Hey Everyone

Well I want to start by saying sorry I havnt posted in awhile. I have been back to work and very busy. Plus at home I have dial up and it keeps freezing up on me so I just dont bother with it anymore. I am at work right now so I have a min to post. I hope everyone is doing well. I am doing ok. Getting used to the surgery has been a hard thing for me to do. I have cheated a couple of times and eaten some solid food. I feel really guilty and wasnt going to share but I thought I would. I am not doing as well as all of you are. I make dinner for my family every night and a couple of times I have sampled it. I have gotten really sick one time and not at all the second time. I have lost a total of 31 pounds since one week before the surgery. I am not walking as much as I should also. I dont know I just feel kindof tired and depressed since the surgery. Does anyone have any advice for me? Well take it easy and hope all is well with all of you wonderful people. Gretta

Gretta, first of all don't beat yourself up. I would be too embarrassed to share what I have sampled and shouldn't have. I figured if it made me sick, then I shouldn't have tried it, on the other hand, if I don't sample some things, I would still be eating only cottage cheese. It is all trial and error. You are almost exactly where I was when I got depressed. Let me tell you what turned it around for me. 2 big things, the first was that Collette (I think) Posted a recipe for peanut butter cookies. This was right before christmas and everyone was eating "fun" food and I wasn't. I made the peanut butter cookies while my husband and kids made regular cookies...and I was able to eat almost 2 of them...I was so excited because I didn't get sick and they were so good. It felt like I was eating regular food again (even if it was just a cookie). And the second thing was that I had lost about 25 or 30 lbs. My clothes were loose but not "real" big. So I went to Walmart and picked out several clothes to try in different sizes. I couldn't believe it...I managed to squeeze into a size 16/18 in stretch jeans. I was in a solid 22/24 before surgery. I tried on several shirts too and got all 16/18 or 18's so I walked out of that store with several new clothes (most of them bought on clearance). Went home and tried on a new outfit and I never felt so cute in my life. (not being conceited), but I felt like a totally new person...I have NOT been depressed since. I also bought a recipe book from Amazon for people that have had weightloss surgery. Well actually I bought 2, one is SusanMaria's and the other one I will have to get back to you with the name. SusanMaria's is full of a lot of fish recipes. Fish Is something I can eat but she uses a lot of spices and things that I don't have. the other book is GREAT for all stages of wls patients because it tells you by stages how much you can eat and how to eat it. I made a GREAT london Broil and was able to eat 3 small pieces with some potatoes and greenbeans. I actually ate a whole meal...I was quite impressed. I will get the name of that book for you if you are interested. The depression should really be short lived...I hope so for your sake....hugs!

yeah i even went thur a short duration of being down. I wondered what in the world i had done to myself. Why did i do this, i couldnt eat anything was this the way it was going to be the rest ofo my life etc etc. But i have gotten use to my small tummy am never hungry now. and dont regret it one bit. Today i got in the mail a new bathing suit that i ordered an i put it up next to the one i wore last year. OH MY GOD I am going to take a picture of the bottoms and post it on my profile wait till you all see the difference. I dont understand how there can be that much difference. Now im going to put that on my ref. and if i get depressed again that is all i will have to look at. Hang on your times will come. You are doing great. Barb i think the receipes came from Claudette not sure. were they p.b. cookies? they are delecious arent they? I make peanut butter balls that i keep on hand all the time and they are sort of like a treat and have about 10 grams of protein in each ball so you are getting good protein plus they taste like something really fun to eat too. Jan

I bet it was Claudette. thanks Jan...and I would love the recipe for the pb balls too..if you have some time.

Hi Gretta; Like everyone says, don't beat yourself up. Most of us eat something we shouldn't. I'm glad you shared. That is what we are all here for. Your loss is wonderful!!! That is such a short time. The tired and depressed is normal. Surgery takes a lot out of us. Depression is normal because we are asking "What was I thinking?" For about 3 months I did that and everytime I ate I was sick. Dr. H told me that the first year was a time of trial and only we could find what we could or couldn't eat. He told me to eat what I wanted and if it made me sick then don't eat it again. Trust me even after nearly 4 years that still is happening. I still find things I can't eat. Unless you eat big stuff like course meat or fried foods and not chewing it up then probably no damage. Just remember your new pouch is raw. It has been through a lot of trauma. If you continue to not eat the correct things you could cause it to take a lot longer to heal. Are you on the pureed diet yet? If and when you do get to it just blend anything and everything up. What ever I prepared for supper for my DH I blended. Even a pot pie once. Tasted pretty good. Hope you feel better! Hugs; Barbara in Freeman

Gretta, You're doing great. What a good loss. Just hold on to the prize, a new life, better health, moving better, feeling better, being better. I have not had any depression yet but I know it's not uncommon. I'm such a ditz that I probably had it and didn't notice. Whatever, don't feel guilty. Just pull up your big girl panties and move on to the next day. With our new tool we can start over any time. Try some of the recipes and try to keep your portions really small and you'll be just fine. Hugs and love to you always, Lana

Gretta, No one said this was easy. I have had the same battles and not always been successful. If it will make you feel better listen to the list of things I've sampled: Pringles, icing, tootsie roll, hot wing . . . you get the point. Sometimes I just chew stuff and spit it out. Believe me we are not alone. It is a huge adjustment for us. I used to just graze through my cupboards when I got home from work eating a bite of this and taste of that and on and on while I fixed dinner - then ate dinner. That has been a huge habit for me to break. I still head for the kitchen first thing in the door. But I'm learning - I try to eat a yogurt or pudding before I leave work so that when I walk in the door I'm not hungry. Your right cooking for the family is hard. But we know the still need to eat - just remember it will get better. Right now is hard - but it is also the time that we can lose weight the easiest. Just try to do your best and remember you original motiviations and reasons for wanting the surgery. I'll e-mail you my phone number call anytime you want to talk! Marilyn