Post op blues

Hi, I'm Michelle.   I am post op 5 days and last night i had a crying spell like never before.  I felt like i had a big hole in the middle of my body.  I am so accustomed to having a full stomach all the time.  Am i having food "withdrawls"?

{{{{Michelle}}}  It could very well be "head hunger" and the psychological issues revolving around your up-to-now eating habits.  Some struggle with this more than others, almost like mourning a loss or something.  It could too, considering how newly post-op you are, being effects of the anesthesia and just the stress of the surgery itself.  I'd say give it some time.  It truly does get better.  Take this time to follow your surgeon's eating instructions.  Let your body heal; and learn new healthy eating habits and at the bare minimum, get yourself to a support group to help talk about and work through some of the issues and changes you will be going through.  If necessary, see a counseling to work through any food issues you discovery that you need extra help in overcoming.  That's the key and critical factor in making this surgery a long-term successful tool.  Believe me, I'm 3.5 years post-op, and I see many, many at this stage, re-gaining weight.  Because our bodies do adapt, or we discover we can now eat foods that we once couldn't, or we get lazy in taking supplements, drinking our protein shakes, exercising or we never truly dealt with and overcame the food addictions that caused us to become obese in the first place.   [ note to everyone, not just you Michelle ] ..... WLS is only a tool:  it is not the cure.  If you are eating because you are addicted to food....  You feel emotionally empty, needy, insecure, lonely, bored or whatever your reason may be:  WLS will not fix that.  Sure, it will force you to eat less, malabsorb and you will lose weight initially - maybe even all your excess weight; but if you don't get a handle of the real issues that got you obese in the first place, then WLS isn't going to be a working tool for you for the long-term; because as the saying goes - "Where there's a will - there's a way".  And if your will to eat is still there and going strong and not been conquered, then you can and will find a way to overcome the limitations of the tool.  A quick read of the OH Graduates board will show you how true that is.  I will certainly be praying for you Michelle.  I'm not sure where you live, but find a support group near you.    I think it will really help.  Have a Merry Christmas hon.  I'll be praying for you. 

Also, your body has been through a huge trauma. I rmember feeling I ruined my life and there was no going back. I think a lot people feel that way, but it passes. Good luck