concerned

Hello again, I was just sitting here having doubts. I want this surgery so bad!! but I am afraid that I am going to sabatoge myself. I think that I have an addicttion to food. I love it and I cant stop overeating. When I write this I think that I sound silly. I am afraid that after the surgery I just will not be able to stop eating and I just will not lose weight. I know that this has worked for so many people I am just afraid that maybe it wont work for me?> by the way I decided the have the bypass and not the lapband. so I am wondering if anyone the has had this surgery or in the process deals with this problem? thank you all for your input lindsay :-(

Hi Lindsay, I'm only 7 weeks out so I'm not sure how helpful this will be, but here goes: I was also addicted to food. I can remember being at a baby shower last year and waiting, waiting, waiting for them to cut the cake - it was all I could think of as the mom to be was opening her gifts. I was obsessed with having that cake. This is just one example. After the surgery, you do not have an appetite. You do not want food. As you start advancing your diet you do want other foods but you get full very fast. And, after you get sick a couple times, the few things you did look forward to don't look as appealing. I know this is the honeymoon period and that eventually my appetite will return. I think that is why it is important to take advantage of this time to work on changing those bad habits while hunger is not an issue. I still worry about bad habits creeping back in but at the moment I'm still scared to eat most things. One episode of dumping or getting something stuck really makes you not love the food anymore. It is important to remember that surgery is not done on your head, but on your stomach. You still have to work at it. I look at this time as a reprieve from the food addiction and a chance to break that ugly cycle. Hope this helps. Kathleen

Well first DO NOT FREAK OUT!!! Second I think a lot of people on this site will admit to a food addiction.If we could control our food we wouldn't be in the process of considering major surgery to help us lose weight. I didn't know how bad my addiction to sugar was until I tried to give it up. I was like a crack addict. I found myself driving to a Grocery store and buying cupcakes only to eat the tops with the frosting. I finally gave up all sugar and soda before the surgery to prepare myself and I lost 10 lbs in a month. My exhaustion also evened out so I wasn't going through the swings of sugar high and crash. Anyway do not feel silly I have asked and said some crazy things on this site but there is always someone to listen, suggest an idea or understand where I am coming from. Thirdly-You can't overeat after Gastric Bypass. The stomach is only so big and if you fill it too much it becomes very uncomfortable and then you will probably just throw up No one can tell you how much weight you will lose but I don't believe you will not be able to lose any weight.I only consume between 800-1000 cal a day. How can I not lose ?? I used to eat prob 3x that many calories. Please keep your head up and dream about the long term - It is beautiful on the thinner side. Jennifer

thank you all for your words of encouragement. I feel better knowing that I am not alone with these feelings. its nice to hear how all of you are doing. I only hope that I can do as well as you all. thank you again, lindsay

Hi Lindsay. I went through the same thing. I always failed at loosing weight and keeping it off. So that's in the back of my mind. I don't want to fail this. We still have to work hard at it. I was going for the lap band also but changed my mine cause it could fail and knowing me I would get around it and mess up. So I had the bypass on april 10 th. I have a Dr. Latuz out of Brigham's and Women's in Boston. It's the best thing I have ever done for myself. I'm doing great and as of right now I'm 2 lbs shy of 30 lbs. I have a lot of work ahead of me and I keep telling my husband I scared cause I don't want to fail. My biggest thing is excerise. That I am going to have to push myself alot. I do some walking but get tired real easy. When I see the Dr on May 3rd and I'm clear to start to really excerise I'm going to give it all I can. We shall see.lol So hang in there. I think once you see the weight just fall off you will want to keep it going. I don't feel hungry at all. It's funny cause I have to think about eating cause you need your protein. It's different and you will see for your self. It helps to talk things out especially with someone that has or is going through the same process. So where are you going for this operation and do you have a date yet? Well have a great day and hope to hear from you soon. Don't worry things will be ok Deb

hi, what you are feeling is sooo totally normal, I too felt like oh wat if it doe'snt work for me. well I had my surgery 9/12/06 and have lost 106lbs i feel awsome i am in a size 12 (haven't beeen since highschool). started at a 22 . I am never hungry. i have to make myself eat. and constantly have to remind myself to choke down my protein shakes. i will tell you this, it is almost imposible to overeat, your belly will hurt like hell. It is a tool and it works. I wish u all the best . Just remember after the surgery u will eat to live not live to eat . take care, heather