Post Op Ponderings...One Week out

Hey there!!!  I still miss some foods.  I have not had a candy bar in 3 1/2 years.  I won't go there though because that is what got me to where I was.  You will get use to the foods you are suppose to eat.  Just think about all those new clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc you are about to buy.  It is wonderful!!!!!  It is worth giving up any food.  I promise.  You are going to feel so much better and be able to do so many things you could not do before.  Just keep on keeping on and it will get easier.  So nice to meet you, too!!!!

I agree with Carmen in that I look at sweets and other junk foods like an enemy because they are what got me overweight in the first place. It really feels good to see commercials about food and know that I don't focus on food anymore. I can eat most anything but not alot of it.  I was a big lover of sweets, now I just eat sugar free desserts in moderation.  I never drink carbonated beverages and I don't miss them either.  I really think I was addicted to Mt Dew before my surgery. Now I love my CL strawberry.  I love the new me.  I am not a grudge holder toward people but man to I try to keep my grudge toward sweets alive because I know what the "love" of sweets did to me and still remind my self to hate them for that and it helps me to resist the temptation of even trying one little bite.

Carol

It's not unusual to mourn food at first.  You will get used to it and before you know it, you will be able to eat many of the foods you enjoyed before (within reason).  I don't even miss the stuff I can't have anymore.  It's hard to explain, but your perceptions about food just changes over time.  Food becomes less important than it was before.  Before my surgery, everything revolved around food.  Now it doesn't and I don't miss it.  You'll do just fine.  You just need to give it more time.

Sandi

You mentioned cravings.  That's natural.  Its called head hunger. You think you are hungry enough to eat a horse but after two bites you are ready to throw the rest of the horse away.  As time goes on you will be able to increase what and the amount you can eat.  Don't be surprised if things you liked before surgery are horrible now and things you didn't like before surgery you crave now.  You may find that your taste changes daily so something you don't like, wait a few weeks and try it again.  I found this to be especially true of milk.  I liked it before surgery but it was six months before I could stand it.  It may take nine months to a year for your taste buds to settle down.  Then you will find out what you can eat (tolerate) and what is not good. 

The protein milkshakes are and always have been horrible to me so I get my protein through meat.  I tried beans but after blowing up the house I have had to stop beans for the most part. 

Don't let yourself  go without going to the bathroom (poop).  Right now you won't go much but you need to go daily or every other day.  Taking stool softeners is a must for me.  I wound up in the ER (about six weeks out) impacted so badly the nurse said I would have ruptured my intestine before I got a bowel movement.  Thank God for a concerned and experienced nurse.  I stopped my stool softeners and had another episode but was able to finally get relief without going to the ER.  So now I take two daily whether I feel I need them or not.

You may think this is too personal or TMI but as time goes on you will find we have to talk frankly with each other and share experiences.  You have gone through major surgery and permanently changed the way your digest food.  Expect body and body function changes.

Fortunately anything negative usually isn't unmanageable and the benefits far outweigh the alternative, i.e. staying fat.

Good luck
Glenn