Food Demons

there are three of us in my office considering the surgery. the other two are totally convinced and I, the largest of the three am not sure. I was having such a bad day yesterday and ate until I thought I was going to throw up, but still wasn't satisfied--if you know what I mean. I was eating instead of yelling at clients and co-workers and children, and then mentally yelling at myself(the only one I am allowed to yell at). But the question is, the demons will still be there, food for nourishment is not the issue for me, never has been, it has been for solace, to stuff feelings, celebrations etc... How successful have you Post opers been in learning to not stuff feelings and get on with life?

I can tell you that from the first week post op that you end up dealing with those issues. I remember feeling horrible, wanting to eat and you can't. It is a big change!! The first couple months I did a lot of wandering around sometimes thinking.. what in the world have I done??? I can't eat, drink or smoke anymore.. nothing like taking all the vices away at once!! I am almost eight months out and it is a lot better. You find other ways to deal with stress, I am not saying you still don't WANT to eat away those feelings but I have come to the realization that it isn't an option anymore. Sure you could still graze all day but when you have seen how far you have come it helps to put it in perspective and you realize that finding other ways to vent without making yourself feel worse, because after surgery if you try to use food for comfort you go from feeling bad in your head to feeling bad physically and that gets so old!! It is a day by day thing but it gets easier as I go along! Good luck to you! HeatherK OpenRNY 12/30/02

Hi Beverly, I to have not had this surgery as of yet and yes I have questioned it over and over, and over, like I'm really affraid of being sick all the time and if I'm really ready to give up the one thing I can do all by myself which don't hurt anyone but me and that is the food. It has taken me 30 yrs. to realize that I eat because I'm stressed, or pissed off or depressed or all those same things your feeling but ya know what, I WILL get threw all these feelings after surgery because I WANT TO LIVE so what to do with all those feelings, I got one of those kids standup punching bags and when I get to feeling those thoughts, I go in the other room and just beat the hell out of it and all the time screaming, I don't have to have this surgery, I need this surgery to survive and let me tell you what, that poor punching bag clown is looking really beat to death, I know it sound stupid but I needed a way to get all the frustration out without taking it out on everone else and it works, boy howdy it works and I do all this from a fricken' wheelchair no less, most of the time. BUT if you want a really wonderful person to help you, besides me oh course, that won't let you think this way or won't let you quit on what you've worked so long to get then talk to Elizabeth Hiatt: This woman tells it like it is and holds nothin' back which is exactly what I needed. Just a suggestion, It's only natural to feel like you do but don't let it consume you, beat the **** out of something on a daily basis, preferably not another living object, but whatever works. Keep us posted on your journey.~~~~~Tina