Hungry, Depressed, Angry! Help!!!!!

I am so hungry for "real" food it is driving me crazy which is then making me depressed and angry - I am about ready to stop eating and everything all together - somebeody help! I'm feeling so down. I'm still on liquids and can't stop going to the bathroom to dump constantly! I'm doubting my decision to have had the surgery. I don't have a very good or big support system! Help ME!!!!!!!!

Oh, Carol...I am sorry to hear you are going through that. I remember when I felt that way...it does get better, the dumping sucks and a lot of it is due to the liquid diet and your body adjusting. There is period when you "mourn" food, you wish you could eat anything you want, but as soon as you start seeing results it will be better I promise! The first 6 weeks after my surgery I walked around asking myself what the F*#K did I do? Now I just finished my tummy tuck...I went from 298 to 142 in 15 months! I love having a flat tummy and walking up stairs and playing with my kids and going places and not wondering if anyone is staring at me and not shopping at Lane Bryant! If you need to talk email me and I can give you my phone #...chin up! Heather [email protected]

Carol, Number one, honey, you have a right to have the blues. You just took on a major challenge - one that forces tremendous lifestyle changes. I, myself had those feelings and cried often. The good news is that you won't have those feelings forever. Things will get better. You will see progress soon. Start comparing your fingers - (ring sizes) and ankles. Are they shrinking? Did you take a bath before surgery? If so, jump back in that tub and see if you notice a difference about how you fit. The little things right now are going to be your "pick me ups". Are you still on liquids right now? I couldn't wait to chew something. Maybe try a piece of gum for the chewing. I love gum (strong mint flavor only for me- s/f EXTRA polar ice) and chew it often to fight the grazing urges. Try to stay away from the smells of cooking and away from the food commercials. Are you able to watch movies, etc.? About the dumping - what do you think that you are dumping on? Unless you are eating sugars, it probably is not dumping. I had loose stools a lot right after surgery. Things didn't "form" (sorry so gross) for quite a while. Are you drinking a lot of milk? Some people become lactose intolerant after surgery and then actually dump on milk. Watch what you are ingesting before being sick to determine if it is actually dumping. Do you feel like your heart is racing and get sweaty? Those are symptoms that often accompany dumping. Bottom line, Carol, we're here for you. You need to be posting and reading often right now, especially if you do not have a good support system at home. E-mail me if you want to, sweetie and I will help you whenever I can. Also, let me know if you want my phone number cuz you can call me too. Hang in there and God bless, Andrea

Carol!!!! I was the same way. It is the worst feeling in the world - I too doubted what I had done to my body. I felt if I smelled one more sweet thing I would puke. Well I did and it was horrible. When was your surgery? Call the nutritionist and ask what you can have. I started eating eariler than most because I couldn't keep the protein drinks down. I have not had anything junky or sweet since that week. My mom was visiting and I could smell her cooking sphegetti (Icant spell) I smelled each ingridient and it upset me and I became very depressed. At first they let me have cottage cheese, egg whites, and yoguart. But call first and tell them what you are experiencing. I have a great support system and a good many of them but I still felt the way you do. I even told the nutritionist that I regretted the surgery. She said wait 6 weeks and then tell me. I now eat what I want - I stay away from carbs (they give me painful gas) and I don't have the depression anymore. Carol, pray and find a verse in the bible. I believe it is 2nd Timothy 2:14 - goes something like this.... I have fought a good fight and basically you win. This is the biggest fight of your life. Don't give up - keep strong pray and just remember that you will get through this. If God brought you to it, he'll get you through it. Saturday go to the store and buy you something new to wear off the clearence rack - buy the size you will be happy to get into then try it on. No it won't fit but you have a dream thing... my size 12 jeans when I bought them I could not get them up to my knees. Now I can get them about 1/2 inch above my knees. That is so exciting to me. Carol, don't give up you have a huge support system. Go through and count how many people had surgery on the same day you did. Plus look through the message and count the names. WE ARE HERE FOR YOU AND YOU CAN DO THIS - IT IS BABY STEPS AND BIG PRAYERS. I thank my Father in Heaven daily for every ounce I have lost. Here is my email... [email protected] I can't check my email until late in the evening but I will do whatever you need me to do to get you through this. Oh get a journal or notebook and start writing. Write on the first page what ever comes to mind and let it flow. Once you have some of these anxious feelings out then you can write more freely. We love you and are here for you Hugs from Heaven Melinda

Thanks for the support guys! I feel better tonight! I am losing I can tell - my rings are loose on my fingers and my ankles don't look like cow hoves...lol I've also been told by people that my face looks thiner - I can't get into the bathtub yet - but will once I feel I won't kill myself getting out...lol I snuck in some soup crackers tonight while watching a movie. I ate one every 10 min. They were delicious! Who would have thought that about soup crackers! Thank you all for the support and I know I'll need more in the future! Carol

Thanks for the support guys! I feel better tonight! I am losing I can tell - my rings are loose on my fingers and my ankles don't look like cow hoves...lol I've also been told by people that my face looks thiner - I can't get into the bathtub yet - but will once I feel I won't kill myself getting out...lol I snuck in some soup crackers tonight while watching a movie. I ate one every 10 min. They were delicious! Who would have thought that about soup crackers! Thank you all for the support and I know I'll need more in the future! Carol

Hi Carol, Are you still drinking protein drinks? Dr. Shinnerl doesn't really recommend those especially this early, in fact he doesn't recommend them at all. I found that broth was to salty so I stuck to water & koolaid. Since I had that leak I had to be on liquids 2 weeks longer than most. When do you see Dr. next? This is the roughest part I think just having liquids. It does get easier. Remember you will have "head hunger" also. Those first few weeks I couldn't wander to far away from the bathroom & once in a while I still have those days yet. I believe the body is cleansing itself. Every day it gets easier Carolyn

Hi Carol: I just read your post and replies. I'm a little behind in life, so I didn't get to the boards yesterday. I'm so glad to hear your feeling better, I remember the first 3 months being an absolute rollercoaster of emotion. Everyone is right, it does get better, and better and better. It is a huge battle that you have taken on, but you WILL WIN this one!! God Bless, I'm thinking about you, Eileen

Carol, Hang in there sweetie...it gets better...trust me. I'm one month out... At my one week mark, even WITH a good supporter in my significant other...I was very depressed, angry...weepy...and tortured myself by watching the food network constantly... It's normal. I wanted a pizza so bad I was willing to put everything on the line to have one. I'm glad I didn't. This too shall pass. The weeks start going by more quickly...next thing you know you'll be able to have veggies, chicken, fish, turkey... Natural peanut butter! MMMMM...yogurt...non citrus fruits without skins... It gets better really soon. Even at one month I still have doubts about "Was it worth it"...then this morning I got into one size smaller...and it felt better. Heck! Just having energy to clean the house now is a huge boost to my emotions! I have to remind myself every day that if I follow the rules...the end result will have been worth the pain, the frustration, the depression, and the anger. Hang in there... It gets better... Kelly B.