Post op day 3

Monday morning I had a gastric bypass. Now I am wondering if I will ever feel normal again (not that I was normal before, but i'm sure everyone knows what I mean).  I'm also hoping that I made the right decision to have the surgery. I'm not really hungy but I am craving the sesation of food in  my mouth. Sometimes I just want to lick a cracker (I don't, but I want to.)

Are these normal feelings and will it go away?

What your feeling is absolutely normal and may even get worse but YES it will definately get better.  6 days after I had my surgery, my husband came over to me to give me a hug and I burst into a million tears sobbing, and couldnt really tell him why, I didnt know why, I was just a sobbing emotional mess.  For atleast the first week I felt like a freak of nature, thought I would never feel or look (eating a meal in public) normal again.  I had my doubts whether or not I did the right thing.  But honestly, by the end of week 2, I was much better, knew I did the right thing and started to truck foward.  I know you and I are not alone and many of us go through some very emotional times after surgery.  If you need someone to talk to, we are all here. 

Hope you feel better, and just take things a day at a time.

As odd as it sounds ...you are totally normal!!

I will say though ..I didn't feel 100% like myself until I was eating solid foods which was 30 days after surgery. The liquid and puree diet was brutal but we all get through it! Once I could eat like a "real" person I felt normal. Hang in there. Your feelings are real and we've all been through that. Think of it like this ...this is only for a short time, you have the rest of your life to eat!!!

You will feel better than normal, if you are anything like me!  I never had regrets, but I sure felt like a weirdo for a while, and sometimes I still do, but now I'm proud to be different and thrilled with the good choices I am able to make.

Congrats on a courageous decision, and i hope you will be feeling more "normal" soon.  Just stay strong during the holidays - it's tough!

Sue

Thanks everyone,

It does help to hear form others that I will get through this period. I almost feel like I am mourning food. I keep dreaming of things I can't have and wondering if I will ver be able to tolerate even a bite of some of my favorite things. Today was brutal as I watched my family eat bacon eggs, pancakes for breakfast then turkey mashed potatoes and chips and chocolate covered pretzets for dinner. And not everyone new why I wasn't joining in.

Again Thank You
D.

Yes, you ARE mourning food.  At the beginning, it feels like you will never eat "normally" again.  (I think the diet they give you is partly responsible for that also)  I remember driving by Burger King and actually tearing up, thinking that the smell of fries would never lead to stop and a cheeseburger again.  But you will eventually be eating your new normal.  And the good part is, you won't miss it.  If I want a cheeseburger & fries, I have one.  But for me, it now consists of a small cheeseburger and a small fry -- I eat a couple of bites with the bun, then I take it apart (like a little kid) and eat the middle - throw the rest of the bun away and eat about 6 of the fries.  Then I am full and satisfied.  Just know that it will get better, and you'll be joining your family in your fav foods - you just won't eat as much.

I totally felt the same way.   I had my surgery on 12/8 and not being able to have the food only made me want it more.  I was totally in mouring.   Seeing all those xmas goodies....To make it worse, we went out for Christmas Eve to one of my favorite restaurants and I couldn't eat a thing (Italian - lots of pasta).     I'm only 18 days post op and it is a struggle every day.   BUT I keep telling myself that I ate those yummy foods (and drank those yummy drinks) for 35 years and it got me nowhere but fat.   Plus, it also makes me realize how much mindless eating I was doing.   There must have been at least 40 moments when I would have popped something fattening in my mouth - cookies, candy, etc, etc.   I surely would have gained 5 pounds over the past week.   I do find that as I can tolerate more and more foods it does get easier.  BUT what makes it even better is when you look in the mirror and can see the pounds melting away.   I may not have cheesecake - but I have cheekbones (haven't seen those in awhile) - lol!

Hang in there - you are NOT alone....

Eliza

such a normal way to feel!  i would say at 4 weeks out i felt normal.  at 2 weeks, once the staples were out i felt much better and then at 4 weeks, when i could toss and turn in bed and was pain free is when i felt normal.  i do remember drivign down rout 9 2 weeks out and just missing going out to eat and then once the weight started coming off it makes it all worth it.  i thought xmas was going to be so much harder - but then i hit the 50 pound mark on xmas morning and it made all the cookies and treats look so insignificant. 
i definately had a "what the hell did i do to myself" moment (i was readmitted for abdominal pain at 10 days). and just couldn't deal with the shakes anymore...trust me - it gets better every day!
kat

This is great for me to read.. I'm having RNY Wednesday, so today was my last day of food for awhile.  I had my husband get me a bag of hershey kisses at lunch today.  All morning I cried off and on when I realized I don't know when I'll have my next Hershey kiss (these are my favorite thing on the planet) and that I hadn't said a proper "goodbye" to them.  I know it sounds so stupid, but I really feel like I'm grieving this lifestyle, although I am aware it is unhealthy, I'm going to miss the ease and the lack of planning, etc. 

Anyway.. glad to see that a few of you have had similar feelings.  Makes me feel less like a mess. 

I'm glad this was helpful. I am now 2 weeks out an am feeling much better. I have lost 18 pounds and am finally being able to get all  my liquids down and was able to have 2 meals yesterday. Honestly I haven't been hungry once. But food does smell sooo good. I know it is all hunger in my head which I'm learning is what  most of my pre-op hunger was. Good luck tomorrow. Everyday truly does get better.