel sadness over the loss of food, and knowing that certain types will NEVER work for me again...and I should just never eat certain types again...and never again will I be able to eat as much as I care too....(although I know I know, I shouldn't anyway!!!) Has anyone else felt this????? I am trying to put food to "rest".....My Funeral to Food. Any thoughts?

HI Julie, everyone feels the same way. Personally i felt this way a week after my surgery. All i could say to myself was " what did i do to myself", but it all went away on my first visit to my doctor, in 10 days i lost 22 lbs (i had RNY done), and that was my motor to continue, now all i think when i see food on TV or anywhere else is "it is only food". One thing i suggest you to do is ask your doctor for a support group. You will meet many people pre-opt and post-op speaking about there experiences, embrace anything you can and keep looking forward, to a better, healthier future. God bless you, Miriam

It's not forever. You have to remember that you will still be eating food - eventually. In fact, with the band you will have VERY few restrictions, which may be the biggest challenge you have. The only restriction you will have is in amount. If you focus on quantity, rather than quality you may not get the results you want from the band. There are ways to "get around" the surgery or sabotage yourself if you focus on foods you can eat in quantity - "slider" foods that just go right through **** cream, mashed potatoes, etc...) will still add pounds because you may be able to have those in large amounts. Make sure to seek out support & psych services if they are remotely available to you. I had my own issues. I was supposed to be on a monitored diet last yr to get insurance approval and I just wasn't there in my head. I just didn't have it in me. I lost about 5 pounds during the 6 month required diet but once I was approved for surgery I was ready. My last week of regular food I made sure to have my favorites, but it was a surprisingly small list. With RNY there really may be things I can never have again, but with band that isn't the case. I didn't go out of my way to eat everything and I feel really good about where I am (8 days post-op). I actualy lost more the wk before surgery than I did during the 6 month diet (note: I didn't have liquid diet until day before surgery). I'm not saying mine is the only way by any means, but look at the revision board & all the "WLS didn't work for me" topics - THEY ARE ALL OVER - and make sure you are READY Good Luck to you I wish you the best & hope things go well

My surgery was 2/27 and I was just like Miriam. Actually, I spent the week before surgery saying good-bye to all my favorite foods IN PERSON, but it was AFTER the surgery that I thought "WHAT did I DO?" I'm just at a little over two weeks and still on mush, but continue to work through my feelings of loss. There is a support group in my city that meets next week - I'll be there. And I keep telling myself, "I will eat again...stuff that requires CHEWING!" At this point I don't miss food as much as what it represented for me: time with friends, cooking in the kitchen, shopping for special ingredients, planning meals, etc. Miriam, your words were good for me to hear. I have to focus on my ability to get off meds, be able to exercise without pain, and maybe put my "food" energy into something more productive... Thanks for this post.